“Divines” is headed from Cannes to your living room. Variety reports that Netflix has acquired Houda Benyamina’s directorial debut, the winner of this year’s Camera d’Or.
Benyamina described the plot of the coming-of-age story to Women and Hollywood: “Dounia is nicknamed ‘bastard’ in her district; she starts dealing dope, assisted by her best friend and soulmate Mamounia, in the hope she will be more respected and powerful. ‘Divines’ is a political film, but it is also a human story about love, friendship, and Dounia’s journey to adulthood.”
The French director explained that she felt compelled to make “Divines” after seeing a documentary “where young offenders in custody were dancing a traditional African dance in front of dumbfounded policemen, who themselves looked like district youth workers.” The image stayed with and inspired her.
“We saw ‘Divines’ before it was award-winning, praised by critics, and received a standing ovation at Cannes. We immediately recognized it as an extraordinary film and acquired it early on,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix CEO. “We’re passionate about bringing our members great films from around the world and thrilled to bring Benyamina’s debut film to our members.”
You’ll be able to watch the film on the streaming service later this year — except in France, where it’ll drop in 2019 due to national scheduling guidelines.
Benyamina commented, “Emotions bring people together and are a reflection of society. Thanks to Netflix, ‘Divines’ will cross borders, and the world will be able to enjoy this universal story of love and friendship.”
As for her own country’s filmmaking scene, the writer-director told us, “Like across the rest of the world, French cinema is misogynist, white, and ‘bourgeois’ — and the figures show this. Women’s film budgets are far lower than men’s and as a result they are underrepresented in blockbusters.”
We’re certainly glad that “Divines,” a real gem from a director with a bold vision, will have the opportunity to find an audience on Netflix.
Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “Aquarius,” another women-centric tale that premiered at Cannes 2016, has also found a home at the streaming service. Brazilian actress Sonia Braga (“Sex and the City,” “Alias”) stars as a wealthy retired widow who refuses to give up her apartment, leading to a war with the development company that wants the plot. No word on when to expect “Aquarius” on Netflix just yet, but it’s confirmed for a U.S. release.
