Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: The romantic thriller Therese is based on Emile Zola’s novel Therese Raquin and stars Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Felton, Jessica Lange and Oscar Isaac. It also marks the feature film debut of writer-director Charlie Stratton. Roadside Attractions has now picked up rights to the period pic that was developed, financed and produced by LD Entertainment, which originally planned to distribute the film itself. Under the new pact, Roadside will oversee marketing and distribution in collaboration with LD distribution president David Dinerstein. Set in the lower depths of 1860s Paris, Olsen plays Therese, a sexually repressed woman trapped into a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin Camille (Felton) by her domineering aunt, Madame Raquin (Lange). After she meets her husband’s alluring friend Laurent (Isaac), she embarks on an illicit affair that leads to tragic consequences. Shirley Henderson, John Kavanagh, Mackenzie Crook and Matt Lucas co-star. Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon and William Horberg produced. Therese is set to have its world premiere September 7 at the Toronto Film Festival, where Exclusive Media is repping international rights.

Roadside and LD previously combined to release the Glenn Close-starrer Albert Nobbs and the Javier Bardem-toplined Biutiful, which scored Oscar noms in 2012 and 2011 respectively. The companies also co-distributed I Love You Phillip Morris. “We have always loved this script and have been actively tracking Therese since it was being developed,” Roadside co-president Howard Cohen said. “We are excited to be distributing Therese and to continue our collaborative relationship with LD Entertainment.”