Music Box nabs U.S. rights to “Potiche”

Music Box Films has acquired the rights to Potiche, a comedy starring Catherine Deneuve and directed by Francois Ozon.

TORONTO — Music Box Films has snapped up U.S. rights to Francois Ozon’s Potiche, in advance of its Monday night gala at Roy Thomson Hall.

Set in 1977 in a French provincial town and freely adapted from the 1970s French play, the movie stars Catherine Denueve as a trophy housewife who steps in to manage her wealthy husband’s umbrella factory after the workers go on strike and take him hostage.

A spring release is planned.

Chicago-based Music Box has had success distributing French titles like Tell No One in the U.S. and is currently distributing the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy.

Wild Bunch’s Carole Baraton and Music Box’s managing director Edward Arentz negotiated the deal.