Alief Boards 'Borges and Me,' Closes Multi-Territory Deals at AFM

Alief has boarded international sales on "Borges and Me," Marc Turtletaub's adaptation of Jay Parini's novelized memoir, and closed theatrical deals across multiple major markets on day one of the American Film Market.

The France and U.K.-based company announced the pickup alongside first theatrical sales ahead of the AFM: Icon Distribution takes the U.K. and Ireland, Rialto Distribution takes Australia and New Zealand, MFA Film takes German-speaking Europe, and Alfa Pictures takes Spain. The film world-premiered at the Edinburgh Festival.

Who made the film, and who stars?

Turtletaub ("Jules") directs for his label Big Beach, the company behind "Little Miss Sunshine." The cast is led by Fionn Whitehead ("Dunkirk") as the young Parini, Luis Gnecco ("Neruda") as Jorge Luis Borges, and Alan Cumming ("Avengers Doomsday"). Peter Mullan ("My Name Is Joe"), Freya Mavor ("My Policeman") and Morven Christie ("The Bay") also star.

Oren Moverman ("The Messenger") wrote the screenplay, working from an earlier adaptation. The film follows Parini in 1971, a young American graduate student at Scotland's St Andrews University desperate to find his voice as a writer, who is persuaded by his mentor, Scottish poet and Borges translator Alistair Reid, to chauffeur Borges on a week-long road trip through the Scottish Highlands. The improbable journey, made in an old Morris Minor to visit poet George Mackay Brown (Mullan), turns from reluctant obligation into a life-changing experience, Alief noted.

What did the buyers say?

"Delightfully imbued with poetry, magical realism and melancholy, 'Borges and Me' is a charming ride with an outstanding British cast. We are delighted to be representing the film," said Alief President Brett Walker.

Alief partner Miguel Govea added: "It is a thrill to work with Big Beach. Their gorgeously shot 'Borges and Me' brings to life the book, capturing its essence of time, place, and recollection in a strikingly clear and evocative upbeat road movie that audiences and buyers are connecting with."

Rialto CEO Kelly Roger said: "We fell in love with 'Borges and Me' for its warmth, gentle wit and endearing charm. It's a beautiful story about an unlikely friendship between two very different generations, and how much they come to learn from one another." Icon CEO Spencer Pollard confirmed a U.K. and Ireland release "next year." MFA founder Christian Meinke predicted German arthouse audiences would respond to "the poetic of Borges with the magic of the Highlands."

Turtletaub said: "We are thrilled to be working with Alief for international. Their passion for the film was apparent from the first conversations we had with them. And we love the enthusiasm from the distributors who they have partnered with."

Why Borges, and why now?

The real Borges was a towering figure — asked to name the greatest works in Latin American literature, Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa answered: "Borges, everything." Yet the writer confessed in a poem: "I have committed the worst of all sins: I have not been happy." The Borges Parini meets in 1971 is a 72-year-old legend making up for lost time, blind but eager to grasp each moment. Gnecco plays it for comedy early, and for a life-changing lesson later. "Borges has remained with me every day of my life," Parini's voiceover says.

Guy Lodge's Variety review was upbeat: "Oren Moverman pivots between moments of graceful poetry and others of simpler feelgood sentiment. The final balance slightly favors the latter."

"Borges and Me" is a Big Beach presentation of an Ossian International, Big Beach, Lemming Film and A Private View production. Alex Polunin, Turtletaub, Michael B. Clark and Tim Foley produce; Stephen Burt, Moverman and Parini executive produce. Alief is now in talks with buyers from Central Europe, MENA, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Asia.