Picturehouse Acquires The Fox & the Child

Picturehouse has acquired the U.S. rights to The Fox & the Child, the first narrative film from the team that created the box-office sensation The March of the Penguins, it was announced today by Bob Berney, president of Picturehouse.

A Bonne Pioche production, The Fox & the Child is directed by Luc Jacquet and produced by Yves Darondeau, Christophe Lioud and Emmanuel Priou.

Based on Jacquet’s own experience as a child, the film tells the story of a little girl who enters the familiar landscape of the forest surrounding her home but, by following in the fox’s footsteps, an entire new world is revealed to her.

“We are tremendously pleased to be a part of The Fox & the Child,” said Berney. “It’s a universal story that will touch people of all ages. I know that Luc and his team will bring their incredible passion to this project and capture images we never thought possible.”

“This film is a fable that reflects the relationship man has with animals and nature,” said Jacquet. “It is our hope to reveal the wonder of nature that surrounds us everyday. We are pleased to be in business with Picturehouse and look forward to the release of the film.”

The deal was brokered on behalf of Picturehouse by Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, Sara Rose and Carolyn Blackwood, Executive Vice President of Business Affairs and Co-Productions, New Line.

Launched in April 2005, Picturehouse is the joint venture of two leaders of the entertainment community - HBO and New Line Cinema. Currently in release is Guillermo del Toro’s triple Oscar-winning gothic fairy tale Pan’s Labyrinth, which has currently grossed a record-breaking $34 million in North America and Starter for 10 starring James McAvoy and produced by Tom Hanks’ Playtone. Up next is Gracie, directed by Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) and starring Oscar-Nominee Elisabeth Shue, Andrew Shue and Carly Schroeder (Firewall, Mean Creek); Olivier-Dahan’s Edith Piaf biopic, La Vie En Rose; El Cantante, a music-infused biography of Puerto Rican, salsa pioneer Hector Lavoe, starring Jennifer Lopez and her husband, Marc Anthony; Rocket Science, the first narrative film from Jeff Blitz (Spellbound) which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival where it received rave reviews and won the Directing Prize and Francois Girard’s Silk, starring Michael Pitt, Keira Knightly, Koji Yakusho, and Alfred Molina.