François Ozon’s ‘The Crime is Mine’ Lands at Music Box

The comedy stars Isabelle Huppert, Rebecca Marder, and Nadia Terezkiewicz

The Crime is Mine
The Crime is Mine

Music Box Films has acquired the US distribution rights to “The Crime is Mine” (“Mon Crime”). François Ozon (“Swimming Pool,” “8 Women,” “Frantz”) directs the comedy of errors starring newcomers Rebecca Marder and Nadia Terezkiewicz, alongside Isabelle Huppert, Fabrice Luchini, Dany Boon, and André Dussolier.

Music Box is aiming for a theatrical release later this year with a home video release to follow.

The picture, based on George Berr and Louis Verneuil’s 1934 play, concerns a struggling actress (Terezkiewicz) and her roommate (Marder), an unemployed attorney in 1930’s Paris. Madeleine ends up on trial for the murder of a movie producer, while Pauline serves as both defense counsel and media circus ringmaster to both of their mutual benefit. Their post-acquittal life of fame, fortune and glory is eventually undercut by certain revelations.

“The Crime is Mine” marks Music Box Films’ fifth collaboration with director Ozon, following “Potiche,” “Frantz,” “By the Grace of God” and “Summer of 85.” The reception for this latest film has been quite positive coming out of Europe, meaning it could be the filmmaker’s biggest hit in a decade.

“We are thrilled to work again with one of the most essential and prolific contemporary French filmmakers, who’s fashioned a delightful comedy that pays homage to ’30s screwball style with the verve of a true cinephile” Music Box Films’ Brian Andreotti said in a statement. “Despite its period setting, Ozon’s deft reckoning with issues of gender, sexuality, and power dynamics truly position this as a film for our times.”

Playtime co-founder Nicolas Brigaud-Robert said “Playtime and Music Box Films have been working together successfully for over a decade, it is only natural that we work with them on our biggest French film of the year.”

The sale of the film was negotiated by William Schopf and Brian Andreotti of Music Box Films and Nicolas Brigaud-Robert of Playtime on behalf of the filmmakers.

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