‘The Sea Of Trees’ Starring Matthew McConaughey Acquired Days Before Cannes Premiere

Gus Van Sant’s The Sea of Trees, starring Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe has been acquired for US distribution by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions just days before it’s Cannes debut.

The Sea of Trees will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday and compete for the Palme d’or, but the much-talked about film from the director of Good Will Hunting is already a success.

In the film written by Chris Sparling, McConaughey plays Arthur Brennan, a suicidal man who crosses paths with Takumi Nakamura (Watanabe) while lost in Japan’s Aokigahara forest. Naomi Watts also stars as McConaughey’s wife in the drama.

“I say another title for this film is ‘You’ve got to go through annihilation to get to salvation.’ It’s one hell of a survival story,” McConaughey said in January.