IFC Films Sets US Release Date For Cannes Breakout “Corsage.”

IFC Films has set the US release date for Corsage, whose star Vicky Krieps won the Cannes Film Festival award for Best Performance in the Un Certain Regard section. Marie Kreutzer’s film has its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, and the New York Film Festival has just announced that the film will be screened there as well. IFC Films will bring it to US theaters on December 23.

The film received rave reviews at Cannes, with The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw writing that Krieps gave “an intoxicatingly wild, unloving performance” and diversity‘s Jessica Kiang describes the “brilliant” film as a “witty subversion of biopic and costume drama clichés.” “Corsage” is likely to be selected as Austria’s entry for the Oscar for best international film, and Krieps could even have a chance at the Oscar for best actress.

Picturehouse Entertainment will release the film in the UK on December 30th. Other distributors are Ad Vitam in France, BIM in Italy, The Searchers in Benelux, Adso Films in Spain and M2 in Poland. MK2 Films handles international distribution.

“Corsage” traces a critical time in the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. It begins in 1877 when Elisabeth, known for her beauty, celebrates her 40th birthday. We see her insisting that her corset be tightened and restricting her diet to achieve this. It is a metaphor for how she is constrained by society’s expectations – confined to mere ceremonial duties despite her intelligence, zest for life and rebellious spirit.

Read diversity‘s interview with Kreutzer and Krieps here.