Logical Pictures is launching a new Africa venture that will see the production, financing and distribution outfit expand its global footprint into the fast-growing African market.
According to the group’s head, Frédéric Fiore, the move will help position Logical Pictures as the preferred financing partner on the continent for the international industry and the leading production company of African content with global ambitions.
“Logical Pictures has now established in Europe a uniquely positioned group that can finance, distribute and produce content internationally with outstanding talents,” said Fiore. “With Logical Pictures Africa, we want to emulate a similar ecosystem in one of the most creative places in the world, dovetailing our approach to the specificities of each part of the world.”
Launched in 2016, the Logical Pictures Group has become a leading player in film and TV equity, producing, financing and distributing a range of content in France and internationally through...
According to the group’s head, Frédéric Fiore, the move will help position Logical Pictures as the preferred financing partner on the continent for the international industry and the leading production company of African content with global ambitions.
“Logical Pictures has now established in Europe a uniquely positioned group that can finance, distribute and produce content internationally with outstanding talents,” said Fiore. “With Logical Pictures Africa, we want to emulate a similar ecosystem in one of the most creative places in the world, dovetailing our approach to the specificities of each part of the world.”
Launched in 2016, the Logical Pictures Group has become a leading player in film and TV equity, producing, financing and distributing a range of content in France and internationally through...
- 5/17/2024
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Gordon Main’s apartheid-era documentary “London Recruits” has been tapped as the opening film at the sixth Joburg Film Festival, which takes place Feb. 27 – March 3 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The film sheds light on a pivotal moment in South Africa‘s history, when the struggle against the apartheid government in South Africa developed a new secret weapon. Oliver Tambo hatched a plan to infiltrate young British activists into the country, posing as tourists. Their mission, in the face of brutal lockdown by the racist regime, was to help inspire ordinary South Africans to join a liberation movement that would never give up till freedom was won.
The film is produced by Jacintha de Nobrega (“Deep End”), Robyn Slovo, Geoff Arbourne, Colin Charles (“The Surveyor”), James Barrett (“A Change in the Weather”) and Felix Gill (“78/52″). As Variety previously reported, XYZ Films is repping the doc’s North American sales.
Earlier this week,...
The film sheds light on a pivotal moment in South Africa‘s history, when the struggle against the apartheid government in South Africa developed a new secret weapon. Oliver Tambo hatched a plan to infiltrate young British activists into the country, posing as tourists. Their mission, in the face of brutal lockdown by the racist regime, was to help inspire ordinary South Africans to join a liberation movement that would never give up till freedom was won.
The film is produced by Jacintha de Nobrega (“Deep End”), Robyn Slovo, Geoff Arbourne, Colin Charles (“The Surveyor”), James Barrett (“A Change in the Weather”) and Felix Gill (“78/52″). As Variety previously reported, XYZ Films is repping the doc’s North American sales.
Earlier this week,...
- 2/14/2024
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Gen Z drama is written and directed by Lilith Kraxner and Milena Czernovsky
Gen Z drama Bluish (bläu) by Lilith Kraxner and Milena Czernovsky has won the Screen International Award at the C EU Soon work-in-progress programme at Rome’s Mia Market.
Bluish casts a tender look at two young and disoriented characters struggling with their daily lives and is produced by Lixi Frank and David Bohun of Austria’s Panama Film.
Bluish was one of eight projects showcased in the C EU Soon programme which is dedicated to European films in post-production looking for international sellers.
The selection committee...
Gen Z drama Bluish (bläu) by Lilith Kraxner and Milena Czernovsky has won the Screen International Award at the C EU Soon work-in-progress programme at Rome’s Mia Market.
Bluish casts a tender look at two young and disoriented characters struggling with their daily lives and is produced by Lixi Frank and David Bohun of Austria’s Panama Film.
Bluish was one of eight projects showcased in the C EU Soon programme which is dedicated to European films in post-production looking for international sellers.
The selection committee...
- 10/13/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Pape Boye’s Black Mic Mac, a recently launched banner championing African and Middle Eastern talent, is kicking off a strong first roster of projects including “Let the Earth Burn” from Sundance-prizewinning Sofia Alaoui and “The Bridge” creator Måns Mårlind.
“Let the Earth Burn” is a six-part series following Kenza, a recent graduate of the police academy working in a remote station nestled in the Atlas Mountains. Surrounded by misogynistic colleagues, she starts investigating on the disappearance of some shepherds’ children.
Alaoui’s credits include “So What if the Goats Die,” which won best short film at Cannes and Sundance in 2021, and “Animalia,” which won the Grand Jury prize at this year’s Sundance. Mårlind is one Europe’s best-known series’ creator with credits including “Midnight Sun” and “The Bridge” and “Shadowplay.” The film is produced by Barney Prods. and co-produced by Black Mic Mac. Other projects on the outfit...
“Let the Earth Burn” is a six-part series following Kenza, a recent graduate of the police academy working in a remote station nestled in the Atlas Mountains. Surrounded by misogynistic colleagues, she starts investigating on the disappearance of some shepherds’ children.
Alaoui’s credits include “So What if the Goats Die,” which won best short film at Cannes and Sundance in 2021, and “Animalia,” which won the Grand Jury prize at this year’s Sundance. Mårlind is one Europe’s best-known series’ creator with credits including “Midnight Sun” and “The Bridge” and “Shadowplay.” The film is produced by Barney Prods. and co-produced by Black Mic Mac. Other projects on the outfit...
- 5/20/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Paris-based sales company takes worldwide rights to Sahel-set feature
Paris-based sales company Wide has boarded worldwide rights to Apolline Traoré’s Sira ahead of the film’s world premiere in Berlin’s Panorama.
Wide will kick off sales for the co-production from Burkina Faso, France, Germany and Senegal at EFM alongside Pape Boye’s production/financing and sales outfit Black Mic Mac.
Sira is written and directed by Burkinabe filmmaker Traoré who also produces alongside Denis Cougnaud of France’s Araucania Films.
Souleymane Kebe of Senegal’s Sunuy films, Sarika Hemi Lakhani of Germany’s One Fine Day Films and...
Paris-based sales company Wide has boarded worldwide rights to Apolline Traoré’s Sira ahead of the film’s world premiere in Berlin’s Panorama.
Wide will kick off sales for the co-production from Burkina Faso, France, Germany and Senegal at EFM alongside Pape Boye’s production/financing and sales outfit Black Mic Mac.
Sira is written and directed by Burkinabe filmmaker Traoré who also produces alongside Denis Cougnaud of France’s Araucania Films.
Souleymane Kebe of Senegal’s Sunuy films, Sarika Hemi Lakhani of Germany’s One Fine Day Films and...
- 2/14/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Paris-based sales company takes worldwide rights to Sahel-set feature
Paris-based sales company Wide has boarded worldwide rights to Apolline Traoré’s Sira ahead of the film’s world premiere in Berlin’s Panorama.
Wide will kick off sales for the co-production from Burkina Faso, France, Germany and Senegal at EFM alongside Pape Boye’s production/financing and sales outfit Black Mic Mac.
Sira is written and directed by Burkinabe filmmaker Traoré who also produces alongside Denis Cougnaud of France’s Araucania Films.
Souleymane Kebe of Senegal’s Sunuy films, Sarika Hemi Lakhani of Germany’s One Fine Day Films and...
Paris-based sales company Wide has boarded worldwide rights to Apolline Traoré’s Sira ahead of the film’s world premiere in Berlin’s Panorama.
Wide will kick off sales for the co-production from Burkina Faso, France, Germany and Senegal at EFM alongside Pape Boye’s production/financing and sales outfit Black Mic Mac.
Sira is written and directed by Burkinabe filmmaker Traoré who also produces alongside Denis Cougnaud of France’s Araucania Films.
Souleymane Kebe of Senegal’s Sunuy films, Sarika Hemi Lakhani of Germany’s One Fine Day Films and...
