Lazona Pictures, the distribution label of Gonzalo Salazar-Simpson’s Madrid-based Lazona Group, has acquired the Spanish rights to the lavish Polish biopic “Chopin, Chopin!”. (“Chopin, Paris Sonata”), sold internationally by Playtime in Paris.
Directed by Michał Kwieczyński, the $17.5 million Frédéric Chopin biopic is produced by Poland’s Axon Studio (Katyn, Warsaw 44) and stars Erik Klum (Philippe) as the genius pianist and composer and Lambert Wilson (The Matrix Resurrections) as King Louis-Philippe.
Set in the 19th century, the drama follows Chopin’s arrival in Paris at the age of 21 and his rapid rise as the city’s romantic idol, before an illness causes him to refocus on composing.
The film brings together high-end craftsmanship, including cinematographer Michał Soboczynski (The New Look), production designer Katarzyna Sobanska (Cold War), and screenwriter Bartosz Janiszewski (Wataha).
Shot primarily in France, with around 80% of the dialogue in French, the feature is aimed squarely at upscale audiences and classical music lovers, while appealing to wider crossover play through its overarching Baroque aesthetic.
Since 2003, Lazona has produced some of Spain’s top hits, including Enrique Urbizu’s thriller “No Rest for the Bad” and Emilio Martínez Lazaro’s comedy “Spanish Affair,” which became the highest-grossing Spanish film in history. In 2023, Lazona expanded its horizons and launched a new film distribution business, Lazona Pictures, which will be headed by a former Latido Films executive from 2024. Oscar Alonso.
“For us, it’s ‘Chopin, Chopin!'” “This is Europe’s first true ‘superproduction’ and a statement of intent not only to continue growing step by step, but also to venture more boldly into films that have the potential for a wider audience,” Alonso said at Seminche in Valladolid. There, “Subsuero,” co-produced by Lazona and Fernando Franco, had its world premiere as part of the festival’s main competition.
Alonso describes Chopin, Chopin as a “portrait of a rock star from the Romantic era” and claims that the release of the Spanish version, scheduled for the first quarter of next year, will stimulate partnerships with opera houses, conservatories and music schools, and expand its reach beyond the core arthouse circuit.
Since last year, Lazona Pictures has expanded its lineup of carefully selected arthouse and crossover films. For Chopin, the company has begun early conversations with platforms and broadcasters to complement its planned theatrical release.
“Chopin, Chopin” has already gained exposure at top-tier festivals and has secured further important slots, underscoring its position as a prestige event title.
“This is an ambitious European film, and it’s not something that happens every year,” he said. “We are confident that this work will resonate with classical music lovers and a much broader audience drawn to epic and emotionally moving storytelling.”
Seville European Film Festival closing film
The film will be screened out of competition as a gala title at the closing ceremony of the Seville European Film Festival, which will be held from November 7th to 15th.
One of Lazona’s biggest hits to date as an independent distributor is The Voice of Hind Rajab, which won the Venice Silver Lion and the San Sebastian Audience Award.
Co-distributed in Spain with Caramel Films, Tunisian director Kauser Ben Hania’s film is one of the year’s most prominent international titles and was also shown in Valladolid as part of Constellation’s sidebar.
