Sundance Selects is acquiring North American rights to Michel Gondry’s animated documentary “Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?,” the company announced Friday.
The movie celebrates Noam Chomsky, the controversial MIT professor, philosopher, linguist, anti-war activist and political firebrand. Through complex, lively conversations with Chomsky and brilliant illustrations by Gondry himself, the film reveals the life and work of the father of modern linguistics while also exploring his theories on the emergence of language.
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Best known as the innovative director of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “The Science of Sleep,” Gondry produced the documentary with Georges Bermann, Raffi Adlan and Julie Fong.
The film will have its world premiere as the official Closing Night selection of the 2013 DOC NYC Festival.
“This film is another genius creation from Michel Gondry, whose collaboration with the legendary Noam Chomsky has resulted a film that is both intellectually challenging and creatively brilliant. Chomsky has never discussed his work in such a unique and memorable way,” said Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects/IFC Films.
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“When I had the luck to meet Noam Chomsky and hear him talk about generative grammar, the idea of animated documentary jumped back at me and yelled, demanding to be executed. The concept finds a perfect justification here,” added Gondry.
The deal for the film was negotiated by WME Independent on behalf of the filmmakers.