The Cinema Guild Acquires Bela Tarr’s Award-Winning “The Turin Horse”

The Cinema Guild acquired U.S. distribution rights to Bela Tarr’s “The Turin Horse,” winner of the Silver Bear at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival. The company plans to release the film theatrically this winter.

Below is the full release:

THE CINEMA GUILD ACQUIRES BÉLA TARR’S “THE TURIN HORSE”

Winner of the Jury Grand Prix – Silver Bear at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival, “The Turin Horse” is Bela Tarr’s Last Film

New York, NY —The Cinema Guild announced today the acquisition of U.S. distribution rights to Bela Tarr’s apocalyptic masterpiece “The Turin Horse.” The deal was negotiated by Ryan Krivoshey of The Cinema Guild with Jean-Christophe Simon of Films Boutique. The film will be released theatrically this winter.

On January 3, 1889 in Turin, Italy, Friedrich Nietzsche steps out of the doorway of number six, Via Carlo Albert. Not far from him, the driver of a hansom cab is having trouble with a stubborn horse. Despite all his urging, the horse refuses to move, whereupon the driver loses his patience and takes his whip to it. Nietzsche comes up to the throng and puts an end to the brutal scene, throwing his arms around the horse’s neck, sobbing. His landlord takes him home, where he lies motionless and silent for two days on a divan until he mutters the obligatory last words, and lives for another ten years, silent and demented, cared for by his mother and sisters. Somewhere in the countryside, the driver of the hansom cab lives with his daughter and the horse. Outside, a windstorm rages.

Widely considered one of the most important filmmakers in world cinema, Bela Tarr’s films include “Almanac of the Fall” (1985), “Damnation” (1988), “Sátántangó” (1994), “Werckmeister Harmonies” (2000) and “The Man from London” (2007). He has said “The Turin Horse” (2011) will be his last film.

“Easily one of the most mesmerizing and singular visions ever put on film, ‘The Turin Horse’ is unlike anything else in theaters,” commented Ryan Krivoshey. “We’re honored to be working with Bela Tarr, especially on what will be the release of his last film.”

The Cinema Guild is a distributor of independent, foreign and documentary films. Upcoming releases include Steve James and Alex Kotlowitz’s “The Interrupters,” Cristi Puiu’s “Aurora” and Vadim Jendreyko’s “The Woman with the Five Elephants.”