Rediance, a prominent sales agent based in China, has acquired the worldwide distribution rights to the feature documentary film “The Falling Sky.” The film is set to make its world premiere at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival in the Directors Fortnight section. Directed by Eryk Rocha and Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha, “The Falling Sky” focuses on the Amazonian Yanomami people as its central subjects.
Based on the book of the same name by shaman and Yanomami leader Davi Kopenawa and French anthropologist Bruce Albert, the documentary captures a funeral rite known as reahu in which Watorikɨ community works together to hold up the sky and prevent it from falling. The film serves as a powerful critique of outsider interference in the Yanomami way of life.
Rocha’s tenth feature film, “The Falling Sky,” is praised for its stunning visuals, meticulous sound design, and insightful words from Davi Kopenawa that delve into the beauty of Yanomami cosmology and knowledge. Co-director Carneiro da Cunha, an artist and activist who has worked extensively in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, collaborated with Rocha on this project.
The documentary is produced by Aruac Filmes and co-produced by Hutukara Associação Yanomami and Stemal Entertainment with Rai Cinema. In addition to “The Falling Sky,” Rediance will also handle Chinese-speaking territories for a co-production project by Miguel Gomes titled “Grand Tour,” which premieres in the festival’s main competition.
Rediance continues to expand their business with their recent titles from various international film festivals such as Berlin International Film Festival’s “Sleep With Your Eyes Open” by Nele Wohlatz and Qu Youjia’s “She Sat There Like All Ordinary Ones.” Last year they also handled Anthony Chen’s “The Breaking Ice.”