Focus Features Snares Justin Chon’s ‘Blue Bayou’ Out of Cannes

Focus Features has acquired the worldwide rights to writer/director Justin Chon’s Blue Bayou, from MACRO and Entertainment One (eOne) out of Cannes’ virtual market.

In addition to writing and directing the film, Chon (above), who has previously won multiple festival awards for Ms. Purple and Gook, also stars alongside Academy Award® winner Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl), Mark O’Brien (Arrival), Linh Dan Pham, and Emory Cohen (Brooklyn). The film was financed by MACRO and eOne. Producers are Chon, Charles D. King (Mudbound), Kim Roth (Tigertail), and Poppy Hanks (Sorry To Bother You). Clara Wu, eOne’s Nick Meyer, Zev Foreman, and Eddie Rubin are executive producers. Greta Fuentes of MACRO and Yira Vilaro are also co-producers. Focus Features will distribute the film in the U.S. and Universal Pictures International will distribute internationally.

Blue Bayou tells the heartbreaking story of Antonio LeBlanc, a Korean adoptee raised in the United States who is forced to confront his distant past and what it means for his own future and his family’s when he unexpectedly faces deportation.

“Justin’s ability to open our eyes to new perspectives by celebrating our shared humanity is more vital now than ever before. We’re so proud to help bring his voice to the world and to reunite with Alicia along with the brilliant teams at eOne and MACRO,” Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski announced in a statement.

Sierra/Affinity, the wholly owned subsidiary of eOne, represented the international sales of the film, with UTA and WME facilitating the domestic sale.

News of this sale was first reported in Variety.