EXCLUSIVE: Monument Releasing on Friday announced it has acquired rights spanning multiple English language territories to Rule of Two Walls, “a visceral and vital portrait of today’s Ukraine through the lens of artists.”
The documentary directed by David Gutnik and executive produced by actor Liev Schreiber premiered at Tribeca Festival in 2023, where it won a Special Jury Mention for human rights and artistic expression. Jurors hailed the film “For embedding us with a group of artists who refused to be stripped of their heritage and cultural expression.”
Monument Releasing plans to open the film theatrically on August 16 in New York, followed by additional locations in the U.S. and abroad (the acquisition deal covers the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand). Rule of Two Walls will premiere on SVOD platforms on November 12.
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The documentary offers “an intimate look at the war in Ukraine, as seen through the eyes of Ukrainian artists who remain in their country to make art as a defiant act in the face of aggression,” according to a release. “Using live music performance, painting, street art, and the act of filmmaking itself, it illuminates the war’s psychological frontlines: how to go to a restaurant or bar amid the near-constant blare of air-raid alarms and missile strikes; how to process, react and resist, while having to go about the rhythms of daily life. Blurring the lines between what is seen in front of and behind the camera, the film probes what it means to make cinema in a time of war.”
Monument Releasing executives Ryan Kampe and Sophie Gilbert negotiated the deal, with Amanda Lebow and Holly Stanton negotiating on behalf of CAA.
“Art is more than just paint on a wall or a statue in a gallery, it can be a living and breathing reminder of a continuously changing and horrific need to survive and mark events large and small,” Kampe said in a statement. “David has brought us to the front line of a war that is enacted by those that never signed up for combat nor wanted to seek refuge during constant bombings. This vital film will make real for audiences, the participants and daily struggles of those who are often passed over in news reporting.”
Gutnik observed, “I am eternally grateful to Monument for helping us to shine a light on the beauty, bravery and brilliance of the Ukrainian artists who anchor our film. The work of these artists is a form of resistance—and a breathtaking testament to the resilience of the Ukrainian people.”
Rule of Two Walls is written, directed and edited by David Gutnik and produced by Olha Beskhmelnytsina, Sam Bisbee, and Stacey Reiss. Cinematography is by Volodymyr Ivanov and David Gutnik. The original music is composed by Andrew Orkin. Among the film’s executive producers is Liev Schreiber, who traces some of his roots back to Ukraine (Schreiber’s maternal grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from that country). Fellow EPs include Natalia Libet, Lance Acord, Jason Weinberg, Brett Etre, Jackie Bisbee, Michelle Booso, and Gil Elbaz. Co-producer: Emily McCann Lesser.
Monument Releasing “endeavors to bring the best in undistributed cinema from the festival circuit to the theatrical, festival, VOD, DVD, and digital markets,” the company notes. “Monument has three lines of focus: Festival Titles, American Indies, and Documentaries. Our mission is to introduce audiences to new and original cinema, while focusing our resources such that each title remains profitable across a variety of platforms.”