Netflix has scored its first pickup of this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, nabbing all English-speaking rights to Alexey German Jr.’s Dovlatov, an intimate look at a week in the life of Russian novelist Sergei Dovlatov.
Netflix acquired rights for North America, the U.K., Australia/New Zealand and Scandinavia for the period drama following its world premiere at the Berlinale.
Alpha Violet, which is handling world sales on Dovlatov, also scored deals for 13 other territories. Among the deals closed are ones for France (Paradis Films), Italy (Satine Film), Spain (Abordar), Portugal (Leopardo Filmes) and Brazil (Imovision).
Dovlatov, who was unable to publish under the Soviet regime, emigrated to New York. But his real fame came after his death, when his novels became huge best-sellers in post-Soviet Russia.
The film also picked up a Silver Bear in Berlin on Saturday night, winning the prize for outstanding artistic contribution for Elena Okopnaya’s costume design, which recreates November 1971 in Leningrad.
Disney will bow Dovlatov on Thursday in Russia.
