Cannes: rights to the 'Merci Patron!' film sold in Europe and Canada

The rights to the satirical documentary film 'Merci Patron!' (Thank you, Boss!), have been sold in several countries, including Belgium and Canada. The news was revealed to the AFP agency on Wednesday at the Cannes Film Festival, by the company in charge of distributing the François Ruffin film.

'Merci Patron!' was viewed by over 430,000 people in France, and has been sold in Benelux, Switzerland, Spain and Canada, stated Samuel Blanc, in charge of sales for film distributor Jour2Fête.

Other agreements could be reached before the end of the 'Marché du Film' (Film market) on 20th May, two days before the official closing date of the Cannes Film Festival. The event is the world's leading gathering of film industry professionals, with more than 11,000 participants, producers, distributors and agents.

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'Merci Patron!' is a satirical documentary film with political overtones. It was first screened in France last February, and tells the story of the struggle by a couple of former LVMH group employees from northern France who, with the director's help, managed to extract some money from LVMH boss Bernard Arnault, owner of one of France's largest fortunes.

With an acidic sense of humour and thanks to an incredible stratagem, the author denounces the hypocrisy of some big bosses and the disasters caused by outsourcing.

Word of mouth ensured the success of this shoestring budget movie, which became a cult sensation as the city protest movement 'Nuit Debout' (Up all night) grew in several French towns. A debate on 23rd February at the Paris Labour Exchange, initiated by the film's director François Ruffin, is regarded as marking the movement's inception.