EXCLUSIVE: Cinephil has come aboard to represent worldwide sales rights to Polish director Maciek Hamela’s In The Rearview, which will make its debut in the Cannes Film Festival next week as part of the ACID (Association for the Diffusion of Independent Cinema) program.
The project is a collective portrait composed of an array of experienes of Ukrainians who share a single goal: finding a safe haven in the throes of conflict. It follows multiple generations of Ukrainian civilians as they abandon their homes and rely on the help of Hamela’s volunteer aid van to escape the life-threatening conflict. As he steers through minefields to leave Ukraine and tries to get through numerous military checkpoints, Hamela guides the documentary from behind the wheel and behind the camera, crisscrossing the roads of Ukraine to transport uprooted refugees safely to Poland.
In the Rearview is a Polish production, with co-producers from France and Ukraine. The Polish Film Institute co-financed the project, which is produced by Piotr Grawender from Affinity Cine and Maciek Hamela of Impakt Film. Co-producers include Jean-Marie Gigon of SaNoSi Productions and Anna Palenchuk of 435 FILMS. Cinephil will introduce the film to buyers in Cannes next week.
“Cinephil is very proud to represent In the Rearview, a very unique film,” said Cinephil’s managing director Olivier Tournaud. “Not only can you get very close to the people’s stories during war times but you also see the behind-the-scenes of their evacuations and the incredible courage of the volunteers, who dare everything to bring them to safe places from very deep inside the fighting zones. With very strong cinematography, watching In the Rearview on the big screen is an unforgettable experience, which shows that even in the darkest moments, people can risk it all for you.”
Cannes Market 2023
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.