Mubi Acquires Alex Ross Perry’s ‘Pavements’ for Multiple Territories Following Venice Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Mubi has acquired “Pavements,” Alex Ross Perry’s unconventional documentary-musical-biopic about cult ’90s slacker band Pavement, for multiple territories following its recent world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
The arthouse distributor, streamer and production company has picked up all rights to the film — soon to bow in both the New York Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival — for the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, France and Canada. Meanwhile, Mubi also acquired exclusive SVOD rights for the U.S.
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The deal was signed with Utopia, which is handling world sales and, the day after the film’s Venice launch, announced it would also distribute theatrically in the U.S. Mubi says it will announce its release plans in the coming months.
Directed and written by Perry (“Her Smell”), “Pavements” stars Joe Keery, Jason Schwartzman, Nat Wolff, Fred Hechinger, Logan Miller, Griffin Newman, Tim Heidecker, Michael Esper, Zoe Lister-Jones and Kathryn Gallagher in addition to Pavement band members Stephen Malkmus, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Mark Ibold, Steve West and Bob Nastanovich, who appear as themselves.
As per the description, “Pavements” is a movie that “may or may not be entirely true, may or may not be totally sincere, and may or may not be more about the idea of the band — or any band — than a history of the short-lived, passionately loved, commercially marginal Nineties American alternative group Pavement.”
The feature — which the synopsis says is an “unconventional film about a highly unconventional band” — incorporates a stage musical, rock biopic, gallery exhibition, archival footage and contemporary observational footage to create a film as “irreducible, uncharacterizable, and entertaining as the band and its music.” It was edited by nonfiction innovator Robert Greene (Procession).
“Pavements” was produced by Perry, Greene, Peter Kline, Danny Gabai, Craig Butta, Lance Bangs, Alex Needles, Arrow Kruse, Chris Lombardi, Gerard Cosloy, Patrick Amory and Gabe Spierer. Executive producers are Ian Montone, Rick Yorn, Harper Simon, Dave Ayers, Sara Lord, Merck Mercuriadis, Betsy Hershey, Michael Karbelnikoff, Robert Schwartzman, Cole Harper, Jonny Gordon, David Ruttenberg, Stu Goldstein, Alice Rhodes and Nick Quested.
“Pavements” joins a growing slate for Mubi following another active year of festivals and markets and a push into U.S. distribution. The company recently released Coralie Fargeat’s Cannes-bowing Demi Moore-starring and hugely buzzy body-horror “The Substance” — its biggest launch to date — while upcoming titles include Andrea Arnold’s “Bird,” Magnus von Horn’s “The Girl with the Needle” and Christopher Andrews’ “Bring Them Down.”
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