A24 is in final negotiations to acquire “You Were Never Really Here”, Variety has learned.

The drama, starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Lynne Ramsay (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”), is one of the buzzier projects to be sold on the Cannes market. The story focuses on a former war veteran (played by Phoenix) who tries to save women trapped in the world of sex trafficking. It’s seen as being a revenge fantasy in the style of “Drive.”

Ramsay adapted the script, which is based on the novel by Jonathan Ames.

Production will begin this summer.

Sources tell Variety that A24 and Amazon Studios were in a bidding war for the movie.

Three days in, the Cannes Film Festival market has been unusually slow, with few big, splashy deals for pre-packaged projects or films that are screening in the festival.

Sales for “You Were Never Really Here” are being handled by Insiders, the company launched last year by Wild Bunch’s founder Vincent Maraval.