Kino Lorber Acquires ‘La Sapienza,’ Eugène Green’s Ode to Italian Architecture

Kino Lorber has announced the acquisition of all U.S. and Canadian rights to Eugène Green’s “La Sapienza,” which marked its premiere at the Locarno Film Festival last month and will be playing at the Toronto International and New York Film Festival‘s this fall.

READ MORE: Locarno Review: How Do You Turn Architecture Into a Love Story? On Eugene Green’s Brilliant ‘The Sapience’

“La Sapienza” follows the story of a brilliant architect who seeks spiritual and artistic renewal during a life-changing voyage in Italy. From the film’s TIFF synopsis: “Named for the famous seventeenth-century Roman church Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza, which was designed by the legendary architect (and Bernini rival) Francesco Borromini, ‘La Sapienza’ echoes Rossellini’s Viaggio in Italia in its tale of Alexandre Schmid (Fabrizio Rongione), a brilliant architect who, plagued by doubts and loss of inspiration, embarks on a quest of artistic and spiritual renewal guided by his study of Borromini. His wife Aliénor (Christelle Prot), similarly troubled by the crassness of contemporary society — as well as the couple’s lack of communication and passion — decides to accompany him.”

 

“La Sapienza at Locarno was a revelation, a stirring visual inquiry into the spiritual dimensions of architecture mediated by human passions that constantly threaten to disrupt the proceedings,” said Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber. “We’re thrilled to launch this cinematic meditation at the major upcoming festivals and believe audiences will find extra delight in the baroque music and architecture woven throughout.”

Kino Lorber plans a speciality theatrical release in the first quarter of 2015.