'We Need To Talk About Kevin' Tops Global Buyers' Conversations

LONDON – Lynne Ramsay’s We Need To Talk About Kevin, starring Tilda Swinton, posted a slew of sales across international territories by the conclusion of this year’s Marche du Film during Cannes.

The title, sold internationally by Luc Roeg’s U.K. production and sales outfit Independent, sold to Australia & New Zealand (Hopscotch), Italy (Bolero Films), Scandinavia (Svensk), Spain (Vertigo), Switzerland (Praesens Film), Poland (Best Film), Portugal (Pepperview), Japan (The Klockworx), Korea (T Cast), Hong Kong (Sundream), Taiwan (Atom Cinema / Filmware).

The deals come in the wake of pre-sales on the title in the U.K. (Artificial Eye), Benelux (Wildbunch), France (Diaphana), Greece (Seven Films), Israel (Shani Films), Middle East (Shooting Stars).

Oscilloscope Laboratories corralled North American distribution rights to the picture in a separate deal negotiated by Cinetic’s Bart Walker and John Sloss and Independent’s Andrew Orr with Oscilloscope’s Adam Yauch.

Based on the novel by Lionel Shriver of the same name, the movie is written by Ramsay & Rory Stewart Kinnear and also stars John C. Reilly and Ezra Miller in a breakout performance as the titular Kevin.

It details the story of a mother and her 15-year-old son who ends up going on a high school killing spree.

It unspooled In Competition during this year’s Festival de Cannes.

Orr said: "We first read this script just before Cannes 2009 and two years later, we have brought the finished film to Competition and sold it to some of the best independent distributors around the world."