3 Cannes films attract U.S. buyers’ attention

With the world’s economy in an unprecedented slump, attendance at this year’s Cannes Film Festival is down as much as 30% by some estimates. And so far the buying by prominent U.S. distributors is down almost 100%.

But as the weather turned sunny over the weekend, there were signs that some domestic buyers were starting to circle a couple of acclaimed titles. Although no major sales had been announced as the festival entered its sixth day, buyers and sellers alike said three well-reviewed Cannes competition movies were starting to attract attention.

The best-received movie so far has been the French gangster movie “A Prophet” from director Jacques Audiard. The movie reminds some festival-goers of the mob movie “Gomorrah,” which distributor IFC Films acquired after it premiered at last year’s Cannes festival. Like “Gomorrah,” “A Prophet” is sometimes disquietingly violent, particularly a scene involving a razor blade that left some theater patrons hiding under their chairs.

Far less difficult to watch but equally appealing to buyers was Ken Loach’s “Looking for Eric,” a sometimes serious but mostly lighthearted story of a British mailman who turns to soccer superstar Eric Cantona for help in his life. Even though the film is in English, thick accents may necessitate subtitles for full comprehension.

Though it wasn’t as well-reviewed as “A Prophet,” director Andrea Arnold’s family drama “Fish Tank” intrigued several smaller buyers and could secure a distribution deal by the festival’s end.

The one competition movie that will be a much tougher sell is Lars von Trier’s “Antichrist,” an exceedingly disturbing, violent and sexual drama about a couple’s crumbling marriage. The movie opens with a toddler stumbling out of a upper-floor window to his death, and let’s just say that what follows is more distressing still.

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john.horn@latimes.com