Michel Franco’s ‘Memory’ Still Has No U.S. Distribution

I’ll mention another marquee fall fest title that currently has no U.S. distribution: Michel Franco’s “Memory,” starring Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard.

Franco recently premiered “Memory,” one of the best films of the fall, at Venice. The film garnered positive reviews and Sarsgaard won the Best Actor award for his beautifully rendered performance. And yet, it’s still struggling to find a buyer.

I know it’s been a rough year, with strikes and the unpredictable, shape-shifting moment the industry is having, but a studio picking up “Memory” seems to be a no-brainer decision. Hell, Chastain and Sarsgaard can probably be campaigned for Oscar contention, they’re both that good in this film.

I included “Memory” in my wrap-up piece of the 10 Best Films of TIFF 2023. Here’s what I wrote:

“She’s a social worker, he has dementia. Their lives are suddenly blown open and impacted by an unlikely romance. Another stunner from Franco. Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard — both incredible— star in an a film filled with Franco’s usual gloom, but this time around, there’s real heart to the drama. It’ll be one of the best films of the year, if only it can find distribution.”

Prior to “Memory” hitting the fall fests, Chastain and Franco had also completed shooting “Dreams” this past summer in San Francisco. The film, starring Chastain, Isaac Hernandez and Rupert Friend, involves a forbidden romance between a woman and a male ballet dancer.

Franco seems to have really hit an artistic stride with his last few films. One of the unsung works of this decade is his 2021 shocker “Sundown.” If you haven’t seen this movie, then it’s well worth a look.