Catherine Breillat’s ‘Bluebeard’ Gets U.S. Distribution, Thank Christ

It’s easily one of the movies we’re most excited about in the next few months — we wrote about it in our London Film Festival preview earlier in the week, and we’re finally catching up with it this weekend. But fortunately, Catherine Breillat’s “Bluebeard” will see a release across the country, following its premiere at the New York Film Festival today.

Arthouse distributors Strand Releasing, whose recent releases include Faith Akin’s “The Edge of Heaven,” and harrowing war movie “A Woman In Berlin,” have picked up the film for release next spring. The company’s co-president Marcus Hu told Screen Daily “We’re thrilled that we will be handling Breillat’s unique take on a famous tale.”

The film, based on the fairy tale by Charles Perrault, follows a girl in the 16th century who marries an aristocrat, only to discover he may have murdered his previous wives. This strand is contrasted with a contemporary storyline, about two young sisters reading the story together. This is good news — there’s always a risk with a film like this that it won’t be seen outside the festival circuit, despite Breillat’s reputation.

Strand Releasing plans for a Spring 2010 release date.