Screen Media Films has acquired U.S. rights to Michel Gondry‘s “Microbe and Gasoline” from StudioCanal, the company announced Tuesday.
Screen Media will release the film on July 1 in New York (Landmark Sunshine Cinema) and Los Angeles (Nuart Theater) before expanding in a traditional platform release throughout July and August.
“Microbe & Gasoline,” which premiered at the 2015 New York Film Festival, follows two young friends who embark on a road trip across France in a vehicle they built themselves. Ange Dargent and Theophile Baquet star alongside Audrey Tautou of “Amelie” fame.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Screen Media on ‘Microbe & Gasoline’ and we look forward to giving U.S. audiences the opportunity to rediscover the charm of Gondry’s universe,” said Aska Yamaguchi, senior VP of international sales at StudioCanal, who negotiated the deal with Screen Media’s Seth Needle on behalf of the filmmakers.
“There are very few filmmakers on our directors bucket list here at Screen Media, and it is truly an honor to release a Michel Gondry film,” added Needle, who serves as senior VP of worldwide acquisitions at Screen Media Films. “We really think audiences will take to his endearing coming of age story.”
Gondry wrote and directed the film, which was produced by Georges Bermann. “Microbe & Gasoline” was a co-production with StudioCanal and Partizan, in association with Indéfilms 3 and Cinémage 9, in participation with Canal+ and Orange Cinéma Séries (as OCS), in partnership with Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC), and in support by Région Bretagne and Commission du Film de Bourgogne.
Screen Media’s recent titles include “Colonia” starring Emma Watson and Daniel Brühl; “Ten Thousand Saints,” starring Ethan Hawke, Emile Hirsch and Asa Butterfield; Helen Hunt‘s “Ride” starring Brenton Thwaites and Luke Wilson; “Faults,” starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Leland Orser, and Lance Reddick; “Stephen King‘s A Good Marriage” starring Joan Allen and Antony LaPaglia; and “About Alex,” starring Aubrey Plaza, Max Greenfield, Nate Parker, Max Minghella, Jason Ritter, Maggie Grace, and Jane Levy.