Léa Mysius’ latest, “The Five Devils,” has secured distribution ahead of its world premiere at Cannes in the Directors’ Fortnight section. According to a press release, Mubi has acquired the rights for several territories, including North America, and the U.K. and Ireland.
The film tells the story of Vicky (newcomer Sally Dramé), a strange and solitary girl with a magical gift: she can reproduce any scent she finds and bottle it. The source details further: “One of those scents belongs to her mother, Joanne (Adèle Exarchopoulos), to whom Vicky feels an almost obsessive attachment. When the sudden reappearance of her father’s sister, Julia (Swala Emati), upends their conservative Alpine village and threatens the family’s sense of domestic bliss, Vicky finds that by reproducing her aunt’s smell, she can traverse a series of increasingly dark and archaic memories that reveal the secrets of her village, her family, and her own existence.”
Mysius’ first feature, “Ava,” premiered at Cannes in the Critics’ Week section in 2017, where it won the SACD (Authors Society) prize. Her writing credits also include “Farewell to the Night” and “Paris, 13th District,” as well as Claire Denis’ upcoming “Stars at Noon.”
Exarchopoulos won Cannes’ Palme d’Or along with co-star Léa Seydoux for their roles in “Blue Is the Warmest Color” — the first time the prize was officially awarded to actors in addition to the filmmaker. She also won the Most Promising Actress award at the Césars. Her other credits include “Zero Fucks Given” and “Sibyl.”
A theatrical release to be followed by an exclusive Mubi streaming release is planned for “The Five Devils” in the U.S. and the U.K. and Ireland.
Mubi’s slate also includes Mia Hansen-Løve’s Seydoux-starrer “One Fine Morning,” which the company co-produced through its production arm. It will also premiere during Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
Cannes Film Festival takes place May 17-28.
