Sideshow and Janus Films have acquired the U.S. rights for “Caught by the Tides,” the latest film from director Jia Zhang-Ke (“A Touch of Sin,” “Ash is the Purest White”). The film premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Sideshow and Janus Films plan to release “Caught by the Tides” exclusively in theaters in the coming months.
When “Caught by the Tides” premiered, it received rave reviews, with New York Magazine’s Bilge Ebiri calling it a “masterpiece” and the best thing he’d seen so far. TheWrap’s own review stated: “It’s not easy and it’s definitely not commercial, leaving it up to the viewer to find threads and bask in the mood rather than grasping for things like plot. That can be frustrating, but also rewarding if you can relax into Zhang-Ke’s rhythms.”
According to the official synopsis, “Caught by the Tides” “has a deeply moving love story at its center featuring the wondrous Zhao Tao and Li Zhubin over 23 years of time against the backdrop of explosive growth in China. Made up of old footage shot by Jia over the past century as well as some new, the film traverses personal and national history including all of his films to date.”
The movie was produced by Casper Liang Jiayan, Shozo Ichiyama and Zhang Dong.
Sideshow and Janus Films said in an official statement: “Jia Zhang-ke is one of the 21 century’s most important filmmakers and with ‘Caught by the Tides,’ he delivers what will surely be considered one of his great films that gives us the gift of watching Zhao Tao across over two decades culminating in one of the best scenes of their career together. We are thrilled to bring this to American audiences in the coming months.”
Janus Films and Sideshow also acquired Payal Kapadia’s Grand Prix winner “All We Imagine as Light” and Gints Zilbalodis’ Un Certain Regard entry “Flow,” which just won four prizes at the Annecy Animation Festival including the Jury Prize and the Audience Award.