- 2/14/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
First production is South African director Sibs Shongwe-La Mer’s previously announced second feature film Halo Daze.
International sales and production veteran Pape Boye is teaming up with growing French audiovisual and technology company Logical Pictures Group on his fledgling Paris-based African film and TV content-focused outfit Black Mic Mac.
Boye, who was previously co-head of French sales company Versatile, has been building the new company under the radar for more than a year and is now stepping up its activity with this new partnership, which will see it join the Logical Pictures Group.
Based in Paris, Black Mic Mac will focus on packaging,...
International sales and production veteran Pape Boye is teaming up with growing French audiovisual and technology company Logical Pictures Group on his fledgling Paris-based African film and TV content-focused outfit Black Mic Mac.
Boye, who was previously co-head of French sales company Versatile, has been building the new company under the radar for more than a year and is now stepping up its activity with this new partnership, which will see it join the Logical Pictures Group.
Based in Paris, Black Mic Mac will focus on packaging,...
- 2/3/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Neon has landed U.S. rights to “Pleasure,” an explicit drama that made waves at the Sundance Film Festival.
The movie, set in the Los Angeles porn industry, was initially acquired by A24, the company behind indie favorites like “Lady Bird,” “Minari” and “Uncut Gems.” It would appear that A24 parted ways with “Pleasure” over conflicts about the theatrical cut of the film. When it nabbed “Pleasure” in February, A24 said it would release the full uncensored version, as well as an R-rated cut, in 2021. Neon says it intends to premiere only the unedited version.
“I’m happy and relieved that my debut and life’s work is in the hands of Neon who dare to launch the film with my original vision, raw and uncut, to the American audience,” director Ninja Thyberg said in a statement.
Neon adds, “We are thrilled to be working with Ninja on this incredible...
The movie, set in the Los Angeles porn industry, was initially acquired by A24, the company behind indie favorites like “Lady Bird,” “Minari” and “Uncut Gems.” It would appear that A24 parted ways with “Pleasure” over conflicts about the theatrical cut of the film. When it nabbed “Pleasure” in February, A24 said it would release the full uncensored version, as well as an R-rated cut, in 2021. Neon says it intends to premiere only the unedited version.
“I’m happy and relieved that my debut and life’s work is in the hands of Neon who dare to launch the film with my original vision, raw and uncut, to the American audience,” director Ninja Thyberg said in a statement.
Neon adds, “We are thrilled to be working with Ninja on this incredible...
- 10/7/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has taken U.S. rights to Ninja Thyberg’s debut feature Pleasure, which debuted to strong reviews at Sundance Film Festival this year. The distributor will release stateside in 2022.
The film takes a look at the Los Angeles porn industry through the lens of newcomer Bella Cherry (Sofia Kappel). Strong, self-confident but naive, Bella believes she can mold the corrupt system to satisfy her needs. But, in the end, she must confront whether she’ll pay with her soul for stardom, or not.
Plattform Produktion and Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå, and Erik Hemmendorff produced the film. The film’s executive producers are Pape Boye and Violaine Pichon of Versatile. The co-producers are Leontine Petit and Erik Glijnis of Lemming Film, Peter Possne and Caroline Ljungberg of Film i Väst, Anna Croneman of Svt, and Frédéric Fiore and Eric Tavitian of Logical Pictures, as well as Grand Slam Film.
The...
The film takes a look at the Los Angeles porn industry through the lens of newcomer Bella Cherry (Sofia Kappel). Strong, self-confident but naive, Bella believes she can mold the corrupt system to satisfy her needs. But, in the end, she must confront whether she’ll pay with her soul for stardom, or not.
Plattform Produktion and Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå, and Erik Hemmendorff produced the film. The film’s executive producers are Pape Boye and Violaine Pichon of Versatile. The co-producers are Leontine Petit and Erik Glijnis of Lemming Film, Peter Possne and Caroline Ljungberg of Film i Väst, Anna Croneman of Svt, and Frédéric Fiore and Eric Tavitian of Logical Pictures, as well as Grand Slam Film.
The...
- 10/7/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Thyberg “happy and relieved” to find US distributor that will release “raw and uncut” version of porn industry drama.
Neon has picked up US rights to Ninja Thyberg’s feature debut and porn industry drama Pleasure and will release the director’s original verion “as intended”.
Pleasure will screen at AFI Fest in Los Angeles next month and stars Sofia Kappel as a newcomer to the porn industry who must reckon with how far she is willing to go to find stardom.
It originated as a short film of the same name in 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Canal+ Award.
Neon has picked up US rights to Ninja Thyberg’s feature debut and porn industry drama Pleasure and will release the director’s original verion “as intended”.
Pleasure will screen at AFI Fest in Los Angeles next month and stars Sofia Kappel as a newcomer to the porn industry who must reckon with how far she is willing to go to find stardom.
It originated as a short film of the same name in 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Canal+ Award.
- 10/7/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Global distributor, producer and streamer Mubi has snapped up major European markets for hot Sundance title “Pleasure,” which delves into the world of the porn industry in Los Angeles.
The service has acquired all rights to the provocative film in the U.K., Ireland, Italy and Turkey. Directed by Ninja Thyberg, the film recently received its world premiere as part of Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition.
Starring newcomer Sofia Kappel, “Pleasure” tells the story of a young woman (Bella Cherry) who moves from a small town in Sweden to Los Angeles in pursuit of stardom, and lands squarely in the porn industry. Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman praised “Pleasure” in his review, calling it an “intentionally stark” and “disturbingly authentic” look at what the porn industry has become.
“A movie like ‘Pleasure’ jerks the skeevy, compulsive porn world out of the closet in a way that few movies have,...
The service has acquired all rights to the provocative film in the U.K., Ireland, Italy and Turkey. Directed by Ninja Thyberg, the film recently received its world premiere as part of Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition.
Starring newcomer Sofia Kappel, “Pleasure” tells the story of a young woman (Bella Cherry) who moves from a small town in Sweden to Los Angeles in pursuit of stardom, and lands squarely in the porn industry. Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman praised “Pleasure” in his review, calling it an “intentionally stark” and “disturbingly authentic” look at what the porn industry has become.
“A movie like ‘Pleasure’ jerks the skeevy, compulsive porn world out of the closet in a way that few movies have,...
- 2/9/2021
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Sofia Kappel plays young woman seeking stardom in LA porn industry.
A24 has acquired US rights to Ninja Thyberg’s Sundance and Cannes Label selection Pleasure.
Sofia Kappel stars as a young woman seeking stardom in the porn industry in Los Angeles.
A24 plans to release the full uncensored version alongside a new R-rated version later this year.
Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå, and Erik Hemmendorff produced the film, and Pape Boye and Violaine Pichon of international sales agent Versatile served as executive producers.
A24 brokered the deal with CAA Media Finance alongside Versatile.
‘Mank’ leads Critics Choice Awards film nominations...
A24 has acquired US rights to Ninja Thyberg’s Sundance and Cannes Label selection Pleasure.
Sofia Kappel stars as a young woman seeking stardom in the porn industry in Los Angeles.
A24 plans to release the full uncensored version alongside a new R-rated version later this year.
Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå, and Erik Hemmendorff produced the film, and Pape Boye and Violaine Pichon of international sales agent Versatile served as executive producers.
A24 brokered the deal with CAA Media Finance alongside Versatile.
‘Mank’ leads Critics Choice Awards film nominations...
- 2/8/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
A24 has acquired U.S. rights to “Pleasure,” an explicit drama about the adult film industry, following its premiere at the virtual Sundance Film Festival.
A24 will release the full uncensored film, as well as an R-rated version, later this year.
Directed by Ninja Thyberg, “Pleasure” takes a look at the Los Angeles porn industry through the lens of newcomer Bella Cherry (portrayed by Sofia Kappel), who moves from a small town in Sweden to pursue her dreams of stardom.
Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman praised “Pleasure,” calling it an “intentionally stark” and “disturbingly authentic” look at what the porn industry has become.
