Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Cannes Hit Toni Erdmann

NEW YORK (May 15, 2016) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all rights in North America and Latin America to TONI ERDMANN. The German film, written and directed by Maren Ade, screened “In Competition” yesterday at this year’s Cannes Film Festival to great critical acclaim.

The film stars Peter Simonischek and Sandra Hüller and is produced by Ade, Jonas Dornbach, Janine Jackowski, Michel Merkt, co-produced by Bruno Wagner, Antonin Svoboda, David Keitsch, Sebastian Schipper, and executive produced by Ada Solomon.

In TONI ERDMANN, practical joker Winfried (Simonischek) disguises himself as flashy “Toni Erdmann” to get busy Ines’ (Hüller) attention and change her corporate lifestyle. The father-daughter challenge reaches absurd proportions until Ines begins to see that her eccentric father deserves a place in her life.

"Sony Pictures Classics' list of films and directors is so impressive. It’s a great honour that TONI ERDMANN is the newest addition to their slate, and I am looking forward to this experience," said director Maren Ade.

"We are happy to partner again with SPC, who share our enthusiasm for the new film of Maren Ade. This exceptional director will fascinate international audiences, like she has already proven with her fulminant premiere in Cannes Competition. I am convinced that Michael, Tom and Dylan will make this film an outstanding success as they have done in the past with films like Waltz with Bashir, Fill the Void and The Lunchbox,” added Michael Weber, Managing Director of The Match Factory.

“One of the freshest films in years; profound, funny, powerful. TONI ERDMANN establishes director Maren Ade as a force to be reckoned with, one of the world's truly great directors. It’s great to be back in business with The Match Factory again,” stated Sony Pictures Classics.

The deal was negotiated between SPC and The Match Factory.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world. Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 32 Academy Awards® (28 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 159 Academy Award® nominations (133 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

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