Everyone’s just been waiting to see who would pick up Luc besson’s “The Lady” out of Toronto, just for an excuse to go ahead and shuffle Michelle Yeoh over to the pile of likely Best Actress contenders. Yeoh stars in the film as Burmese opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi and David Thewlis has a meaty part as her husband. Well, Mike Fleming reports at Deadline that a deal has been struck:
The Oscar race just got a little more interesting. EuropaCorp has made a U.S. distribution deal with Cohen Media Group for the Luc Besson-directed The Lady…to release the film for an Oscar-qualifying platform release late this year.
Outside of “Frozen River” — which Cohen Media Group produced (though it was distributed by Sony Pictures Classics in the States) — this would be the first real brush with awards season for the company. So I’m not sure what kind of infrastructure is in place to really get the film out there (Newmarket had a tough time with very little money for Peter Weir’s “The Way Back” last year), but Yeoh and Thewlis are definitely on the radar now that a strategy is percolating. Cohen will also have “Chasing Madoff” in the documentary race this year, as well as the Emily Watson-starrer “Oranges & Sunshine.”
[Photo: Cohen Media Group]
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13 responses to “Cohen Media Group nabs Besson’s ‘The Lady’”
That’s not Thewlis in the picture is it? Looks nothing like him.
I’ve read wildly differing opinions on this – which normally is not a good thing. But with the right campaign, I could see a Yeoh nom happening. Is ‘The Lady’ an AMPAS type?
That’s him, English.
Wow. Maybe it’s the angle? Make-up? Crazy.
I actually think it looks like him. *shrug*
I guess he’s just older. I’m still envisioning him in “Naked.”
I can’t imagine this going anywhere with such a small company backing it, unless the film goes over in a huge way. But considering none of the big sharks seemingly wanted to take it on, I can’t imagine it’s that good.
no questions for Oscar Talk this week, Kris? Or will you be using questions you asked for last week?
Ooh, thanks, kel.
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I’m really rooting for her. I know it’s kind of a longshot just now but she has everything to make it into the final 5: historic character, very likable, represents great values,…
Would be great :)
Didn’t this bomb with the critics?
I missed the lady movie.When are they going to sell the video DVD?I really want to watch our Daw Aung San Suu Kyi life and also the actress Ms.Michelle Yeoh who is acting really really good as I just watched trailer on internet and thank you very much to Director Mr.Luc Basson and the company.