Alchemy, the independent film and television distribution entity founded by CEO Bill Lee, announced today that it has acquired all US distribution rights to Oscar-nominated director Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster. The satire, starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz, premiered to great critical response at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival where it played in competition. The Lobster also features John C. Reilly, Lea Seydoux, Olivia Colman and Ben Whishaw.
The Lobster is a love story set in the near future where single people, according to the rules of The City, are arrested and transferred to The Hotel. There they are obliged to find a matching mate in 45 days. If they fail, they are transformed into an animal of their choosing and released into The Woods. A desperate Man escapes from The Hotel to The Woods where The Loners live and falls in love, although it is against their rules.
“‘The Lobster’ is alternately beautiful, romantic, mysterious, and hilarious,” said Brooke Ford, Alchemy EVP of Marketing. “Yorgos has created a completely original film that we are proud to bring to single people and non-single people alike throughout the US.”
Lanthimos penned the script with Efthimis Filippou and produced the film along with Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday and Ceci Dempsey. Sam Lavender, Andrew Lowe and Tessa Ross executive produced. Element Pictures, Scarlet Films, Faliro House, Haut et Court, Lemming Film produced The Lobster in association with Protagonist Pictures and Limp. Protagonist Pictures is handling international sales.