A24 has bought Jordan Firstman’s raucous film “Club Kid” for $17 million after a pitched bidding war at the Cannes Film Festival.
Other bidders included Netflix, Focus Features, Searchlight Pictures and MUBI all circling the buzzy Un Certain Regard dramedy following its world premiere, TheWrap has learned.
“Club Kid” marks the feature directorial debut of actor/writer/influencer Firstman, who currently stars on the Rachel Sennott comedy series “I Love LA.” The film earned a six-minute standing ovation after its premiere and left Firstman visibly moved.
Set in New York City, “Club Kid” follows a washed-up underground party promoter whose life takes an unexpected turn when he’s forced to look after a son that he never knew he had.
The film also stars Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, newcomer Reggie Absolom and Eldar Isgandarov.
In his review of the film, TheWrap’s Zachary Lee wrote: “It’s an earnest, heartwarming, and vivacious look at the realities of parenting and a celebration of the warmth and love in unconventional lifestyles. At the same time, Firstman often gets in his own way, commandeering the film to act as PR (or damage control) for himself, rather than following the natural path of this unvarnished story.”
Recent Academy Award-winner Alex Coco (“Anora,” “Red Rocket”) and Galen Core (“Pet Shop Days,” “Lurker”) produced alongside Topic Studios, who also financed. Stay Gold co-financed. Executive producers are Firstman, Olmo Schnabel and Daniela Taplin Lundberg.
Shot on 35MM, the film is lensed by recent Emmy Award-winner Adam Newport Berra (“The Studio,” “Blink Twice”).
UTA Independent Film Group structured the financing and is handling worldwide sales.
