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A big welcome to the new disc company Radiance! This first CineSavant Radiance review is a knockout political drama from Italy’s Elio Petri, with one of the best performances ever by Gian-Maria Volontè. Model factory machinist Lulù Massa offends his peers on the assembly line with his individualistic egotism. An injury on the job makes him a focus for Unionists and student radicals. Petri’s warmly humanist picture is also blunt in its outlook — our imperfect hero is adrift in an unsatisfactory system, and the politicals’ agenda isn’t helpful either. It’s compelling filmmaking, co-starring Mariangela Melato and driven by an excellent Ennio Morricone music score.

The Working Class Goes to Heaven

Region B Blu-ray

Radiance (U.K.)

1971 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 115 min. / Street Date February 1, 2023 / La classe operaia va in paradiso, Lulù the Tool / Available from / £16.99

Starring: Gian Maria Volontè, Mariangela Melato, Salvo Randone, Mietta Albertini, Gino Pernice,...

Hot projects new to Screenbase include Nicolas Winding Refn feature The Neon Demon, Pope Francis biopic Francisco, Brady Corbet’s directorial debut The Childhood Of A Leader and a new adaptation by Wim Wenders.Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon

Elle Fanning, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote and Jena Malone have signed on to co-star in Nicolas Winding Refn’s next feature.

“After making Drive and falling madly in love with the electricity of Los Angeles, I knew I had to return to tell the story of The Neon Demon,” Winding Refn said.

Principal photography will begin in Los Angeles on March 30. Gaumont and Wild Bunch are co-selling the title.

Wim Wenders’ Les Beaux Jours D’Aranjuez

This adaptation of the play by Peter Handke was announced by Alfama’s Paulo Branco during the Efm. It will star Reda Kateb and Sophie Semin. Wenders is expected to shoot in June.

Brady Corbet’s [link...

New UK distribution company Neo has made its first two acquisitions in Berlin.

At the Efm, Neo (New Entertainment Organisation) has acquired Closer To the Moon from Celluloid Dreams and producer Michael Fitzgerald.

The English-language comedy drama from Nae Carafil stars Vera Farmiga and Mark Strong. It is a co-production with Italy’s Ugo Tucci; Poland’s Alessandro Leone; and Romania’s Bobby Paulescu.

It has been picked up for Us release by IFC for release in June and Poland’s Ultra+Monolith.

The second pick up, from Media Luna, is Perfect Obedience (Obediencia Perfecta), the controversial Mexican winner of the 2014 World Film Festival Montreal (Ffm).

The film, written and directed by Luis Urquiza, is a biopic about disgraced priest Marcial Maciel who used drugs, abused boys, and fathered numerous children, who he also allegedly abused. The movie sparked controversy when released in Mexico.

Neo plans

Neo will handle quality foreign and indie fare in the UK...