Press Releases

NEW YORK, NY (May 21, 2026) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all rights in North and Latin America, India and Southeast Asian TV to IRON BOY, Louis Clichy’s hand-painted animated feature. Premiering in the Un Certain Regard section at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the childhood drama film is already being lauded by critics for its stunning combination of realism and fantasy.

The film is co-written by Clichy and Franck Salomé, and marks Clichy's first film as a solo director. After many years devoted to 3D animation at Pixar where he worked as an animator on WALL-E and UP, the film presents a highly personal style, characterized by ink line drawing that returns to the spirit of Manga and his early short films.

The film follows 11-year-old Christophe in rural France, as he tries to live up to his rigid and distant father on the family farm. But the young boy starts to lean over and collapse without warning — on the tractor, at school, at dinner... A doctor finds the solution: Christophe must wear an iron corset to keep himself upright. Forced to reinvent his life away from the farm, Christophe discovers a new passion for music, meets a new friend, and follows her into his first mischief. But will any of this really fix what is out of balance?

The voice cast includes Gary Clichy, Rod Paradot (STANDING TALL), Brune Moulin, Dimitri Colas, Aurélie Vassort, Alexandre Astier (KAAMELOTT) and Jean-Pascal Zadi (DOG ON TRIAL) with animation by Chloë Aubert. The film is produced by Céline Vanlint and Nicolas de Rosanbo for Eddy Cinéma (France) and co-produced by Fabrice Delville and Christophe Toulemonde for Beside Production (Belgium), Agathe Sofer and Alexandre Astier for Regular Production (France) along with France 3 Cinéma, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma and RTBF.

The deal was negotiated between Sony Pictures Classics and Playtime, on behalf of the filmmakers.

“Coming into Cannes, we knew the film would be well received, but its success exceeded even our expectations both in terms of sales and reviews from the international press. It feels only natural that IRON BOY has found a home in the U.S. with SPC. Over the years, we built a strong working relationship with Tom, Michael, and Dylan. They are not only exceptional distributors, admittedly among the very best in the industry, but also people of great sensitivity and taste. They will take this film very far,” said Co-CEO of Playtime Nicolas Brigaud-Robert, who brokered the deal.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992—which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.  Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 42 Academy Awards^® (38 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 192 Academy Award^® nominations (166 at Sony Pictures Classics), including two nominations this year for BLUE MOON for Best Actor (Ethan Hawke) and Best Original Screenplay, as well as Best Picture nominations for I’M STILL HERE, THE FATHER, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.   

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services. http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html. 

ABOUT PLAYTIME
Playtime is a Paris-based international sales, financing and production company active since 1997 and committed to co-finance, market, and distribute high-profile works by renowned filmmakers. Each year, Playtime launches approximately 15 new films in the most prestigious festivals. Recent successes include IN A WHISPER (Berlinale in Competition 2026), THE QUIET SON (Best Actor, Venice 2024), STRANGER EYES (Venice in Competition 2024 - Singaporean Oscar entry 2026), EAGLES OF THE REPUBLIC (Cannes in Competition 2025 - Swedish Oscar entry 2026) as well as 120 BPM (Grand Prix, Cannes 2017) and SON OF SAUL (Oscar Winner, 2016).           

Playtime is part of Vuelta.     

ABOUT VUELTA
Vuelta is a premium European studio uniting production, distribution, and international sales under one creative vision. Through a network of seven key partners operating across ten countries – from Scandinavia to Southern Europe – Vuelta empowers local talent to tell stories that resonate worldwide.