Exclusive: Belgian distribution and production company Belga Films Group is reuniting with award-winning director Jaco Van Dormael to produce The Magician of Auschwitz, which will be his first English-language feature in 15 years after shooting mainly in French.
Van Dormael will direct from a screenplay adaptation by Jacob Marx Rice of Portuguese journalist and writer José António Dos Santos’ twin novels ‘The Magician of Auschwitz’ and ‘The Birkenau Scrolls’, about a Portuguese soldier, Russian girl and Jewish magician thrown together in the horror of Auschwitz.
Dos Santos drew the novels from authentic manuscripts written by members of the Sonderkommando during the Holocaust and found hidden near death camp crematoria post-liberation. They shed light on the harrowing experiences of the members of special command units composed of prisoners who were forced to help run the gas chambers and crematoria.
“Dos Santos casts a rare historical spotlight on the delusional beliefs on which...
Van Dormael will direct from a screenplay adaptation by Jacob Marx Rice of Portuguese journalist and writer José António Dos Santos’ twin novels ‘The Magician of Auschwitz’ and ‘The Birkenau Scrolls’, about a Portuguese soldier, Russian girl and Jewish magician thrown together in the horror of Auschwitz.
Dos Santos drew the novels from authentic manuscripts written by members of the Sonderkommando during the Holocaust and found hidden near death camp crematoria post-liberation. They shed light on the harrowing experiences of the members of special command units composed of prisoners who were forced to help run the gas chambers and crematoria.
“Dos Santos casts a rare historical spotlight on the delusional beliefs on which...
- 5/10/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Top Belgian distribution and production company Belga Films Group is teaming up with French director Cédric Nicolas-Troyan on an English-language, live action adaptation of the iconic, European comic book The Yellow M.
Nicolas-Troyan’s previous credits include the 2016 fantasy action-adventure tale The Huntsman: Winter’s War as well as Netflix’s action hit Kate and recently launched French-language series Furies.
The Yellow M is the sixth volume in Belgian artist Edgar P. Jacobs’ popular 1950s comic book series Blake and Mortimer, about the adventures of MI5 Captain Francis Blake and his scientist friend Philip Mortimer.
The cult series is considered a masterpiece of ligneclaire (the drawing style pioneered by Tintin creator Hergé) and has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 15 languages. Franco-Belgian publishing house Dargaud – Le Lombard owns the rights to the comic strip.
Nicolas-Troyan, who is represented by CAA, will produce alongside Patrick Vandenbosch...
Nicolas-Troyan’s previous credits include the 2016 fantasy action-adventure tale The Huntsman: Winter’s War as well as Netflix’s action hit Kate and recently launched French-language series Furies.
The Yellow M is the sixth volume in Belgian artist Edgar P. Jacobs’ popular 1950s comic book series Blake and Mortimer, about the adventures of MI5 Captain Francis Blake and his scientist friend Philip Mortimer.
The cult series is considered a masterpiece of ligneclaire (the drawing style pioneered by Tintin creator Hergé) and has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 15 languages. Franco-Belgian publishing house Dargaud – Le Lombard owns the rights to the comic strip.
Nicolas-Troyan, who is represented by CAA, will produce alongside Patrick Vandenbosch...
- 4/3/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
France tv distribution has boarded “Christmas Carole” (“Noël au balcon”), a comedy starring Didier Bourdon (“Alibi.com 2”) and Noemie Lvovsky (“Camille Rewinds”). The company has launched sales on the project at the Cannes market.
“Christmas Carole” is directed by Jeanne Gottesdiener, and produced by Belga Studios (“Waiting for Banjangles,” “Benedetta”) and Polaris Film Production, in co-production with M6 Films.
Set around Christmas, the movie revolves around a small-town mayoress, Carole, who is helping the inhabitants of her municipality with the festivities while her devoted husband Alain organizes the Christmas Eve celebrations at home. The kids are arriving, soon all hopes of a peaceful Christmas melt away as the family traditions are called into question.
The cast also includes Jules Sagot (“Hashtag Boomer”), Christophe Montenez (“For my country”), Alice Daubelcour (“Love (and Trouble) in Paris”) and Janaïna Halloy-Fokan (“Inexorable”).
“Christmas Carole” is produced by Christophe Mazodier at Polaris Film Production, Patrick Vandenbosch...
“Christmas Carole” is directed by Jeanne Gottesdiener, and produced by Belga Studios (“Waiting for Banjangles,” “Benedetta”) and Polaris Film Production, in co-production with M6 Films.
Set around Christmas, the movie revolves around a small-town mayoress, Carole, who is helping the inhabitants of her municipality with the festivities while her devoted husband Alain organizes the Christmas Eve celebrations at home. The kids are arriving, soon all hopes of a peaceful Christmas melt away as the family traditions are called into question.
The cast also includes Jules Sagot (“Hashtag Boomer”), Christophe Montenez (“For my country”), Alice Daubelcour (“Love (and Trouble) in Paris”) and Janaïna Halloy-Fokan (“Inexorable”).
“Christmas Carole” is produced by Christophe Mazodier at Polaris Film Production, Patrick Vandenbosch...
- 5/22/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
’There is no point in releasing 25 movies a year. We need to be selective,’ says Belga’s Patrick Vandenbosch.
Patrick Vandenbosch, chief executive of leading Benelux distributor Belga, has outlined the company’s new strategy following its acquisition this week of Marc Punt’s Amsterdam-based distributor Independent Films.