“A movie like “Pleasure” jerks the skeevy, compulsive porn world out of the closet in a way that few movies have,” Gleiberman wrote. “That’s a brave thing to, and what makes it work is that Ninja Thyberg, revealing the instincts of a true filmmaker,...
A24 will release the full uncensored film, as well as an R-rated version, later this year.
Directed by Ninja Thyberg, “Pleasure” takes a look at the Los Angeles porn industry through the lens of newcomer Bella Cherry (portrayed by Sofia Kappel), who moves from a small town in Sweden to pursue her dreams of stardom.
Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman praised “Pleasure,” calling it an “intentionally stark” and “disturbingly authentic” look at what the porn industry has become.
“A movie like “Pleasure” jerks the skeevy, compulsive porn world out of the closet in a way that few movies have,” Gleiberman wrote. “That’s a brave thing to, and what makes it work is that Ninja Thyberg, revealing the instincts of a true filmmaker,...
- 2/8/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
A24 said Monday that it acquired U.S. rights to the Ninja Thyberg-directed 2021 Sundance Film Festival drama Pleasure. This was a film that had been announced as a Cannes title for 2020 before the fest was canceled because of Covid, and made its debut as part of virtual Sundance.
The drama stars Sofia Kappel as an aspiring porn star who arrives from Sweden determined to become a big star. While the drama’s point is to recognize the rape culture and degradation that women are put through in that line of business in Los Angeles, the film itself is about as close to a porn film as any that has been released theatrically in recent memory, with complete nudity and simulated sex that is shocking.
A24 will release the full uncensored version alongside a new R-Rated version later this year.
The film is produced by Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå, and Erik Hemmendorff.
The drama stars Sofia Kappel as an aspiring porn star who arrives from Sweden determined to become a big star. While the drama’s point is to recognize the rape culture and degradation that women are put through in that line of business in Los Angeles, the film itself is about as close to a porn film as any that has been released theatrically in recent memory, with complete nudity and simulated sex that is shocking.
A24 will release the full uncensored version alongside a new R-Rated version later this year.
The film is produced by Eliza Jones, Markus Waltå, and Erik Hemmendorff.
- 2/8/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
A24 has acquired the U.S. rights to “Pleasure,” Ninja Thyberg’s film about the pornography and adult entertainment industry in Los Angeles that was a selection of Cannes 2020 and made its world premiere at Sundance.
A24 will release an R-rated version of the narrative feature film as well as an uncensored version, which is sexually explicit in its examination of the porn industry and the predatory practices of managers and male-dominated sets.
Thyberg’s “Pleasure” stars Sofia Kappel as Bella Cherry, who relocates to LA from Sweden in the hopes of making it in the adult entertainment industry as the world’s next big porn star. In its description of the film, Sundance said that it uses nudity in order to “expose rather than titillate.” The film also features a supporting cast of other actors who have had experience in the porn industry.
In TheWrap’s review of the film,...
A24 will release an R-rated version of the narrative feature film as well as an uncensored version, which is sexually explicit in its examination of the porn industry and the predatory practices of managers and male-dominated sets.
Thyberg’s “Pleasure” stars Sofia Kappel as Bella Cherry, who relocates to LA from Sweden in the hopes of making it in the adult entertainment industry as the world’s next big porn star. In its description of the film, Sundance said that it uses nudity in order to “expose rather than titillate.” The film also features a supporting cast of other actors who have had experience in the porn industry.
In TheWrap’s review of the film,...
- 2/8/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Sk Global Entertainment, BlueLight and Black Mic Mac have boarded “Halo Daze,” the sophomore feature from South African director Sibs Shongwe-La Mer, whose acclaimed debut “Necktie Youth” premiered at the Berlinale, the companies announced during the Sundance Film Festival.
Currently in production in Cape Town, “Halo Daze” follows the dark voyage of an aspiring young rapper whose internet fame fails to bring him and his family the better life he’d hoped for. Written by Shongwe-La Mer, it explores the fault-lines where class, race and ageing youth intersect in suspended animation, amongst a generation desperate for a moment of instant fame and comfort at any cost.
“Halo Daze” is produced in South Africa by Storyscope, Seriti Films, Stage 5 Films and Laika1991, and in Germany by Rohfilm Prods. Pic is due for completion mid-2021 with an eye toward release later this year.
The film is supported in South Africa by...
Currently in production in Cape Town, “Halo Daze” follows the dark voyage of an aspiring young rapper whose internet fame fails to bring him and his family the better life he’d hoped for. Written by Shongwe-La Mer, it explores the fault-lines where class, race and ageing youth intersect in suspended animation, amongst a generation desperate for a moment of instant fame and comfort at any cost.
“Halo Daze” is produced in South Africa by Storyscope, Seriti Films, Stage 5 Films and Laika1991, and in Germany by Rohfilm Prods. Pic is due for completion mid-2021 with an eye toward release later this year.
The film is supported in South Africa by...
- 2/3/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Rlje Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, has acquired the North American rights to a thriller starring Maisie Williams, “The Owners,” the distributor announced Thursday.
“The Owners” is the debut film of writer and director Julius Berg, and Rlje Films is expected to release the movie in theaters and on VOD and digital HD in the fall of 2020.
The “Game of Thrones” actress Williams stars in the film as part of a group of friends who think they found the perfect, easy score – an empty house with a safe full of cash. But when the elderly couple that lives there comes home early, the tables are suddenly turned. As a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, the would-be thieves are left to fight to save themselves from a nightmare they could never have imagined.
Also Read: Maisie Williams Says 'Game of Thrones' Fame Led Her to Be Consumed...
“The Owners” is the debut film of writer and director Julius Berg, and Rlje Films is expected to release the movie in theaters and on VOD and digital HD in the fall of 2020.
The “Game of Thrones” actress Williams stars in the film as part of a group of friends who think they found the perfect, easy score – an empty house with a safe full of cash. But when the elderly couple that lives there comes home early, the tables are suddenly turned. As a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, the would-be thieves are left to fight to save themselves from a nightmare they could never have imagined.
Also Read: Maisie Williams Says 'Game of Thrones' Fame Led Her to Be Consumed...
- 4/23/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Rlje Films has secured North American distribution rights to The Owners, a 90’s-set thriller starring Game Of Thrones alum Maisie Williams. Based on the comic book from artist Herrmann and written by Yves H, the film is aiming for a theatrical and digital release in the fall of 2020.
First-time feature director Julius Berg directed and co-wrote the film alongside Matthieu Gompel with the participation of Geoff Cox.
More from DeadlineRLJE Films Acquires Sundance Gonzo Satire 'Spree' In Near $2M North America DealJeffrey Dean Morgan Thriller 'The Postcard Killings' To Hit Theaters In March Via Rlje FilmsRLJE Films Acquires Blumhouse Drama 'Adopt A Highway' Starring Ethan Hawke
The Owners follows a group of friends who think they found the perfect easy score – an empty house with a safe full of cash. But when the elderly couple that lives there comes home early, the tables are suddenly turned. As a...
First-time feature director Julius Berg directed and co-wrote the film alongside Matthieu Gompel with the participation of Geoff Cox.
More from DeadlineRLJE Films Acquires Sundance Gonzo Satire 'Spree' In Near $2M North America DealJeffrey Dean Morgan Thriller 'The Postcard Killings' To Hit Theaters In March Via Rlje FilmsRLJE Films Acquires Blumhouse Drama 'Adopt A Highway' Starring Ethan Hawke
The Owners follows a group of friends who think they found the perfect easy score – an empty house with a safe full of cash. But when the elderly couple that lives there comes home early, the tables are suddenly turned. As a...
- 4/23/2020
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Distributor anticipates theatrical, VOD and digital HD release in autumn.
Rlje Films has picked up North American rights from Xyz Films to thriller The Owners starring Maisie Williams from Game Of Thrones.
Julius Berg’s feature directorial debut centres on a group of friends who attempt to burgle an empty house with a safe full of cash when the elderly owners return and turn the tables on the intruders.
