Berlin: Elizabeth Banks’ Abortion Drama ‘Call Jane’ Sells Wide Ahead of Berlinale Premiere

Call Jane, the women’s rights drama from Phyllis Nagy that bowed in Sundance to hugely positive reviews, has landed a host of international deals for Protagonist Pictures ahead of its Berlinale premiere in competition.

The film — starring Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Mara and Chris Messina — has sold to DCM for Germany, Austria and Switzerland; Umbrella Entertainment for Australia and New Zealand; Mis.label for Scandinavia; Eagle for Italy; Shaw for Singapore; and Empire for South Africa. These join Roadside Attractions, which acquired U.S. rights in January with plans for a wide theatrical release this fall.

The directorial debut of Oscar nominee Nagy (Carol), working from a Blacklist script by The Resident writers Hayley Schore and Roshan Sethi, Call Jane follows Joy (Banks), a traditional 1960s housewife who unexpectedly gets pregnant. With abortions then illegal in the U.S., she discovers the Janes, an underground abortion movement led by Virginia (Weaver). The group saves her life and gives her a sense of purpose: to help other women take control of their destinies. In its Sundance review, The Hollywood Reporter described it as “a beautifully wrought portrait of ladies on fire.”

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Call Jane is produced by Robbie Brenner (The Dallas Buyers Club), David Wulf and Kevin McKeon.

“We could not be more thrilled to be unveiling the film internationally in competition at Berlin,” said Brenner. “It’s an honor to be a part of the festival, and I can’t wait for everyone to see these incredible performances and filmmaking.”

Previous deals announced by Protagonist include sales to MK2 Mile End for Canada, Paradiso for Benelux, SND for France, Spentzos for Greece, Sun Distribution and Diamond Films for Portugal, Spain and Latin America, BTV for Bulgaria, Paradise for the Baltics and CIS, M2 for Poland, MCF for Former Yugoslavia, Forum Film for Israel, Front Row for Middle East, Mars for Turkey, DDDream for China and Noori for South Korea.

“We’re delighted to be back in person at Berlinale, with this timely and triumphant film and its indomintable helmer Phyllis,” said Protagonist CEO Dave Bishop. “She has masterfully created a story that echoes from history to modernity, resonating strongly with contemporary audiences, and we’re thrilled that our amazing international distribution partners agree.”