Steve Coogan Drama ‘Penguin Lessons’ Sells to Sony Pictures Classics

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired “The Penguin Lessons,” an uplifting dramedy starring Steve Coogan as a teacher who forms an unlikely bond with a feathered friend.

Peter Cattaneo directed the film, which premiered at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. It’s adapted by Jeff Pope from Tom Michell’s 2016 memoir. It follows a cynical British professor who takes a job in Argentina in the 1970s during a period of political upheaval, only to find his life transformed when he rescues a oil-soaked penguin from a beach.  Under the deal, Sony Pictures Classics has distribution rights in North America, the Middle East, Turkey, Asia, India, Japan and South Korea.

In Variety’s review, critic Guy Lodge described “The Penguin Lessons” as a “heartwarming tale of human-animal bonding” and praised the eponymous penguin, writing that “almost inevitably, it’s best when it’s about the bird.”

Coogan, the English actor who’s best known for “Philomena” and “Alan Partridge” and will be seen next in “Joker: Folie a Deux,” acted alongside a real live bird in “The Penguin Lessons.”

“Fortunately I’ve done a lot of improvisation in my career, so I know not to freeze when animals aren’t behaving as planned. You lean into it instead of pushing back against it,” he told Variety prior to its TIFF premiere. “That can lead to some of the best moments.”

However, he added, ““We had to kick against the cuteness at all times.”

In addition to Coogan, the cast includes Jonathan Pryce, Vivian El Jaber, Björn Gustafsson, and Alfonsina Carrocio. 42’s Ben Pugh produced the film alongside Rory Aitken, while Intake Films and Rolling Dice financed the film with Aperture Media Partners. Nostromo’s Adrián Guerra and Andy Noble also produced with Robert Walak. Intake Films’ Joshua Horsfield and Nia Vazirani for Rolling Dice executive produced, alongside Josh Varney, Tom Michell, Pope, and Coogan.

Elsewhere on the festival circuit, Sony Pictures Classics has picked up “Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight,” a dramatization of Alexandra Fuller’s memoir about growing up in the Rhodesian civil war; Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door,” starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton; and the Saoirse Ronan-led drama “The Outrun.” “The Room Next Door” won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and is seen as a major Oscar contender.

“I am delighted to team up with Sony Pictures Classics on ‘The Penguin Lessons,’” said Cattaneo. “I was thrilled by the audience reaction at TIFF, and I’m so excited to continue this journey with the experience and expertise of SPC behind the movie.”

In a statement, Sony Pictures Classics added: “‘The Penguin Lessons’ is grounded in historical events, and yet it’s timeless. It’s richly entertaining and deeply moving in all the right ways, and is sure to resonate with audiences everywhere.”

“The Penguin Lessons” reunites Sony Pictures Classics with Pope and Coogan after they collaborated on 2018’s “Stan & Ollie,” a biographical look at Laurel and Hardy. Coogan also previously starred in the company’s 2019 black comedy “Greed.”

The deal for “The Penguin Lessons” was negotiated between Sony Pictures Classics and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers. Rocket Science represents the international rights, with Lionsgate releasing the film in the UK.