Rebecca Lenkiewicz, co-scribe of Pawel Pawlikowski’s Academy Award winning “Ida”, is teaming with Bulgarian helmer Konstantin Bojanov for his latest film, “I Want To Be Like You,” toplining Klaus Maria Brandauer, star of Sydney Pollack’s “Out of Africa” Istvan Szabo’s “Mephisto,” and Barry Keoghan, who headlined Wiebke von Carolsfeld’s “Stay”, Variety reports.
Moving ever more from its Spanish-language focus into select acquisition of European titles, Madrid-based Latido Films will introduce “I Want To Be Like You” to international distributors at next week’s Cannes Film Market.
“Like You” is the sophomore outing as a director and first English-language feature Bojanov, who debuted in Cannes with “Ave,” which played Critics’ Week. Last year, Bojanov was named a European Film Promotion Producer on the Move.
Copenhagen’s Toolbox Film London’s Film and Music Entertainment, Brussels-based Left Field Ventures and Bulgaria’s Multfilm produce.
Producers have already closed pre-sales deals with Denmark’s 41 Shadows and are in advanced negotiations with UK, Bulgaria and Benelux, said F&ME Mike Downey.
Set against a background of second generation immigrants in the U.K., “Like You” revolves around up-and-coming artist Pawel who lives in Birmingham with his mother. She wants him to go back to Bulgaria for the summer holidays but Pawel prefers to take the road to find his hero, the legendary French painter Arnaud. “Like You” has some autobiographical touches – Bojanov left his country 20 years ago to study fine art in London.
“’Like You’ is a story of obsession, and near blind worship, of one’s artistic idols,” told the Berlin-based artist-helmer Bojanov.
It will go into production from this July shooting on locations in and around Copenhagen, the U.K.’s West Midlands and Belgium. Poland-born Hubert Taczanowski (Don Roos’ “The Opposite of Sex,” Michael Winterbottom’s “The Face of an Angel”) will serve as cinematographer.
“Like You” is a “touching story supported by a great deal of talent. It is a step forward in the consolidation of Latido as a major player, not only in the Spanish-speaking market,” said Latido CEO Antonio Saura.
