–Zeitgeist Films has distributed films such as Abbas Kiarostami’s ‘Taste Of Cherry’, Christopher Nolan’s ‘Following’, and Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s ‘Three Monkeys’—

Mumbai, 6th February, 2015: Chaitanya Tamhane’s provocative film, ‘Court’, which premiered and won two major awards at the prestigious Venice Film festival, has been acquired by New York based Zeitgeist Films, for U.S. distribution.

Opening to rave reviews, ‘Court’ won two coveted awards at Venice – the Orizzonti award for Best Film and the Lion of the Future award for a Debut Film. Lauded for its thought-provoking take on India’s judicial system, it generated a strong buzz on the festival circuit last year, playing at 19 festivals and winning sixteen awards.

It’s a great honour for the film to be picked up by Zeitgeist, the U.S. film distribution company. Zeitgeist is renowned for bringing path breaking, auteur-driven films to theatres, and has previously distributed films such as Abbas Kiarostami’s ‘Taste Of Cherry’, Christopher Nolan’s ‘Following’, Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s ‘Three Monkeys’ and many more.

 

Co-President of Zeitgeist Films, Nancy Gerstman, said, “Anyone who is interested in the constantly changing face of India — with its fascinating contradictions — will appreciate ‘Court.’ We don’t use the word ‘amazing’ too often, but there is no other way to describe this film and the amount of awards it has collected confirms that others feel the same way.”

Among its other accolades, Court won best film and best director in the international category, honoring the first film by a director, at the Mumbai Film Festival, This was the first time an Indian film won in this section. From there on, it went on to win a FIPRESCI award at the Vienna International Film Festival, the New Talent award at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival, and the Grand Prix at the Auteur Film Festival in Serbia.

The 27 years old debutant writer-director, Chaitanya Tamhane, says, “We could not have asked for a better collaborator for our US release. Given the fact that over the past two decades, Zeitgeist has discovered and supported the films of some of my favourite filmmakers, this feels like a true honour.”

 

The young producer, Vivek Gomber, who also stars in the film, says, “I am thrilled to have Zeitgeist on board. As filmmakers, we want our work to reach as many audiences as possible, across the world. With such an established, well respected, and fearless distributor supporting us, I feel we are in good hands for our American release. A Zoo Entertainment Pvt. Ltd production, ‘Court’ is slated for an early summer release in India.

Synopsis
A sewage worker’s dead body is found inside a manhole in Mumbai. An ageing folk singer is arrested and accused of performing an inflammatory song, which may have incited the worker to commit suicide. The trial unfolds in a lower court, where the hopes and dreams of the city’s ordinary people play out. Forging these fates are the lawyers and judge, who are observed in their personal lives beyond the theatre of the courtroom.