Jake Curran, Ian Kenny, Andrew Ellis, Sylvester McCoy, and Rita Tushingham round out the cast. Berg co-wrote the screenplay with Matthieu Gompel with the participation of Geoff Cox.
Rlje Films expects...
Rlje Films has picked up North American rights from Xyz Films to thriller The Owners starring Maisie Williams from Game Of Thrones.
Julius Berg’s feature directorial debut centres on a group of friends who attempt to burgle an empty house with a safe full of cash when the elderly owners return and turn the tables on the intruders.
Jake Curran, Ian Kenny, Andrew Ellis, Sylvester McCoy, and Rita Tushingham round out the cast. Berg co-wrote the screenplay with Matthieu Gompel with the participation of Geoff Cox.
Rlje Films expects...
- 4/23/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
It is one of Williams’s first roles since Game Of Thrones came to an end last year.
Screen can reveal the first look at Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams in horror-thriller The Owners.
Paris-based sales company Versatile is market premiering the feature at the European Film Market this week.
French director Julius Berg’s English-language horror thriller The Owners revolves around a burglary that takes a violent turn when the elderly inhabitants turn the tables on the young intruders. It is adapted from the graphic novel Une Nuit De Pleine Lune by Belgian artist Hermann and writer Yves...
Screen can reveal the first look at Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams in horror-thriller The Owners.
Paris-based sales company Versatile is market premiering the feature at the European Film Market this week.
French director Julius Berg’s English-language horror thriller The Owners revolves around a burglary that takes a violent turn when the elderly inhabitants turn the tables on the young intruders. It is adapted from the graphic novel Une Nuit De Pleine Lune by Belgian artist Hermann and writer Yves...
- 2/21/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
The Eurimages Lab Award at Haugesund has gone to Norwegian director Guro Bruusgaard for Him.
Norwegian director Guro Bruusgaard has won the Eurimages Lab iAward at Haugesund for Him.
The award—which is only eligible for a select group of work-in-progress projects that are more experimental in form or content – comes with a grant worth $55,500.
Him looks at the roles of contemporary men in society through stories of a boy, a 30-year-old man and a 60-year old man during one day in Oslo. The jury said Him offered a “relevant discussion made in a witty, intelligent and compassionate style”. No sales company is attached yet.
Norwegian director Guro Bruusgaard has won the Eurimages Lab iAward at Haugesund for Him.
The award—which is only eligible for a select group of work-in-progress projects that are more experimental in form or content – comes with a grant worth $55,500.
Him looks at the roles of contemporary men in society through stories of a boy, a 30-year-old man and a 60-year old man during one day in Oslo. The jury said Him offered a “relevant discussion made in a witty, intelligent and compassionate style”. No sales company is attached yet.
- 8/23/2019
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Haugesund, Norway — Paris-based Versatile has announced a raft of pre-sales on Ninja Thyberg’s debut feature “Jessica,” set in the adult entertainment industry in L.A.
World distributors that have pre-bought the Swedish drama take in Weltkino for Germany/Austria, Xenix for Switzerland, MK2/Mile End for Canada, Kth for South Korea and Movie Could for Taïwan. Several other territories are being negotiated, said Versatile co-founder Pape Boye.
The latest feature offer from Ruben Östlund and Erik Hemmendorff’s Platfform Produktion is one of the most anticipated projects to be pitched at Haugesund’s Nordic Film Market, running Aug. 20-23, and among six contenders for the €50,000 Eurimages Lab Project Award.
Pic is a feature-length version of Thyberg’s short film “Pleasure,” winner of the Canal Plus Critics’ Week Award in 2013 and Sundance foreign short film entry. Jessica is a 20-year-old girl who leaves her native Sweden for L.A. to...
World distributors that have pre-bought the Swedish drama take in Weltkino for Germany/Austria, Xenix for Switzerland, MK2/Mile End for Canada, Kth for South Korea and Movie Could for Taïwan. Several other territories are being negotiated, said Versatile co-founder Pape Boye.
The latest feature offer from Ruben Östlund and Erik Hemmendorff’s Platfform Produktion is one of the most anticipated projects to be pitched at Haugesund’s Nordic Film Market, running Aug. 20-23, and among six contenders for the €50,000 Eurimages Lab Project Award.
Pic is a feature-length version of Thyberg’s short film “Pleasure,” winner of the Canal Plus Critics’ Week Award in 2013 and Sundance foreign short film entry. Jessica is a 20-year-old girl who leaves her native Sweden for L.A. to...
- 8/21/2019
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
The director of The Square will shoot the shipwreck comedy in 2020.
Ruben Östlund’s next feature Triangle Of Sadness is being lined up for a 2020 shoot, and will be his first film fully in the English language.
Triangle of Sadness was one project on the slate of Film I Vast, Scandinavia’s leading film funD presented in Cannes yesterday.
The film will partially shoot in a studio in Trollhatten, Sweden as well as on location on an island and on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean.
The team describes it as a “a surrealist comedy, looking at what happens when...
Ruben Östlund’s next feature Triangle Of Sadness is being lined up for a 2020 shoot, and will be his first film fully in the English language.
Triangle of Sadness was one project on the slate of Film I Vast, Scandinavia’s leading film funD presented in Cannes yesterday.
The film will partially shoot in a studio in Trollhatten, Sweden as well as on location on an island and on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean.
The team describes it as a “a surrealist comedy, looking at what happens when...
- 5/19/2019
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Xyz Films handles North American sales.
Sylvester McCoy, Rita Tushingham, Ian Kenny, Jake Curran, Andrew Ellis and Stacha Hicks have been announced as cast members of home invasion thriller The Owners alongside Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams as the production starts shooting in the UK.
McCoy, whose credits include Doctor Who, plays an elderly doctor opposite veteran UK actress Rita Tushingham as his wife. Together, the retired couple turn the tables on a gang of local hoodlums who break into their isolated house.
Kenny and Ellis (This Is England) play two dead-beat, childhood friends who are spurred on by...
Sylvester McCoy, Rita Tushingham, Ian Kenny, Jake Curran, Andrew Ellis and Stacha Hicks have been announced as cast members of home invasion thriller The Owners alongside Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams as the production starts shooting in the UK.
McCoy, whose credits include Doctor Who, plays an elderly doctor opposite veteran UK actress Rita Tushingham as his wife. Together, the retired couple turn the tables on a gang of local hoodlums who break into their isolated house.
Kenny and Ellis (This Is England) play two dead-beat, childhood friends who are spurred on by...
- 5/7/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Production is underway in the UK on Maisie Williams thriller The Owners.
Joining Williams (Game Of Thrones) in the cast are Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who), Rita Tushingham (A Taste of Honey), Ian Kenny (Sing Street), Jake Curran (Spotless), Andrew Ellis (This Is England) and Stacha Hicks (The Children Act).
The 90’s-set thriller is directed by Julius Berg, with a screenplay by Berg and Mathieu Gompel, based on the comic book from artist Herrmann and written by Yves H. Producers are Alain de la Mata at UK-based Bluelight and Christopher Granier-Deferre, with Nate Bolotin and Maxime Cottray executive producing for Xyz Films.
Co-producers are Brahim Chioua for Wild Bunch, Frédéric Fiore and Eric Tavitian for Logical Pictures and Pape Boye for Versatile. Versatile will continue pre-sales on available international territories, while Xyz will handle North American sales, at the upcoming Marché du Film at Cannes.
Shooting is currently underway in Kent,...
Joining Williams (Game Of Thrones) in the cast are Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who), Rita Tushingham (A Taste of Honey), Ian Kenny (Sing Street), Jake Curran (Spotless), Andrew Ellis (This Is England) and Stacha Hicks (The Children Act).
The 90’s-set thriller is directed by Julius Berg, with a screenplay by Berg and Mathieu Gompel, based on the comic book from artist Herrmann and written by Yves H. Producers are Alain de la Mata at UK-based Bluelight and Christopher Granier-Deferre, with Nate Bolotin and Maxime Cottray executive producing for Xyz Films.
