‘La Gradiva,’ Cannes Critics’ Week Winner and French Oscar Hopeful, Sets U.S. Release Date and Reveals New Image (EXCLUSIVE)

Click here to read the full article. Marine Atlan’s coming-of-age drama “La Gradiva,” a French hopeful eyeing to represent the country in the international feature Oscar race, has set its U.S. release date. The Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize winner will open at Film at Lincoln Center and IFC Cente

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Marine Atlan’s coming-of-age drama “La Gradiva,” a French hopeful eyeing to represent the country in the international feature Oscar race, has set its U.S. release date.

The Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize winner will

open at Film at Lincoln Center and IFC Center in New York on Dec. 18, followed by an expansion the next week to the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles, Variety can exclusively reveal. A national rollout will follow, with 1-2 Special handling U.S. distribution.

Variety has also obtained an exclusive new image from the film, which stars Antonia Buresi alongside newcomers Colas Quignard, Suzanne Gerin and Mitia Capellier-Audat.

The release comes after a strong run on the international festival circuit for the feature directorial debut from Atlan, who’s career started as a cinematographer. Beyond its Cannes prize, “La Gradiva” won the audience award at the New Horizons International Film Festival and the Prix d’Ornano-Valenti at the Deauville American Film Festival. It will make its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival before screening in the main slate of the New York Film Festival.

“La Gradiva” currently holds a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 98 on Metacritic and a 4.0 average on Letterboxd, making it the best-reviewed film of this year’s Cannes by those measures.

The film recently held a week of Oscar-qualifying screenings in France, drawing 1,000 admissions across sold-out showings. Its official French theatrical release is set for Oct. 21.

“La Gradiva” follows a French class trip to Pompeii, where a group of teenagers explore the ancient city’s ruins and the bodies of those petrified by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Set against the sun-soaked landscape of southern Italy, the film unfolds as a melodrama that pairs youthful discovery with the ghosts of a civilization frozen in time.

The project marks Atlan’s first feature as a director following an acclaimed career behind the camera. Her cinematography credits include “The Innocents,” which earned her a César Award nomination.

Atlan co-wrote “La Gradiva” with Anne Brouillet, and their screenplay won the grand prize at the 2024 Fondation Gan. The pair previously collaborated on “Green Romances” and “Daniel.”

The international rollout begins in France on Oct. 21, followed by Austria, Belgium and Italy in November, the U.S. in December, and Poland and Bulgaria in January 2027.

Here is the current international release schedule with the country’s distributor.

France: Oct. 21, 2026 (Tandem)
Austria: Nov. 6, 2026 (Stadtkino)
Belgium: Nov. 11, 2026 (Cineart)
Italy: Nov. 18, 2026 (Fandango)
United States: Dec. 18, 2026 (1-2 Special)
Poland: Jan. 15, 2027 (Cinobo)
Bulgaria: Jan. 22, 2027 (Beta)
Romania: Jan. 22, 2027 (Good Time)
Lithuania: Jan. 28, 2027 (A-One)
Germany: Feb. 25, 2027 (Grandfilm)
Hungary: March 4, 2027 (Budapest Film)
Finland: April 2, 2027 (BKS)
Sweden: April 9, 2027 (Lucky Dogs)
Denmark: May 5, 2027 (Angel Films)
Netherlands: May 20, 2027 (Cineart)

Additional territories, including Australia and New Zealand, Canada, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, South Korea, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, have been sold, with release dates to be announced.