Sundance Selects Buys Juliette Binoche’s Comedy ‘Non-Fiction’ Ahead of Venice Debut

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Sundance Selects has acquired the U.S. rights to French comedy “Non-Fiction” ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

The film, starring Juliette Binoche and Guillaume Canet, is written and directed by Olivier Assayas and produced by Charles Gillibert. “Non-Fiction” will also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. IFC Films and have previously collaborated with Assayas on “Summer Hours,” “Carlos,” “Personal Shopper,” “Clouds of Sils Marie,” and “Something in the Air.”

“Non-Fiction” is a light-hearted and ironic look at the rapidly changing world of book publishing through the relationship between an editor (Canet) and an author (Vincent Macaigne) who are both in over their heads, struggling to cope with their middle-age crisis, the digital transformation of the publishing industry and their wives (played by Binoche and Nora Hamzawi, respectively).

“I’m very grateful to IFC Films for their faithful support of my work for the past ten years beginning with ‘Summer Hours.’ ‘Non-Fiction’ is another French language bittersweet comedy,” Assayas said. “It also marks my 10th anniversary of collaborating with my friend .”

Binoche starred in “Summer Hours” and “Clouds of Sils Marie.” The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco at IFC Films/Sundance Selects and Playtime on behalf of the filmmaker.