Co-producers are Brahim Chioua for Wild Bunch, Frédéric Fiore and Eric Tavitian for Logical Pictures and Pape Boye for Versatile. Versatile will continue pre-sales on available international territories, while Xyz will handle North American sales, at the upcoming Marché du Film at Cannes.
Shooting is currently underway in Kent,...
- 5/7/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Sylvester McCoy and Ian Kenny are among several new cast members to have signed on for Maisie Wiliams-starrer “The Owners,” the 1990s-set thriller helmed by Julius Berg from a screenplay by him and Matthieu Gompel.
McCoy is best known for a stint as the Doctor in sci-fi series “Doctor Who.” He joins Williams and Kenny (“Solo: A Star Wars Story”), as well as Rita Tushingham (“A Taste of Honey”), Jake Curran (“Spotless”), Andrew Ellis (“This Is England”), and Stacha Hicks (“The Children Act”) in the film.
Shooting is currently underway on the film in an isolated Victorian mansion near London. The movie is based on a comic book from renowned artist Herrmann and written by Yves H.
The story follows childhood friends Nathan (Kenney) and Terry (Ellis), who are spurred on by sociopath Gaz (Curran) to rob Huggins (McCoy), an elderly local doctor and his wife (Tushingham). Williams plays Nathan’s girlfriend,...
McCoy is best known for a stint as the Doctor in sci-fi series “Doctor Who.” He joins Williams and Kenny (“Solo: A Star Wars Story”), as well as Rita Tushingham (“A Taste of Honey”), Jake Curran (“Spotless”), Andrew Ellis (“This Is England”), and Stacha Hicks (“The Children Act”) in the film.
Shooting is currently underway on the film in an isolated Victorian mansion near London. The movie is based on a comic book from renowned artist Herrmann and written by Yves H.
The story follows childhood friends Nathan (Kenney) and Terry (Ellis), who are spurred on by sociopath Gaz (Curran) to rob Huggins (McCoy), an elderly local doctor and his wife (Tushingham). Williams plays Nathan’s girlfriend,...
- 5/7/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
Goteborg — The 20th Nordic Film Market, held parallel to the Göteborg Film Festival, closed Sunday after three days of screenings and pitchings of 48 Nordic films and projects. Following, five key takeaways or trends:
Standout Nordic Brand Quality
An excellent crop, better than 2018, with a large diversity of content, catering to arthouse/mainstream as well as local/international audiences – these were prevailing reactions from international buyers and programmers polled yesterday in Göteborg. A senior A festival programmer – who asked to remain anonymous- even said: “Today the Nordics are perhaps the strongest region in Europe creatively across TV drama, feature and documentary film.”
Although most titles had already been snatched by the big Nordic sellers – TrustNordisk, LevelK, New Europe Film Sales, The Yellow Affair, Sf Studios – a dozen small offers in post, or in development at the Discovery section, still open for negotiations, made the Göteborg stop-over – fully worthwhile for the 25-plus sales reps in attendance.
Standout Nordic Brand Quality
An excellent crop, better than 2018, with a large diversity of content, catering to arthouse/mainstream as well as local/international audiences – these were prevailing reactions from international buyers and programmers polled yesterday in Göteborg. A senior A festival programmer – who asked to remain anonymous- even said: “Today the Nordics are perhaps the strongest region in Europe creatively across TV drama, feature and documentary film.”
Although most titles had already been snatched by the big Nordic sellers – TrustNordisk, LevelK, New Europe Film Sales, The Yellow Affair, Sf Studios – a dozen small offers in post, or in development at the Discovery section, still open for negotiations, made the Göteborg stop-over – fully worthwhile for the 25-plus sales reps in attendance.
- 2/3/2019
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Documentary reconstructs historic trial resulting in Nelson Mandela’s life sentence.
Paris-based company Versatile has snapped up world sales rights for feature documentary The State Against Mandela And The Others, ahead of its Special Screening premiere in Cannes next month.
The documentary reconstructs the Rivonia Trial, which took place in the suburbs of the South African city of Johannesburg from October 1963 to June 1964 and resulted in anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela being imprisoned for 27 years and eight months.
But rather than focusing on Mandela, it puts the spotlight on the stories of the other people who stood in the dock alongside the world-famous activist,...
Paris-based company Versatile has snapped up world sales rights for feature documentary The State Against Mandela And The Others, ahead of its Special Screening premiere in Cannes next month.
The documentary reconstructs the Rivonia Trial, which took place in the suburbs of the South African city of Johannesburg from October 1963 to June 1964 and resulted in anti-apartheid campaigner Nelson Mandela being imprisoned for 27 years and eight months.
But rather than focusing on Mandela, it puts the spotlight on the stories of the other people who stood in the dock alongside the world-famous activist,...
- 4/25/2018
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Documentary revolves around actor’s 2014 return to the boxing ring in Moscow.
Paris-based sales company Versatile has acquired world sales rights to French photographer and director Richard Aujard’s bio-doc Guapo Siempre, a portrait of Mickey Rourke’s return to the boxing ring in Moscow in 2014.
The film, which is in post-production, follows actor and retired boxer Rourke as he prepares at the age of 62 to take on a fighter half his age in a special boxing exhibition in the Russian capital, after a 20-year absence from the ring.
A few days before the fight, Rourke’s beloved dog Guapo dies, plunging the boxer into a mystical state for his comeback fight.
Aujard, who is a long-time acquaintance of Rourke, captures the actor-boxer as he looks back over his life and career.
“The film will be ready for this summer,” said Versatile co-chief Pape Boye. “It’s very cinematic but one of the things that makes it particularly...
Paris-based sales company Versatile has acquired world sales rights to French photographer and director Richard Aujard’s bio-doc Guapo Siempre, a portrait of Mickey Rourke’s return to the boxing ring in Moscow in 2014.
The film, which is in post-production, follows actor and retired boxer Rourke as he prepares at the age of 62 to take on a fighter half his age in a special boxing exhibition in the Russian capital, after a 20-year absence from the ring.
A few days before the fight, Rourke’s beloved dog Guapo dies, plunging the boxer into a mystical state for his comeback fight.
Aujard, who is a long-time acquaintance of Rourke, captures the actor-boxer as he looks back over his life and career.
“The film will be ready for this summer,” said Versatile co-chief Pape Boye. “It’s very cinematic but one of the things that makes it particularly...
- 5/4/2016
- ScreenDaily
Neil Armfield.s Holding the Man, Simon Stone.s The Daughter, Jeremy Sims. Last Cab to Darwin and Jen Peedom.s feature doc Sherpa will have their world premieres at the Sydney Film Festival.
The festival program unveiled today includes 33 world premieres (including 22 shorts) and 135 Australian premieres (with 18 shorts) among 251 titles from 68 countries.
Among the other premieres will be Daina Reid.s The Secret River, Ruby Entertainment's. ABC-tv miniseries starring Oliver Jackson Cohen and Sarah Snook, and three Oz docs, Marc Eberle.s The Cambodian Space Project — Not Easy Rock .n. Roll, Steve Thomas. Freedom Stories and Lisa Nicol.s Wide Open Sky.
Festival director Nashen Moodley boasted. this year.s event will be far larger than 2014's when 183 films from 47 countries were screened, including 15 world premieres. The expansion is possible in part due to the addition of two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool.
As previously announced, Brendan Cowell...
The festival program unveiled today includes 33 world premieres (including 22 shorts) and 135 Australian premieres (with 18 shorts) among 251 titles from 68 countries.
Among the other premieres will be Daina Reid.s The Secret River, Ruby Entertainment's. ABC-tv miniseries starring Oliver Jackson Cohen and Sarah Snook, and three Oz docs, Marc Eberle.s The Cambodian Space Project — Not Easy Rock .n. Roll, Steve Thomas. Freedom Stories and Lisa Nicol.s Wide Open Sky.
