“Consent,” an adaptation of Vanessa Springora’s bestselling book which sparked a belated #MeToo moment in France, has lured major distributors while thriving at the local box office and stirring social media buzz.
Represented in international markets by Paris-based outfit SND, the film marks the sophomore outing of Vanessa Filho whose debut feature “Angel Face” stars Marion Cotillard and played at the Cannes Film Festival.
Inspired by Springora’s real-life story, “Consent” tells the story of a teenage girl who is manipulated and sexually abused by a celebrated writer in his 50s. Although Springora doesn’t name him in her book, “Le Consentement,” the story revolves around Gabriel Matzneff, the renowned author of “Under 16 Years Old,” among his many books promoting sex with minors.
Published in January 2020, “Le Consentement” sent shockwaves in France where it sold more than 300,000 copies and went on to be released in 30 countries across the globe.
“Consent” has had a healthy run at the French box office since being released on Oct. 11 by Pan Distribution, and has seen theatrical admission grow week after week, underscoring its timeliness. The movie has also garnered solid word-of-mouth on social media. The film’s hashtag got more than 27 million views on Tiktok and has resonated deeply with Gen Z audiences who have been debating the film online.
SND’s international sales team, spearheaded by Ramy Nahas, has scored major deals on the movie, including in Benelux (Anga), Spain (Vercine), Portugal (Cinemundo), Japan (Klockworks), Canada (Axia), Bulgaria (Beta Film), Indonesia (Falcon), ex Yougo (Blitz) and Switzerland (Praesens).
Nahas, who is attending the American Film Market this week, is leading advanced negotiations with other European and international buyers.
“Consent” boasts a breakthrough performance by newcomer Kim Higelin, who stars opposite Jean-Paul Rouve (“Polar Park”) as Matzneff and Laetitia Casta (“Coma”) as Springora’s mother.
The film was produced by Windy Production’s Carole Lambert and Moana Films’ Marc Missonnier. It’s set to world premiere at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn.