“Compassionate, intelligent and shrewdly observed…there is a gentle
and very happy sense of freedom and possibility aboard the Adamant,
and there is enormous warmth, sympathy and human curiosity in this film.”
– Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
“A moving testament to what people are capable of. Not only a depiction of
psychiatric treatment administered with plenty of warmth and enthusiasm,
but a portrait of several individuals who, despite their noticeable disabilities,
are capable of producing original and moving works of art.”
– Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter
“ON THE ADAMANT is most moving when it stands back,
letting its most disenfranchised subjects talk, or shout, or sing.”
– Guy Lodge, Variety
Kino Lorber announced that it has acquired US and Anglo-Canadian distribution rights to Nicolas Philibert’s poignant observational documentary On the Adamant, which was awarded the Golden Bear at this year’s Berlinale. Kino Lorber is planning a theatrical release and Academy campaign later this year followed by a digital and home video release on all major platforms.
On the Adamant is directed, shot, and edited by the French documentarian Nicolas Philibert, known for his empathetic, humanistic approach to documentary filmmaking that frequently highlights marginalized communities, most notably in Every Little Thing, In the Land of the Deaf, and the arthouse hit To Be and To Have. On the Adamant is produced by Céline Loiseau, Gilles Sacuto, and Miléna Poylo.
The Adamant is a unique day-care centre. A floating structure located in the middle of the Seine in the heart of Paris, it welcomes adults suffering from mental disorders, offering the kind of care that grounds them in time and space and helps them to recover or keep up their spirits. With a blend of therapy, education, and culture rooted in music and the arts, the team running the Adamant tries to resist the deterioration and dehumanization of psychiatry as best as they can. This affecting, enlightening documentary invites the viewer to come aboard the Adamant and witness the transformational power of art to enrich and enhance our lives.
The deal for On the Adamant was negotiated by Kino Lorber Senior Vice President Wendy Lidell and Alice Lesort of Films du Losange. On the Adamant is the ninth film by Nicolas Philibert to join the Kino Lorber library, with other titles including Every Little Thing, Louvre City, Nenette, Animals and More Animals, Back to Normandy, To Be and to Have, In The Land Of The Deaf, and La Maison de la Radio.
“Nicolas Philibert is one of the great humanists of our time and his deep compassion, always evident in his work, shines brighter than ever in On the Adamant,” said Kino Lorber SVP Wendy Lidell. “We’re proud to add his latest work to our library of some of his very best films, and look forward to welcoming audiences aboard the Adamant so their minds can be opened and their spirits filled with wonder.”
“Knowing that this film will be released in theaters in the United States is a great joy for me, and I'm moved that it will be distributed by Kino Lorber after many years of loyalty to my work," said director Nicolas Philibert. "I hope that the American public will be sensitive to this film in which I have tried to reverse the image that many have of the so-called ‘crazy’, who are too often marked by clichés which stick to their skin and designate them eternally as dangerous people when the vast majority are harmless. I want audiences to recognize what unites us beyond our differences; I hope they can recognize a common humanity, and a feeling of being part of the same world."
The acquisition of the Golden Bear Winner is the second high profile acquisition of late by Kino Lorber, who recently announced their acquisition of Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize winner Scrapper, directed by Charlotte Regan and starring Harris Dickinson and Lola Campbell. Both Scrapper and On the Adamant will continue to screen at film festivals worldwide and will open theatrically later this year.