Festival director Nashen Moodley boasted. this year.s event will be far larger than 2014's when 183 films from 47 countries were screened, including 15 world premieres. The expansion is possible in part due to the addition of two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool.
As previously announced, Brendan Cowell...
- 5/6/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
The Orchard has picked up North American rights to the recent Berlin European premiere Nasty Baby, while in a separate deal The Film Arcade will distribute People, Places, Things in the Us. Both films premiered in Park City.
Sebastian Silva directed and stars in Nasty Baby (pictured at left) with Kristen Wiig, Tunde Adebimpe, Reg E Cathey and Alia Shawkat.
The film received its world premiere in Sundance and tells of a gay couple who enlist their best friend’s help to make a baby.
Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, Charlie Dibe, David Hinojosa and Julia Oh produced and Silva served as and executive producer alongside Christine Vachon, Peter Danner, Pape Boye and Violaine Pichon.
The Orchard will release the film later this year and brokered the deal with UTA Independent Film Group in association with the film’s international sales agent partners Versatile and Funny Balloons.
The Film Arcade has se a summer release for Jim...
Sebastian Silva directed and stars in Nasty Baby (pictured at left) with Kristen Wiig, Tunde Adebimpe, Reg E Cathey and Alia Shawkat.
The film received its world premiere in Sundance and tells of a gay couple who enlist their best friend’s help to make a baby.
Juan de Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín, Charlie Dibe, David Hinojosa and Julia Oh produced and Silva served as and executive producer alongside Christine Vachon, Peter Danner, Pape Boye and Violaine Pichon.
The Orchard will release the film later this year and brokered the deal with UTA Independent Film Group in association with the film’s international sales agent partners Versatile and Funny Balloons.
The Film Arcade has se a summer release for Jim...
- 2/24/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Other new additions include Jerome Bonnell’s A Trois, On Y Va.
Paris-based sales agent Versatile has picked up Argentine Santiago Mitre’s social thriller La Patota about an idealistic lawyer who is attacked by a gang while doing charity work in an impoverished border-town.
Other additions to Versatile’s Tiff slate include France’s Jérôme Bonnell’s upcoming A Trois, On Y Va, a love triangle comedy starring Anais Demoustier, Sophie Verbeeck and Félix Moati.
Mitre’s second film after The Student, which won the Locarno’s special jury prize in 2011, La Patota has just started shooting in Misiones in north-east Argentina, with Argentine actress Dolorès Fonzi in the lead role.
Inspired by late compatriot filmmaker Daniel Tinayre’s 1960 classic, it revolves around lawyer Pauline who ditches a glittering career in Buenos Aires to help the inhabitants of her impoverished hometown on the Argentine border with Paraguay and Brazil.
Within days of...
Paris-based sales agent Versatile has picked up Argentine Santiago Mitre’s social thriller La Patota about an idealistic lawyer who is attacked by a gang while doing charity work in an impoverished border-town.
Other additions to Versatile’s Tiff slate include France’s Jérôme Bonnell’s upcoming A Trois, On Y Va, a love triangle comedy starring Anais Demoustier, Sophie Verbeeck and Félix Moati.
Mitre’s second film after The Student, which won the Locarno’s special jury prize in 2011, La Patota has just started shooting in Misiones in north-east Argentina, with Argentine actress Dolorès Fonzi in the lead role.
Inspired by late compatriot filmmaker Daniel Tinayre’s 1960 classic, it revolves around lawyer Pauline who ditches a glittering career in Buenos Aires to help the inhabitants of her impoverished hometown on the Argentine border with Paraguay and Brazil.
Within days of...
- 9/5/2014
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Chinese child abduction film to screen in Toronto following world premiere in Venice.
Paris-based Versatile has acquired international sales on Peter Ho-Sun Chan’s child abduction drama Dearest ahead of a Special Presentation screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 4-14).
“It’s gives us great pleasure to be working with an Asian film by a director with such a strong international reputation and track record,” said Boye.
The deal was sealed at the Venice Film Festival (Aug 27 - Sept 6) where the film was given a high profile Out of Competition world premiere in the presence of the director and key cast last week (Aug 28).
“We’ve been interested in the film for some time and wanted to meet the makers in person in Venice to seal the deal,” said Versatile co-chief Pape Boye.
Boye and Versatile co-chief Violaine Pichon brokered the deal with Chan and Katherine Lee of We Distribution Limited, the sales arm...
Paris-based Versatile has acquired international sales on Peter Ho-Sun Chan’s child abduction drama Dearest ahead of a Special Presentation screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 4-14).
“It’s gives us great pleasure to be working with an Asian film by a director with such a strong international reputation and track record,” said Boye.
The deal was sealed at the Venice Film Festival (Aug 27 - Sept 6) where the film was given a high profile Out of Competition world premiere in the presence of the director and key cast last week (Aug 28).
“We’ve been interested in the film for some time and wanted to meet the makers in person in Venice to seal the deal,” said Versatile co-chief Pape Boye.
Boye and Versatile co-chief Violaine Pichon brokered the deal with Chan and Katherine Lee of We Distribution Limited, the sales arm...
- 9/2/2014
- ScreenDaily
Nasty Baby
Director: Sebastian Silva
Writer: Sebastian Silva
Producers: Fabula’s Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Funny Balloons’ Peter Danner, Versatile’s Pape Boye and Violaine Pichon
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Sebastian Silva, Mark Margolis, Tunde Adebimpe, Alia Shawkat
One of 2013’s greatest cinematic slights was the fact that Sebastian Silva’s Magic Magic didn’t get a proper theatrical release, even though it played at Sundance and Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight sidebar (Silva’s other Michael Cera starring 2013 title, Crystal Fairy thankfully saw an awesome performance from Gaby Hoffman honored with an Indie Spirit Award nomination). A forerunner of the Chilean New Wave, Silva seems determined to stay in the English language realm, and we’re quite excited for this latest drama which has gathered an exciting and eclectic cast.
Gist: A gay couple are trying to have a baby with the help of their best friend.
Director: Sebastian Silva
Writer: Sebastian Silva
Producers: Fabula’s Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Funny Balloons’ Peter Danner, Versatile’s Pape Boye and Violaine Pichon
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Sebastian Silva, Mark Margolis, Tunde Adebimpe, Alia Shawkat
One of 2013’s greatest cinematic slights was the fact that Sebastian Silva’s Magic Magic didn’t get a proper theatrical release, even though it played at Sundance and Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight sidebar (Silva’s other Michael Cera starring 2013 title, Crystal Fairy thankfully saw an awesome performance from Gaby Hoffman honored with an Indie Spirit Award nomination). A forerunner of the Chilean New Wave, Silva seems determined to stay in the English language realm, and we’re quite excited for this latest drama which has gathered an exciting and eclectic cast.
Gist: A gay couple are trying to have a baby with the help of their best friend.
- 2/28/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
I love Paris! Serving on the jury of U.S. in Progress to judge five American independent films in post production, bonding with filmmakers, organizers and the beautiful city itself, being part of a larger festival which featured films I particularly enjoyed like Nina Simone, Love Sorceress… Forever, It Felt Like Love by Eliza Hittman, Umbrellas of Cherbourg, what’s not to love?
The friendly openness of everyone at the festival made the event special. Sophie Dulac, the festival’s founder (and distributor, producer and exhibitor) whom I interviewed last year and again, almost as old friends again this year (see upcoming blog!), the publicist and programmer, Maxine Leonard, the staff, the Us in Progress organizers – Adeline Monzier (now also Us representative for Unifrance), Ula Śniegowska, Artistic Director of Wroclaw, Poland’s American Film Festival and Mobile New Horizons, my fellow jury members for USinP, and of course, the filmmakers themselves created a fun and inspiring event. What a great international film business we are in!
