028-036 Day 1 Market Buzz US and UK G.Indd

CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

As international buyers arrive on the Croisette clutching their shopping lists, Screen picks through some of the hottest titles, at various stages of production, available at the Marché BUZZ

NORTH AMERICAN SELLERS

By Jeremy Kay

FilmNation Entertainment arrives with Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot from Gus Van Sant, which stars Joaquin Phoenix as a man who turns to drawing Mobile Homes when he is paralysed in a car crash. Rooney Mara, Jonah Hill and Jack Black Mongrel International will tempt buy- round out the cast. ers with Directors’ Fortnight selection Voltage Pictures has I Feel Pretty with Mobile Homes. Imogen Poots plays a comedy star Amy Schumer as a career young mother drifting across the US woman who learns that beauty is only who finds a new lease of life in a mobile- The White Orchid skin-deep after she suffers a life-changing home community. Vladimir de Fontenay accident. Abby Kohn directs, and Nicolas directs and CAA holds US rights. Chartier and McG are among the produc- Visit Films title M.F.A. stars Francesca ers. Voltage and UTA represent US rights. Eastwood and Clifton Collins Jr in the Lionsgate International will talk up story of an art student who seeks sci-fiChaos Walking. Doug Liman directs revenge when a classmate sexually Daisy Ridley from Star Wars: The Force assaults her. Visit Films is also screening Awakens and Tom Holland, star of July The Maze for the first time. tentpole Spider-Man: Homecoming. The Seville International will introduce story takes place in a world without Skin starring Jamie Bell and Danielle women where all living things can hear Macdonald, the breakout star of each other’s thoughts. Sundance entry and Directors’ Fortnight IM Global is selling and fully financing closing filmPatti Cake$. ICM Partners the thriller Unabomb. Viggo Mortensen handles US sales on the story of a neo- will play the FBI agent who tracked down Nazi who turns his back on his past M.F.A. the notorious Unabomber who terrorised when he falls in love. Oren Moverman the US for more than two decades. Robert produces. Cohen’s graphic novel adaptation Razor among Battle of Britain fighter pilots. Jer- Lorenz will direct. Fortitude International arrives with as part of its new deal with Number 11. emy Irvine and Sam Neill also star, and Sierra/Affinity hits Cannes with The The Medusa starring Jesse Eisenberg as KMI will talk up Ambience Entertain- Roger Donaldson is in final talks to direct. Widow, an upcoming thriller from Neil painter Theodore Gericault, alongside ment’s Australian family drama Storm XYZ Films will show footage on the Jordan to star Isabelle Huppert and Chloe Pierce Brosnan and Vanessa Redgrave. Boy starring Geoffrey Rush and Jai Court- Croisette from thriller Arctic by Armory Grace Moretz. The film is about a young Peter Webber will direct. ney, while Film Sales Company has Bob Films and Union Editorial. Mads Mik- arriviste in New York, grieving the loss of Saboteur Media’s new sales venture, Shaye’s psychological thriller Ambition. kelsen, who is expected to attend, plays a her mother, who befriends a widow with led by Mark Lindsay, will introduce the FilmSharks arrives with Lino 3D, an man fighting for his life in the icy wastes. sinister intentions. SK Global produces. upcoming New York-based noir thriller animated feature from Fox International Joe Penna directs. Bloom Media arrives with Marie Colvin Cleaning House from director Nick Productions and Start Anima about a dis- Chekhov classic The Seagull is on the drama A Private War from Oscar-nomi- Quested, while Brian Sweet’s APL screens illusioned children’s party entertainer Hyde Park International slate. It stars nated documentarian Matthew Heine- the family drama On Wheels and holds who is turned into his own costume. Annette Bening and Saoirse Ronan in man. Rosamund Pike stars as the US war worldwide rights. Rafael Ribas directs. the tale of people in love with the wrong reporter who lost an eye during an assign- The Weinstein Company will show foot- Radiant Films International will be partner. CAA and WME Global handle ment and years later died in a rocket age from Untouchable, the Intouchables selling The Guinea Pig Club, in which North American rights. attack in Syria. Basil Iwanyk, Marissa remake with Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston Richard E Grant will play a pioneering Shoreline Entertainment has world- McMahon and Charlize Theron produce, and Nicole Kidman. Neil Burger directs. Second World War plastic surgeon from wide rights to The White Orchid, a crime with WME Global representing US rights. Lotus Entertainment will talk up Rob New Zealand who helped burns victims drama starring Olivia Thirlby as a social »

28 Screen International at Cannes May 17, 2017 www.screendaily.com CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

