ming ▁began ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁with ▁a ▁budget ▁of ▁around ▁US $ 1 5 – 1 7 ▁million . ▁ ▁Post - production ▁Kelly ▁sent ▁the ▁organiz ers ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁C annes ▁Film ▁Festival ▁a ▁rough ▁cut ▁of ▁South land ▁T ales ▁on ▁DVD ▁assuming ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁accepted . ▁Much ▁to ▁his ▁surprise , ▁they ▁loved ▁it ▁and ▁wanted ▁the ▁film ▁entered ▁in ▁competition ▁for ▁the ▁Pal me ▁d ' Or . ▁He ▁stopped ▁editing ▁the ▁film ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁unable ▁to ▁complete ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁visual ▁effects ▁in ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁screen ing . ▁Kelly ' s ▁film ▁premier ed ▁at ▁the ▁C annes ▁Film ▁Festival ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁with ▁a ▁length ▁of ▁ 1 6 0 ▁minutes . ▁Kelly ▁describes ▁the ▁negative ▁reaction ▁at ▁C annes ▁as ▁a ▁" very ▁pain ful ▁experience ▁on ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁levels " ▁but ▁ultimately ▁felt ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁" was ▁better ▁off ▁because ▁of ▁it ". ▁After ▁the ▁film ' s ▁festival ▁release , ▁South land ▁T ales ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁Sony ▁Pictures . ▁ ▁Universal ▁Studios ▁had ▁originally ▁option ed ▁the ▁U . S . ▁rights , ▁but ▁after ▁the ▁C annes ▁screen ing , ▁it ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁Sony , ▁although ▁Universal ▁still ▁retained ▁some ▁international ▁rights . ▁Kelly ▁sought ▁more ▁finan cing ▁to ▁finish ▁visual ▁effects ▁for ▁the ▁film , ▁and ▁he ▁negoti ated ▁a ▁deal ▁with ▁Sony ▁to ▁cut