As I write this, the mailman just delivered a book, entitled Titra Film, A Cinematographic and Family Chronicle, sent to me by my fellow jury-member, Isabelle Frilley, who now, along with her children, owns and operates Titra, now called TitraTVS, the sub-titling company founded by her grandparents in 1933 shortly after talkies made subtitling de riguer . Very involved in the world of cinema, and inspired by her literary tastes, Isabelle has also helped develop multi-lingual subtitling for cinema, subtitling for the hearing impaired, and audio-description for the visually impaired. For many years, Isabelle Frilley has been a member of the juries of “Ciné en Construction” (for Latin-American cinema, in Toulouse), of “Cinéma en Mouvement” (for Mediterranean cinema, in San Sebastian), and of the Caméra d’Or in Cannes. She is only one of the illustrious jury among whom I was honored to count myself. Others included Julie Bergeron who runs Cannes Marche’s Producer Network among other things, Europa Distribution Eve Gabereau of Soda Pictures, a London-based indie distributor, Ciné Cinéma’s Bruno Deloye, Firefly’s Philippe Reinaudo, Commune Image’s Michael Werner, Eaux Vives Production’s Xénia Maingot, and Matthias Lavaux, the cofounder of touscoprod, the French crowdfunding website dedicated to movies, launched in January 2009.
1982 by Tommy Oliver
USinP’s winner, Tommy Oliver, whose previous film Kinyarwanda was a favorite of mine at Sundance a couple of years ago which Roger Ebert ranked 6 on his top ten films of 2011, is now in post on 1982 and won Us$60,000 worth of post production services.
Tommy’s directorial debut, 1982, starring Hill Harper, Sharon Leal, La La Anthony, Bokeem Woodbine, Wayne Brady and Ruby Dee, tells the story of a black father whose wife succumbs to a crack cocaine addiction and his efforts to shield their 10-year old daughter from the ill effects of having a drug addicted mother while trying to wean her off of her addiction. It's set in 1982 in Philadelphia at the very onset of the crack cocaine epidemic and ultimately, it's a story about a father doing whatever he can to protect his family. It's semi- autobiographical story and inspired by true events.
He also wrote and produced 1982 which also received a prestigious San Francisco Film Society Krf grant .
Tommy himself is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, a Microsoft alum and founder of Seattle-based interactive media firm Viliv Studios as well as La- based production company Confluential Films, which he started with actor/ author/ speaker Hill Harper.
I can confidently predict that this film will be seen on the festival circuit as it brings a humanity to the issue we’ve seen dozens of time – crack in communities – but never like this. We don’t see the ugly community violated by violence. We see a loving family coping with a personal and private disaster. Hill Harper plays a loving, compassionate good man. Comparisons will be made with Fruitvale Station, another African American “issue” film (police brutally killing an innocent family man) which will be released July 12 by The Weinstein Company. We need more such films to create a consistent pipeline for audiences who will pay to see these films. AFor his film 1982, he has devised a super-sophisticated, break-the-record domestic marketing plan. I am eager to watch the trajectory of this one.
The runner-up film, Bfe was supported with great gusto by its director and producer, Shawn Telford and producer, Mark Carr who brought a special energy to the entire event and were full of fun throughout. Shawn charmed his French hosts with his French. Watch for the film and with it, watch for Shawn!
I Believe In Unicorns is the feature debut of director Leah Meyerhoff. It was nominated for a Calvin Klein grant at the 2012 Gotham Independent Film Awards and stars Natalia Dyer, Peter Vack, Toni Meyerhoff, Julia Garner, Joshua Leonard and Amy Seimetz.
As noteworthy as the film is and as talented as Leah is, the producers themselves are also notable and prolific! Allison Anders, Katie Mustard and Heather Rae who also produced the Academy Award nominated film Frozen River, starring Melissa Leo, which won the 2008 Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, opened the New York Film Society’s New Directors/New Film series and was acquired by Sony PicturesClassics. She won the 2008 Independent Spirit Award for her production work on Frozen River. Heather also produced Mosquita Y Mari (Sundance 2012), Backroads (Sundance 2000), Trudell (2005 Sundance Film Festival), Ibid (2008 SXSW), The Dry Land (Sundance 2010), Magic Valley (Tribeca 2011), and is currently in post-production on Five Thirteen (with Tom Sizemore), Ass Backwards (with Alicia Silverstone and Vincent D’Onofrio) and Plastic Jesus (with Paul Schneider and Mackenzie Foy). For six years she was a programmer for the Sundance Film Festival and ran the Native Program at the Sundance Institute and recently joined the Sundance Board of Trustees.
Ping Pong Summer
Michael Tully made his directorial debut, Cocaine Angel, world premiered at the 2006 International Film Festival Rotterdam, Michael Tully (Director) was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. His follow-up, Silver Jew, world premiered at the 2007 South By Southwest Film Festival. In 2011, he wrote, directed, and acted in Septien, which world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was picked up for distribution by Sundance Selects. He’s currently in post-production on his newest feature, Ping Pong Summer, which he wrote and directed. Since 2008, he has been the head writer/editor of HammerToNail.com, a website devoted to championing ambitious cinema.
Producers: George Rush, Brooke Bernard, Ryan Zacarias, Michael Gottwald, Billy Peterson, Jeff Allard
Main Cast : Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Leah Thompson, Judah Friedlander, Amy Sedaris
Children
Director : Jaffe Zinn Producer : Jaffe Zinn and Sterling Hoch
Aside from the jury, the films were seen by members of Europa Distribution:
Alpha Violet - Keiko Funato & Virgine Devesa - France - Sales agent Bac Films - Crasset Véronique - France - Sales agent & Distributor Bankside - Alice Ramsey - UK Sales Agent Chrysalis - Camille Lopato - France – Distributor Content - Toby Melling - UK - Sales Agent Coproduction Office - Marina Perales & Philippe Bober - France - Sales Agent Distrib Films - François Scippa-Kohn - France - Distributor Equation - Didier Costet - France - Distributor Eurozoom - Manon Galibert - France - Distributor Film Republic Rashid Xavier UK sales agent Films Boutique - Jean-Christophe Simon - Germany - Sales Agent Hanway - Fabien Westerhoff - UK - Sales Agent Happiness - Isabelle Dubar - France - Distributor Heliotrope - Laurent Aléonard & Goldfain Philippe - France - Distributor Imagine - Bral Tinne - Benelux - Distributor Jour 2 Fête - Sarah Chazelle - France - Distributor K5 Intl - Oda Schäfer - Germany - Sales Agent Kmbo - Grégoire Marchal - France - Distributor Le Pacte - Nathalie Jeung - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Level K - Freja Johanne - Denmark - Sales agent Locarno Film Festival - Aurélie Godet - France - Festival Memento Film - Tanja Meissner & Ram Murali - France - Sales Agent & Distributor MK2 - Emmanuelle de Couesbouc / Juliette Shramek - France - Sales Agent Premium Films - Karwan Kasia - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Reel Suspects - Frederic Gentet - France - Sales Agent Rezo - Sebastien Chesneau - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Sacrebleu - Louise Bellicaud - France - Producer Soda Pictures - Eve Gabereau - UK - Distributor Sophie Dulac Distribution - Eric Vicente - France - Distributor The Works - Steve Bestwick - UK - Sales Agent Tribeca Film Festival - Frédéric Boyer - USA - Festival Trust Nordisk - Silje Glimsdal - Denmark - Sales Agent Urban - Claire Charles-Gervais - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Versatile - Violaine Pichon & Pape Boye - France - Sales Agent Wide Management - Loïc Magneron - France – Sales Agent Wild Bunch - Emmanuelle Fellous - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Zed - Martine Scoupe - France - Distributor...
The friendly openness of everyone at the festival made the event special. Sophie Dulac, the festival’s founder (and distributor, producer and exhibitor) whom I interviewed last year and again, almost as old friends again this year (see upcoming blog!), the publicist and programmer, Maxine Leonard, the staff, the Us in Progress organizers – Adeline Monzier (now also Us representative for Unifrance), Ula Śniegowska, Artistic Director of Wroclaw, Poland’s American Film Festival and Mobile New Horizons, my fellow jury members for USinP, and of course, the filmmakers themselves created a fun and inspiring event. What a great international film business we are in!
