International buyers have pounced on Ali Asgari’s Iranian drama A Bit of Light ahead of its world premiere in competition at the Venice International Film Festival next month.
Paris- and Berlin-based sales company Salaud Morisset has closed deals for the film for much of year, with sales to France (Haut et Court), Italy (Teodora Film Distribuzione), Spain (La Aventura Cine), Switzerland (Trigon Film), Benelux (September Film Distribution), Bulgaria (Beta Film Ltd.), and Greece (Filmtrade), as well as Brazil (Imovision). The company says it has offers under negotiation for the U.K., Germany, and Central Europe.
A Bit of Light stars Misagh Zareh (The Seed of the Sacred Fig), as a doctor in contemporary Iran who becomes disillusioned after he is arrested by the regime and has his medical practice shut down. Determined to end his life, he spends one final day visiting his siblings and mother to prepare them for his departure. The film is Asgari’s follow up to Divine Comedy, which premiered in Venice’s Horizons section last year.
“We are extremely proud to represent the film and to see such strong interest from distributors, many of whom already know Ali Asgari’s work and have been closely following his career,” said Paul Jullien, head of sales at Salaud Morisset. “The story resonates very strongly with the current moment, and we can feel among distributors both a real desire and a sense of urgency to bring this film to audiences.”
Meret Ruggle of Trigon praised Asgari and producer Milad Khosravi. “With A Bit of Light they lay bare, without holding back, the terrible consequences that the short-sighted actions of power-obsessed men can have on the psyche and lives of the people concerned. We applaud Ali and Milad for their courage in
speaking out in times like these.”
Added Luan Filippo Oldenbrock from Brazilian distributor Imovision, which released Asgari’s 2023 feature Terrestrial Verses: “Ali is a filmmaker with a very distinctive voice and an extraordinary ability to turn intimate, human stories into something deeply resonant. A Bit of Light immediately connected with us, and we’re very excited to bring the film to Brazilian audiences.”
Milad Khosravi produced A Bit of Light through Seven Springs Pictures. The film’s other
producers are Sunny Independent Pictures, Zoe Films, Good Measure Productions,
Haurvatat Film, MeMo Films, and Salt for Sugar Films.
The 83rd Venice Film Festival runs Sept. 2-12.
