Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to Joanna Arnow’s “The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed.” The film, which recently world-premiered in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight section and is executive produced by Sean Baker, is a comedy about a 30-something New York woman, who is played by Arnow. It follows her as time passes in her long-term casual BDSM relationship and low-level corporate job, and chronicles her quarrelsome Jewish family.
Critics liked Arnow’s witty and fresh take, with Variety calling it one of the festival’s true discoveries and hailing the filmmaker as “a raw, intimate and more importantly extremely funny new talent.“ The film is Arnow’s narrative feature film debut following shorts including “Bad Dancing,” which won the Berlinale Silver Bear, “Laying Out,” and the feature doc “I hate myself:).”
“As a distributor, it’s always exciting to find a new, fresh, and hilarious voice,” said Magnolia Pictures co-CEOs Eamonn Bowles and Dori Begley. “We’re beyond excited to be able to presentJoanna Arnow to audiences.”
“I am so happy to be bringing this self-deprecating deadpan comedy to audiences with a partner like Magnolia Pictures,” said Arnow. “Magnolia has such a wonderful lineup of powerful, unique independent films, and we are thrilled to be included among them.”
In addition to directing and starring in the film, Arnow also wrote and edited the picture. It was produced by Pierce Varous and Graham Swon. Baker, the director of “Tangerine” and “The Florida Project,” executive produced the film with Adam Mirels, and Robbie Mirels. It also stars Scott Cohen (“Gilmore Girls”), Babak Tafti (“Billions,” “Succession”), Alysia Reiner (“Fig,” Orange is the New Black”), and Michael Cyril Creighton (“only Murders in the Building”).
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia senior VP of acquisitions John Von Thaden. Swon, one of the producers, represented the film in the sales talks.
