Lazona PicturesThe distribution label of Gonzalo Salazar-Simpson's Madrid group LaZona has acquired Spanish rights to the lavish Polish biopic. “Chopin, Chopin!” (“Chopin, Sonata in Paris”), intended for international sales of the Parisian Game time.
Michal Kwieczynski's $17.5 million biopic of Frederic Chopin, produced by Poland's Akson Studio (Katyn, Warsaw 44), stars Eric Kulm (Philip) as the eminent pianist and composer and Lambert Wilson (The Matrix: Resurrections) as King Louis-Philippe.
The drama, set in the 19th century, chronicles Chopin's arrival in Paris at age 21 and his rapid rise as the city's romantic idol before illness redirects his obsession with composition.
The film features top-notch talent, including cinematographer Michal Sobociński (New Look), production designer Katarzyna Sobanska (Cold War) and writer Bartosz Janiszewski (Vataha).
Shot primarily in France, with approximately 80% of the dialogue in French, the film is aimed squarely at upscale audiences and classical music fans, while attracting wider crossover play thanks to its broad baroque aesthetic.
Having produced such popular Spanish hits since 2003 as Enrique Urbizu's thriller No Rest for the Wicked and Emilio Martinez Lazaro's comedy The Spanish Affair, the highest-grossing Spanish film ever, LaZona expanded its horizons in 2023 with the launch of a new film distribution company, LaZona Pictures. Since 2024, it has been headed by former Latido Films executive Oscar Alonso.
“For us “Chopin, Chopin!” “This is the first true European 'superproduct' on the list – a statement of intent to continue to grow, step by step, but also to take bolder steps in films with wider audience potential,” Alonso said at the Seminci festival in Valladolid, where Lazona co-produced “Bosom”, Fernando Franco, whose world premiere took place as part of the festival's main competition.
Positioning “Chopin, Chopin” as “a portrait of a rock star from the Romantic era,” Alonso says the Spanish release, scheduled for the first quarter of next year, will intensify partnerships with opera houses, conservatories and music schools to expand its reach beyond mainstream arthouse realms.
LaZona Pictures has been going strong since last year, releasing a carefully curated lineup of arthouse and crossover titles. With “Chopin Chopin,” the company has begun discussions with platforms and broadcasters to complement its planned theatrical release.
“Chopin, Chopin” has already gained the highest festival fame and occupies a leading position, emphasizing its positioning as the title of a prestigious event.
“This is an ambitious European film that doesn't come out every year,” he said. “We are confident it will resonate with classical music lovers and a much broader audience craving grand, emotionally charged storytelling.”
Final film on European Film Festival in Seville
The film will be shown out of competition as the closing gala concert of the upcoming Seville European Film Festival, which runs from November 7 to 15.
One of LaZona's biggest hits as an independent distributor to date has been The Voice of Hind Rajab, which won the Silver Lion of Venice and the Audience Award of San Sebastian.
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania's film, co-distributed with Caramel Films in Spain, is one of the year's biggest international films and was also screened in Valladolid as part of the Constellations sidebar.
