Janus Films has picked up the North American rights to Sergei Loznitsa’s Cannes competition drama Two Prosecutors.
The Ukrainian director’s Soviet-era thriller set during Stalin’s Great Purge in 1937 earned the François Chalais Prize in Cannes. Two Prosecutors centers on a law school grad who tries as a young prosecutor takes on corruption in the Soviet system and winds up facing the consequences.
The drama is based on the novella by Soviet scientist and political prisoner Georgy Demidov and stars Aleksandr Kuznetsov, Alexander Filippenko, Anatoli Beliy, Andris Keišs and Vytautas Kaniušonis.
“Impeccably directed and impressively acted, this slow-burn story of political injustice is filled to the brim with atmosphere — specifically the stifling, claustrophobic atmosphere of the U.S.S.R. at the height of Stalin’s Great Purge,” The Hollywood Reporter film critic Jordan Mintzer said of the historical drama in his Cannes festival review.
Director Loznitsa in a statement said of the North American distribution deal: “I am proud to entrust my latest film to Janus and excited to work with them for the first time. They have all my confidence to give the film the impactful North American launch it deserves.”
“With Two Prosecutors, Sergei has meticulously crafted a haunting and taut thriller rooted in the horrors of the past, yet chillingly resonant with the political realities of today. We’re proud to release this vital film and to be back in business with Kevin, Said, and the entire team at SBS Productions,” Janus Films said in its own statement.
The distributor earlier picked up other Cannes 2025 titles like the Special Jury Prize winner Resurrection from director Bi Gan; another historical drama, Magellan, helmed by Lav Diaz; and director Hlynur Palmason’s The Love That Remains.
Two Prosecutors is produced by Kevin Chneiweiss, Regina Bouchehri, Gunnar Dedio, Birgit Rasch, Loznitsa, Maria Choustova, Alise Gelze, Vlad Radulescu, Uljana Kim, Viola Fügen, Michael Weber and Cécile Tollu-Polonowski.
Recent Janus Films releases include Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Oscar winner Drive My Car, and this year Alain Guiraudie’s Misericordia, David Cronenberg’s thriller The Shrouds and Jia Zhangke’s Caught By The Tides.
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