2017 Sundance Film Festival Predictions: John Turturro’s Going Places

Curiosity factor is through the roof with this one and perhaps not all bets are off with John Turturro essentially lifting one memorable character from a quintessential Coen bros. film and using the vessel of a 1974 French film (Les Valseuses) to pattern two worlds as one. While shooting began in New York this past August with the likes of Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou, Susan Sarandon and Sonia Braga, the “Pull the fucking trigger ’til it goes click” character of the Jesus could grab the last open lane in Park City. Chances are indeed slim, only because of a late production start, but if Going Places does trickle in it would lead all acquisitions titles as it already has a built in audience of the Little Lebowski Urban Achievers et al.

Gist: Based on the novel by Bertrand Blier, this spin-off of The Big Lebowski centers on the notable bowler, Jesus Quintana (John Turturro) and follows a trio of misfits whose irreverent, sexually charged dynamic evolves into a surprising love story as their spontaneous and flippant attitude towards the past or future backfires time and again, even as they inadvertently perform good deeds. When they make enemies with a gun-toting hairdresser, their journey becomes one of constant escape from the law, from society and from the hairdresser, all while the bonds of their outsider family strengthen.

Production Co./Producers: SKE’s Sidney Kimmel (Hell or High Water), John Penotti (Romance & Cigarettes), Robert Salerno (Nocturnal Animals), Fernando Sulichin (Snowden), Paul Dominique Vacharasinthu.

Prediction: Premieres section are slim. Tribeca or perhaps an out of comp showing in Cannes is more likely.

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. ICM Partners (domestic). Cornerstone Films (international)

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