As I write this, the mailman just delivered a book, entitled Titra Film, A Cinematographic and Family Chronicle, sent to me by my fellow jury-member, Isabelle Frilley, who now, along with her children, owns and operates Titra, now called TitraTVS, the sub-titling company founded by her grandparents in 1933 shortly after talkies made subtitling de riguer . Very involved in the world of cinema, and inspired by her literary tastes, Isabelle has also helped develop multi-lingual subtitling for cinema, subtitling for the hearing impaired, and audio-description for the visually impaired. For many years, Isabelle Frilley has been a member of the juries of “Ciné en Construction” (for Latin-American cinema, in Toulouse), of “Cinéma en Mouvement” (for Mediterranean cinema, in San Sebastian), and of the Caméra d’Or in Cannes. She is only one of the illustrious jury among whom I was honored to count myself. Others included Julie Bergeron who runs Cannes Marche’s Producer Network among other things, Europa Distribution Eve Gabereau of Soda Pictures, a London-based indie distributor, Ciné Cinéma’s Bruno Deloye, Firefly’s Philippe Reinaudo, Commune Image’s Michael Werner, Eaux Vives Production’s Xénia Maingot, and Matthias Lavaux, the cofounder of touscoprod, the French crowdfunding website dedicated to movies, launched in January 2009.
1982 by Tommy Oliver
USinP’s winner, Tommy Oliver, whose previous film Kinyarwanda was a favorite of mine at Sundance a couple of years ago which Roger Ebert ranked 6 on his top ten films of 2011, is now in post on 1982 and won Us$60,000 worth of post production services.
Tommy’s directorial debut, 1982, starring Hill Harper, Sharon Leal, La La Anthony, Bokeem Woodbine, Wayne Brady and Ruby Dee, tells the story of a black father whose wife succumbs to a crack cocaine addiction and his efforts to shield their 10-year old daughter from the ill effects of having a drug addicted mother while trying to wean her off of her addiction. It's set in 1982 in Philadelphia at the very onset of the crack cocaine epidemic and ultimately, it's a story about a father doing whatever he can to protect his family. It's semi- autobiographical story and inspired by true events.
He also wrote and produced 1982 which also received a prestigious San Francisco Film Society Krf grant .
Tommy himself is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, a Microsoft alum and founder of Seattle-based interactive media firm Viliv Studios as well as La- based production company Confluential Films, which he started with actor/ author/ speaker Hill Harper.
I can confidently predict that this film will be seen on the festival circuit as it brings a humanity to the issue we’ve seen dozens of time – crack in communities – but never like this. We don’t see the ugly community violated by violence. We see a loving family coping with a personal and private disaster. Hill Harper plays a loving, compassionate good man. Comparisons will be made with Fruitvale Station, another African American “issue” film (police brutally killing an innocent family man) which will be released July 12 by The Weinstein Company. We need more such films to create a consistent pipeline for audiences who will pay to see these films. AFor his film 1982, he has devised a super-sophisticated, break-the-record domestic marketing plan. I am eager to watch the trajectory of this one.
The runner-up film, Bfe was supported with great gusto by its director and producer, Shawn Telford and producer, Mark Carr who brought a special energy to the entire event and were full of fun throughout. Shawn charmed his French hosts with his French. Watch for the film and with it, watch for Shawn!
I Believe In Unicorns is the feature debut of director Leah Meyerhoff. It was nominated for a Calvin Klein grant at the 2012 Gotham Independent Film Awards and stars Natalia Dyer, Peter Vack, Toni Meyerhoff, Julia Garner, Joshua Leonard and Amy Seimetz.
As noteworthy as the film is and as talented as Leah is, the producers themselves are also notable and prolific! Allison Anders, Katie Mustard and Heather Rae who also produced the Academy Award nominated film Frozen River, starring Melissa Leo, which won the 2008 Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, opened the New York Film Society’s New Directors/New Film series and was acquired by Sony PicturesClassics. She won the 2008 Independent Spirit Award for her production work on Frozen River. Heather also produced Mosquita Y Mari (Sundance 2012), Backroads (Sundance 2000), Trudell (2005 Sundance Film Festival), Ibid (2008 SXSW), The Dry Land (Sundance 2010), Magic Valley (Tribeca 2011), and is currently in post-production on Five Thirteen (with Tom Sizemore), Ass Backwards (with Alicia Silverstone and Vincent D’Onofrio) and Plastic Jesus (with Paul Schneider and Mackenzie Foy). For six years she was a programmer for the Sundance Film Festival and ran the Native Program at the Sundance Institute and recently joined the Sundance Board of Trustees.
Ping Pong Summer
Michael Tully made his directorial debut, Cocaine Angel, world premiered at the 2006 International Film Festival Rotterdam, Michael Tully (Director) was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. His follow-up, Silver Jew, world premiered at the 2007 South By Southwest Film Festival. In 2011, he wrote, directed, and acted in Septien, which world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was picked up for distribution by Sundance Selects. He’s currently in post-production on his newest feature, Ping Pong Summer, which he wrote and directed. Since 2008, he has been the head writer/editor of HammerToNail.com, a website devoted to championing ambitious cinema.
Producers: George Rush, Brooke Bernard, Ryan Zacarias, Michael Gottwald, Billy Peterson, Jeff Allard
Main Cast : Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Leah Thompson, Judah Friedlander, Amy Sedaris
Children
Director : Jaffe Zinn Producer : Jaffe Zinn and Sterling Hoch
Aside from the jury, the films were seen by members of Europa Distribution:
Alpha Violet - Keiko Funato & Virgine Devesa - France - Sales agent Bac Films - Crasset Véronique - France - Sales agent & Distributor Bankside - Alice Ramsey - UK Sales Agent Chrysalis - Camille Lopato - France – Distributor Content - Toby Melling - UK - Sales Agent Coproduction Office - Marina Perales & Philippe Bober - France - Sales Agent Distrib Films - François Scippa-Kohn - France - Distributor Equation - Didier Costet - France - Distributor Eurozoom - Manon Galibert - France - Distributor Film Republic Rashid Xavier UK sales agent Films Boutique - Jean-Christophe Simon - Germany - Sales Agent Hanway - Fabien Westerhoff - UK - Sales Agent Happiness - Isabelle Dubar - France - Distributor Heliotrope - Laurent Aléonard & Goldfain Philippe - France - Distributor Imagine - Bral Tinne - Benelux - Distributor Jour 2 Fête - Sarah Chazelle - France - Distributor K5 Intl - Oda Schäfer - Germany - Sales Agent Kmbo - Grégoire Marchal - France - Distributor Le Pacte - Nathalie Jeung - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Level K - Freja Johanne - Denmark - Sales agent Locarno Film Festival - Aurélie Godet - France - Festival Memento Film - Tanja Meissner & Ram Murali - France - Sales Agent & Distributor MK2 - Emmanuelle de Couesbouc / Juliette Shramek - France - Sales Agent Premium Films - Karwan Kasia - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Reel Suspects - Frederic Gentet - France - Sales Agent Rezo - Sebastien Chesneau - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Sacrebleu - Louise Bellicaud - France - Producer Soda Pictures - Eve Gabereau - UK - Distributor Sophie Dulac Distribution - Eric Vicente - France - Distributor The Works - Steve Bestwick - UK - Sales Agent Tribeca Film Festival - Frédéric Boyer - USA - Festival Trust Nordisk - Silje Glimsdal - Denmark - Sales Agent Urban - Claire Charles-Gervais - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Versatile - Violaine Pichon & Pape Boye - France - Sales Agent Wide Management - Loïc Magneron - France – Sales Agent Wild Bunch - Emmanuelle Fellous - France - Sales Agent & Distributor Zed - Martine Scoupe - France - Distributor...
- 7/12/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
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