After stealing our hearts in “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” Noémie Merlant stars in a very different sort of love story in “Jumbo.” Dark Star Pictures just snagged North American distribution rights to the French-language pic. Deadline broke the news.
Written and directed by Zoé Wittock, “Jumbo” is based on a true story and centers on Jeanne (Merlant), a shy woman “who lives at home with her uninhibited mother and works as a cleaner at an amusement park. During her late-night shifts, she begins spending time with the alluring new Tilt-A-Whirl ride that she decides to call Jumbo — and she strikes an intimate bond with the ride,” the source details. “She ends up being seduced by ‘his’ red lights, smooth chrome, and oily hydraulics. As a result, she wants to pursue a thrilling new relationship with Jumbo.”
Wittock told us she was inspired to tell the unconventional story after reading an article about a woman who fell in love with — and ultimately married — the Eiffel Tower, becoming Erika Eiffel. “At the time, I couldn’t really tell why I was so intrigued by it. It just made me laugh as much as it fascinated me,” she recalled. “How and why would someone chose to live their lives that way? So I contacted her, and was even more surprised to realize that she was one of the most grounded people I had ever talked to.”
The writer-director shared that the woman introduced her to “the notion of ‘Objectum sexuals,’ people in love with inanimate objects, and was just very open about her experience. Little by little, I started writing and understanding that this was really just about accepting who you were and owning up to it enough to share it with the world,” she observed. “And this is how this love story slowly transformed into a story of empowerment and [an exploration of] identity and sexuality, which most definitely resonated with my young self.”
“Jumbo” marks Wittock’s feature debut. The coming-of-age story, which made its world premiere at Sundance in January, is expected to hit theaters this fall.
“Having been trained in the U.S. as a filmmaker (at AFI), I’ve always felt like a product of both American and European sensibility,” said Wittock in a statement. “Sundance, which had always been a dream of mine, has offered us an extraordinary window into the American market, and I couldn’t be more excited to get it out to this audience!”
Dark Star’s president, Michael Repsch, added, “’Jumbo’ is a tour de force featuring stunning performances, neon-soaked visuals, and one of the most unique storylines you will ever encounter. Zoe Wittock’s debut feature will turn heads and leave audiences talking for years to come.”
Wittock’s shorts include “A demi-mot,” “Still,” and “This Is Not an Umbrella.”