Belga previously had a 50/50 partnership with Independent and released its films in the Netherlands through the company, while Independent’s films were released in Belgium through Belga. Now, Belga has taken over the Dutch outfit entirely.
“Independent is becoming for us a key profit centre instead of just an operational partnership,” Vandenbosch said,...
Patrick Vandenbosch, chief executive of leading Benelux distributor Belga, has outlined the company’s new strategy following its acquisition this week of Marc Punt’s Amsterdam-based distributor Independent Films.
Belga previously had a 50/50 partnership with Independent and released its films in the Netherlands through the company, while Independent’s films were released in Belgium through Belga. Now, Belga has taken over the Dutch outfit entirely.
“Independent is becoming for us a key profit centre instead of just an operational partnership,” Vandenbosch said,...
- 10/7/2022
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
“Aline,” the biopic loosely based on French Canadian hitmaker Celine Dion, has been acquired by Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films for U.S. distribution. The critically acclaimed musical comedy-drama world premiered out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It will be released theatrically in the U.S. in early 2022.
Lemercier, one of France’s most popular actors and stand-up comedians, directed, co-wrote (with Brigitte But) and stars in the film as Aline Dieu, a singing prodigy (who is meant to be Celine Dion) who grew up in 1960s Quebec surrounded by her tight-knit family of 13 siblings.
When a famous producer, Guy Claude (who is meant to be René Angélil), discovers Aline and her golden voice, he sets out to make her the world’s greatest singer. The crowd-pleasing film charts Aline’s life journey from her childhood through to her sudden rise as a global superstar, showing her impressive transformation.
Lemercier, one of France’s most popular actors and stand-up comedians, directed, co-wrote (with Brigitte But) and stars in the film as Aline Dieu, a singing prodigy (who is meant to be Celine Dion) who grew up in 1960s Quebec surrounded by her tight-knit family of 13 siblings.
When a famous producer, Guy Claude (who is meant to be René Angélil), discovers Aline and her golden voice, he sets out to make her the world’s greatest singer. The crowd-pleasing film charts Aline’s life journey from her childhood through to her sudden rise as a global superstar, showing her impressive transformation.
- 9/27/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Matthieu Zeller’s production group Mzm has acquired a majority stake in nWave Studios, the thriving Brussels-based company behind Ben Stassen’s “The Son of Bigfoot” and “Sammy,” among other European animated hits.
Mzm was founded in 2016 by Zeller, a former Studiocanal executive, with the aim to produce and co-produce French and international films and TV series. Mzm, which regroups the production banners Octopolis and Bamboo Film, has joined with Belgium’s leading distribution company, Belga Films, as well as its tax-shelter arm, Belga Films Fund Holding, and regional fund Wallimage Entreprises to form a new entity, Next Wave, to complete the acquisition of nWave.
Since launching Mzm, Zeller has added two new partners: Olivier Sulpice and, most recently, Matthieu Gondinet, who just joined after working at Canal Plus for 15 years. Zeller and Gondinet had collaborated with nWave and its teams over the past years when nWave was partly owned by Studiocanal.
Mzm was founded in 2016 by Zeller, a former Studiocanal executive, with the aim to produce and co-produce French and international films and TV series. Mzm, which regroups the production banners Octopolis and Bamboo Film, has joined with Belgium’s leading distribution company, Belga Films, as well as its tax-shelter arm, Belga Films Fund Holding, and regional fund Wallimage Entreprises to form a new entity, Next Wave, to complete the acquisition of nWave.
Since launching Mzm, Zeller has added two new partners: Olivier Sulpice and, most recently, Matthieu Gondinet, who just joined after working at Canal Plus for 15 years. Zeller and Gondinet had collaborated with nWave and its teams over the past years when nWave was partly owned by Studiocanal.
- 9/20/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Deal will see Belga Films will release Umedia films on all media throughout Benelux.
Having signed output deals with Lionsgate-Summit and Europacorp, Belga Films has now inked a distribution deal with Umedia.
The deal was jointly announced by Umedia’s CEO Adrian Politowski, Belga Films’ CEO Patrick Vandenbosch and Belga’s COO Jérôme de Béthune, and will see the distributor release UMedia films on all media throughout Benelux.
“We are now producing six-eight films per year via our La, London and Paris offices, and, continue to co-produce 30-40 films per year. From these we have 12-15 films annually where we own Benelux rights,” commented Politowski.
“As our objective is now to refocus on producing, financing and selling internationally, and as the calibre of our films to be released is very strong and commercial, it made strategic sense for us to partner with Benelux’s leading independent distributor to release these.”
The deal already...
Having signed output deals with Lionsgate-Summit and Europacorp, Belga Films has now inked a distribution deal with Umedia.
The deal was jointly announced by Umedia’s CEO Adrian Politowski, Belga Films’ CEO Patrick Vandenbosch and Belga’s COO Jérôme de Béthune, and will see the distributor release UMedia films on all media throughout Benelux.
“We are now producing six-eight films per year via our La, London and Paris offices, and, continue to co-produce 30-40 films per year. From these we have 12-15 films annually where we own Benelux rights,” commented Politowski.
“As our objective is now to refocus on producing, financing and selling internationally, and as the calibre of our films to be released is very strong and commercial, it made strategic sense for us to partner with Benelux’s leading independent distributor to release these.”
The deal already...
- 6/10/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
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