Cannes Critics' Week winner La Gradiva unveils US trailer ahead of December release
French Cannes winner La Gradiva has released its US trailer ahead of an 18 December cinema release. Distributor 1.2 Special will handle the American rollout, as reported by Variety. Film at Lincoln Center will open the film in New York on the same date, with director Marine Atlan due to appear in person, according to the venue's announcement Film at Lincoln Center.
The film is the directorial debut of Marine Atlan, previously working as a cinematographer. She co-wrote the script with Anne Brouillet and shared photography duties with Pierre Mazoyer, Variety reported. It was produced by Inès Daïen Dasi of Les Films du Poisson, with Angelo Barbagallo as co-producer and Yaël Fogiel and Laetitia Gonzalez as associate producers.
The cast is led by Antonia Buresi. She stars alongside Colas Quignard, Suzanne Gerin and Mitia Capellier-Audat, Variety reported. The story follows high school pupils on a class trip to Naples as they explore ancient ruins left by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
It world premiered in Critics' Week, the Cannes sidebar devoted to first and second features, where it took the top honour. The win was the Ami Paris Grand Prize at the 65th edition of the section, as announced in May by Variety. The film also featured in Variety's 20 Critics' Picks from Cannes 2026.
Since Cannes it has played widely on the festival circuit. It made its North American debut at Toronto and will next screen at the New York Film Festival, Variety reported. Along the way it won the audience award at the New Horizons International Film Festival and the Prix d'Ornano-Valenti at the Deauville American Film Festival.
It also took the top prize at the Melbourne International Film Festival. That win included the $140,000 Bright Horizons Award for Atlan, described as one of the world's richest film prizes, as reported by Variety Australia.
It is also in contention for awards season. La Gradiva was one of five films shortlisted by the French Oscar committee to represent France in the international feature race, the Academy Award category for non-English-language films, Variety reported. International sales were handled by MK2 Films, the sales company that licenses films territory by territory, which sold the film to all major territories.
What makes this stand out for festival watchers is the route. A first-time director who also shot the film has carried it from a Cannes sidebar through Toronto, Melbourne and Deauville into a December US opening and France's Oscar shortlist.
