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1-2 Special acquires North American rights to Venice Orizzonti winner 'A Day in the Life of Jo'

1-2 Special has bought all North American rights to Jacqueline Lentzou's 'A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra', which won Best Director in Venice's Orizzonti section. A theatrical release is planned for 2027.

2 outlets · 1L · 1C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Deadline
Image: IndieWire

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The story, neutrally told

Centre · 11-2 Special has acquired all North American rights to Jacqueline Lentzou's 'A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra', according to Deadline's exclusive. Mixed · 2The film had its world premiere at the 2026 Venice Film Festival in the Orizzonti section, where Lentzou won the Best Director prize. Centre · 1It had its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival and is due to play at the BFI London Film Festival, the Chicago International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival.

Mixed · 21-2 Special plans a theatrical release; Deadline says 'next year' and IndieWire says 2027. Centre · 1Deadline says it is among the first films to secure a domestic deal out of Venice, and that Ola Byszuk of Lucky Number negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers. Mixed · 2The Greek drama, inspired by true events from 2008, follows Jo, a 15-year-old played by Evita Andriopoulou, who befriends a classmate named Phaedra while signs and symbols from a dream world surface around her, before a shocking incident leads to an 'ethereal transformation'.

Centre · 1It is Lentzou's second feature after 'Moon, 66 Questions' (2021), which played at the Berlinale and New Directors/New Films and was a New York Times Critic's Pick. Centre · 1The producers are Avion Films, Atalante Productions, Kelek Film, 4A4 Productions, Haris & Co and Lentzou herself. Left · 1IndieWire lists the sale in its running tracker of fall festival acquisitions, alongside titles such as Sony's TIFF Centrepiece and Netflix's 'Ink'.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left1 outlet

Framing
Folds the sale into a running tracker of fall festival acquisitions, treating it as one entry among many.
Emphasis
Market context, a 'Buzz' blurb on the film and the planned 2027 release.
Leaves out or plays down
Omits the producers, the sales agent and the director's 2021 reception.
Charged language
“cosmic twist”
For example
“The coming-of-age story — with a cosmic twist — from director Jacqueline Lentzou” — IndieWire

Centre1 outlet

Framing
Trade-press exclusive reporting the deal, with festival path, plot, credits and the negotiating sales agent.
Emphasis
Deal details, the film's festival run, credentials of the director and the production companies.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not place the sale in the wider fall festival market.
Charged language
“well-received”
For example
“EXCLUSIVE: 1-2 Special has acquired all North American rights” — Deadline

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.