Janus Films has acquired all North American rights to Two Prosecutors, the latest feature written and directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa (Babi Yar), which debuted at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Based on the novella by Soviet scientist and political prisoner Georgy Demidov, the historical drama is set during Stalin’s Great Purge and stars Aleksandr Kuznetsov, Alexander Filippenko, Anatoli Beliy, Andris Keišs, and Vytautas Kaniušonis.
The full synopsis reads: Two Prosecutors takes place in the Soviet Union, 1937. Thousands of letters from detainees falsely accused by the regime are burned in a prison cell. Against all odds, one of them reaches its destination, upon the desk of the newly appointed local prosecutor, Alexander Kornyev. Kornyev does his utmost to meet the prisoner, a victim of agents of the secret police, the NKVD. A dedicated Bolshevik of integrity, the young prosecutor suspects foul play. His quest for justice will take him all the way to the office of the Attorney General in Moscow. In the age of the great Stalinist purges, this is the plunge of a man into the corridors of a totalitarian regime that does not bear said name.
The film marks Loznitsa’s first return to narrative filmmaking since 2018’s Donbass, which won the Best Director prize in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section.
The deal was negotiated by Janus Films and SBS International. Two Prosecutors was produced by Kevin Chneiweiss of SBS Productions and co-produced by Regina Bouchehri, Gunnar Dedio, and Birgit Rasch of LOOKSfilm, Loznitsa and Maria Choustova of ATOMS & VOID, Alise Ģelze of White Picture, Vlad Rădulescu of Avanpost Media, Uljana Kim of Studio Uljana Kim, and Viola Fügen, Michael Weber, and Cécile Tollu-Polonowski of The Match Factory.
“I am proud to entrust my latest film to Janus and excited to work with them for the first time,” Loznitsa said in a statement. “They have all my confidence to give the film the impactful North American launch it deserves.”
Janus added: “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, Saïd, and the entire team at SBS Productions.”
