Industry News

The BFI is pleased to announce it has acquired Jessica Hausner’s first English language feature, the chilling sci-fi drama Little Joe, for distribution in the UK and Ireland. An Austrian/UK/German co-production, Little Joe received its world premiere In Competition at the Cannes Film Festival this year where leading actor Emily Beecham won Best Actress. The film also stars Ben Whishaw and Kerry Fox . Its UK premiere will be at the BFI London Film Festival on Friday October 4 followed by its cinema release in February 2020. In Little Joe, Alice (Beecham), is a dedicated senior plant breeder at a corporation engaged in developing new species. She has engineered a very special crimson flower, remarkable not only for its beauty but also for its therapeutic value: if kept at the ideal temperature, fed properly and spoken to regularly, this plant makes its owner happy. Against company policy, Alice takes one home as a gift for her teenage son, Joe ( Kit Connor ). They christen it “Little Joe” but as it grows, so too does Alice’s suspicion that her new creations may not be as harmless as their nickname suggests. Julie Pearce , Head of BFI Distribution comments: “We are delighted to be bringing Jessica Hausner’s intriguing first English language feature to UK audiences. It will be the centrepiece of a retrospective season of her previous films at BFI Southbank and on BFI Player. With a great British cast, Little Joe is a mesmerising film and a superb addition to Jessica’s fascinating body of work.” Little Joe will screen at the BFI London Film Festival on Friday October 4 followed by its cinema release in February 2020.

Source: www.top10films.co.uk