NEWS BERLINBRIEFS
Samuel Goldwyn names VP Ian Puente has joined Samuel Goldwyn Films as vice-president of business development and general counsel. Prior to the appointment, he held similar positions at Sony Pictures Classics and First Look Studios.
TriCoast’s Dead sells well TriCoast Worldwide has closed a slew of territories on horror film The Dead, led by a deal with Global Cinema Distribution for North America. Anchor Bay Starz UK has taken UK rights, MIG Film Group will distribute in Germany, and Hopscotch in Australia.
EU-backed ACP Films arrives Audiovisual sectors in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific are being supported by a fresh initiative, the ACP Films Programme, backed by the EU’s European Development Fund.
Ghent fest to honour Chasen The Film Festival Ghent 2011 (October 11-22) is to hold a special tribute to publicist Ronni Chasen, who was murdered in LA last November. The festival’s main prize, The World Soundtrack Award, will be dedicated to her.
Buyers run toWide’s Mill
Carrying The Cross, screened last month in Sundance and Rotter- dam. Benelux distribution will be
handled by Arnhem-based art- house outfit Contact Films. The Mill And The Cross has also been sold to Japan (all rights) to Cetera and to South Korea (all rights) to JinJin Pictures. Meanwhile, another Wide title,
The Mill And The Cross
BY GEOFFREY MACNAB French sales company Wide Management has closed key deals on The Mill And The Cross,
starring Charlotte Rampling, Michael York and Rutger Hauer. The film, which is inspired by Pieter Bruegel’s painting Christ
Nannerl, Mozart’s Sister, has been sold to Vivarto in Poland and Music Box in the US. Wide’s recent pick-up The Black
Power Mixtape 1967-1975, directed by Göran Olsson, has been sold to Curious Film for theatrical release in Australia and New Zealand, scheduled for the autumn.
IFC takes running leap into Simpson’s Spiderhole
BY JEREMY KAY IFC Films has acquired North America and a slew of territories from Toronto-based sales agency Raven Banner to the low-budget UK horror film Spiderhole. The EFM deal includes France,
Benelux, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Greece and Asia. Daniel Simp- son’s film centres on four home- less art students who squat in
Herzog talks Death Row » CONTINUEDFROM PAGE 1 Herzog said the new film con-
tinues themes he explored in Cave. “It is in a way not dissimilar to what I have done in Cave Of For- gotten Dreams, [where] I am look- ing, historically speaking, into an abyss of 35,000 years.” Herzog said he was actually
shooting in prison this week. “It is very, very tense.” To arrange his
interviews, Herzog and his team have had to negotiate with lawyers and prison wardens — and con- vince the prisoners themselves to appear on camera. Herzog has five subjects — four
men and one woman. All are in Texas, apart from one in Florida. The German director claims he is completely honest with the pris- oners about his intentions. “I am a
Spiderhole
a house in London possessed by evil. Emma Griffiths Malin,
complete straight-shooter. You have to be, because they would smell the dead rat miles away.” Herzog does not advocate capi-
tal punishment, but insists the film is not a crusading doc. “I am not in the business of guilt or innocence. My focus is elsewhere.” He is promising a pared-down approach with little music and less voiceover than in his recent docs. The feature-length doc is being
made for Investigation Discovery. Herzog and his team are in talks
Reuben Henry-Biggs, Amy Noble and George Maguire star. Raven Banner has added Chris
Briant’s horror film The Hunters, starring Steven Waddington and Dianna Agron, to its sales slate. Managing partner Michael
Paszt negotiated the deal with producers Antoine Huet and Tho- mas Malmonte. The film screens tonight.
with TV stations (including Chan- nel 4 and Arte) to board the project. His work means he was not
able to attend the Berlinale. “All of a sudden, there was a window of opportunity. I had the dilemma — to go to the Berlinale to celebrate Cave Of Forgotten Dreams or make a film that for me is quite impor- tant. I made the choice — I am going to work and not celebrate.” Once Death Row is done, Herzog
will be in London in March to teach at his Rogue Film School. Mean-
BREAKINGNEWS
For the latest film business news see
ScreenDaily.com
Dear Friend Hitler
Times Group takes Hitler
Indian media conglomerate The Times Group has picked up international sales rights to Dear Friend Hitler, a film about Mahatma Gandhi which derives its name from two letters he wrote to Adolf Hitler. The $3m film, which follows
India’s freedom struggle after being part of the British empire, is directed by Rakesh Ranjan Kumar and features Raghuvir Yadav, star of Salaam Bombay! Anil Sharma, founder and
chairman of Amrapali Group, parent company of the film’s producer Amrapali Media Vision, presented footage at the EFM. Jean Noh
while, he is also preparing a “big feature film in the desert”. He will not disclose much because, he says, “it’s not financed yet”, but it is likely to shoot in the Arabian desert. Herzog clings to his creed that
film-making should aim to reveal “ecstatic truth”. “Facts do not illu- minate,” he declares. “I am looking for something where you look deep into the human soul — something you can only experience almost like a religious ecstasy. Those are the rare moments I am after.”
Feb. 15 at 11 AM - CinemaxX 4 Starring Hank von Hell
SCREENING TODAY:
Scandinavian Film Stand no. 24 Martin-Gropius-Bau
n 4 Screen International in Berlin February 15, 2011
INTERNATIONAL SALES: Ann-Kristin Westerberg +46 705 38 48 48 Anita Simovic +46 706 48 26 11
international@sf.se www.sfinternational.se
CREDITS NOT CONTRACTUAL
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36