Lorber finds Dance Partner in ‘Tony Manero’

Despite the numerous accolades and film festival wins, I’ve expressed my doubts in the past on whether theatrical possibilities for this film were even possible. Pablo Larrain’s second film is a brilliant exploration of Chile’s former Pinochet dictatorship but my reservations have a lot to do with some of the violent outbreaks from the film’s lead character. Indiewire’s Eugene Hernandez has unveiled that the Chilean import has found a home with Richard Lorber’s new label(?). 

Larrain’s Tony Manero along with Slovakia’s Blind Love were among the highlights for me in what was a weak year in Cannes’ sidebar Director’s Fortnight section. I wrote in my review that “the out of focus, handheld aesthetics, muted and degraded colors add a touch of realism and vintage to the film, and for a period pic working with such a politically charged subject matter, TM takes a risky, disturbing, but rewarding road in deciphering the air of the moment.”

According to Indiewire, plans are to have an April or May ‘09 release for the import.