services investigator who becomes Mesquida, Roger Guenveur Smith, Rich- involved in the hunt for a murderer. John ard Edson, Julie Delpy and newcomer Carroll Lynch and Jennifer Beals star, Matthew Dennis Lewis star. and Bogart Estate managers Robbert de Premiere Entertainment Group will Klerk and Stephen Bogart served as talk up sci-fi Incoming from Benattar/ executive producers for Santana Films. Thomas Productions. XLrator Media The Highland Film Group slate holds US rights to the story of terrorists includes Miscellaneous Entertainment’s who take over a prison orbiting Earth war fi lmGhosts Of War starring Brenton and threaten to attack Russia. Scott Thwaites. Eric Bress wrote and directs the Adkins stars. fi lm about US soldiers who battle a super- Electric Entertainment has Bad natural force when they capture a French Samaritan, directed by company founder chateau formerly occupied by Nazis. Dean Devlin, about burglars who fi nd a Foresight Unlimited will talk up politi- woman held captive in a home they cal thriller The Last Full Measure, which Lucky intend to rob. David Tennant and Robert features an all-star cast of Samuel L Jack- Sheehan star. son, Sebastian Stan, Christopher Plum- Film Mode will be talking up Knights mer, William Hurt, Ed Harris and Peter Of The Damned, in which the king’s Fonda. ICM Partners holds US rights. knights must overcome supernatural Good Universe arrives with Oscar challenges including a dragon and an winner Viola Davis in drama The Per- army of the undead. sonal History Of Rachel Dupree. CAA rep- Octane Entertainment offers Mayhem, resents North American rights with the SXSW selection starring Steven Yeun Davis’s JuVee Productions. from The Walking Dead as an attorney Epic Pictures is selling The Man Who trapped in a building where a virus has Killed Hitler And Then The Bigfoot, about broken out. Paradigm handles North a war hero summoned to hunt down a American rights. plague-carrying beast in the Canadian Conquistador Entertainment will talk wilderness. Sam Elliott will star for up Wonders Of The Sea 3D, a documen- writer-director Robert D Krzykowski, tary directed by Jean-Michel Cousteau who will produce with Lucky McKee, and Jean-Jacques Mantello, and narrated Patrick Ewald and Shaked Berenson. Rendel by Arnold Schwarzenegger. John Sayles serves as executive producer Oceanside Media and Route One and principal photography is set for Entertainment represent The Claim, the August on the east coast. thriller based on a screenplay by recent Robert Patrick stars in thriller Last best director Oscar winner Damien Cha- Rampage from The Little Film Company. zelle. Motion Picture Capital is fi nancing Patrick plays real-life Gary Tison, who the project about a single father who embarks on a killing spree when his must fi nd his kidnapped daughter while three sons break him out of an Arizona fighting the claims of another couple prison. Heather Graham also stars. Epic who insist the child is their own. Releasing holds US rights. Film Bridge International will be in Cinema Management Group and Rich- town with Spinning Man, starring Pierce ard Guardian are teaming up to sell the Brosnan, Guy Pearce and Minnie Driver. world on The BBQ, an Australian comedy Simon Kaijser directs the thriller about a about a suburban man who enlists the married professor whose seemingly idyl- help of a tyrannical Scottish chef when he lic life is shattered when he becomes the is invited to compete in an international Access All Areas suspect in a missing-person case. contest. Revolution Partners recently MPI Media Group has Bitch, which wrapped production in Australia. Dean Stanton as a 90-year-old atheist on Spawn. It follows a vigilante who targets screened in the Midnight strand at Content Media will talk up sci-fi 2067 , a spiritual journey. John Carroll Lynch a criminal organisation. Sundance. The fi lm centres on a down- which takes place on an Earth ravaged makes his feature directorial debut on Cohen Media Group has out-of-com- trodden wife and mother who trans- by climate change as mankind looks to the SWSW selection. Magnolia Pictures petition documentary Visages, Villages forms herself into a vicious dog. Jason the future to solve the problems of the will open theatrically in the US this year. from Agnes Varda and the muralist and Ritter and writer-director Marianna present. Production is set for later this The Exchange will launch worldwide photographer JR, which chronicles their Palka star. Dark Sky Films will distribute year in Australia. Seth Larney will direct pre-sales on graphic-novel adaptation blossoming friendship on a road trip. in the US. It screens in the market. the project for Arcadia, Buffalo Gal Pic- Brodie’s Law, in which a man framed for Arclight brings the Killer Films drama AMBI Distribution arrives with Bent, tures and Kojo Entertainment. the theft of a top-secret experiment uses First Reformed, which stars Ethan Hawke a revenge thriller from Bobby Moresco Concourse Media holds world sales his new abilities to rescue his kidnapped as a grieving father who uncovers secrets that stars Karl Urban as a narcotics rights to The Parting Glass, Stephen son and fi nd the criminals who double- in his local church. Amanda Seyfried and detective who gets out of prison and goes Moyer’s feature directorial debut starring crossed him. John Pogue will direct. Cedric The Entertainer also star, and Paul after the people who framed him. Sofi a his True Blood co-star (and wife) Anna Red Sea Media has Trafficked, about Schrader directs from his screenplay. Vergara and Andy Garcia also star. Paquin. The story of a family who try to three enslaved women who attempt to Bleiberg Entertainment produces and Spotlight Pictures will tout rom-com piece together their lives after a tragedy escape a Texas brothel. Ashley Judd, handles international sales on Burning Access All Areas, set to receive its festival also stars Melissa Leo, Ed Asner, Cynthia Anne Archer and Patrick Duffy star. Shadow, a sci-fi noir with echoes of David premiere at Edinburgh next month. Ella Nixon, Denis O’Hare and Rhys Ifans. Raven Banner is in the market with Lynch that has just wrapped. It centres Purnell and Georgie Henley star as teen- Magnolia International arrives with Rendel, a Scandinavian superhero fea- on a loner who meets his double in the agers on a pilgrimage to see a legendary the comedy drama Lucky starring Harry ture in the style of The Punisher and form of a blind homeless man. Roxane artist perform at an outdoor festival. »

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UNITED KINGDOM SELLERS

By Andreas Wiseman

Bankside Films will begin sales on the untitled Reed Morano project, formerly called First Chair. Jeff Bridges and Diane Lane will star in the drama, written by Stuart Blumberg (The Kids Are All Right), about a virtuoso violinist (Bridges) who is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Embankment Films will launch sales on Second World War drama Summer- land, the directorial debut of Olivier Award-winning playwright Jessica Swale. Gemma Arterton will star as a woman who connects with a refugee boy in her care. Guy Heeley of Locke producer Shoe- box Films is producing. Embankment co- reps the US with The Gersh Agency. Rememory David Garrett’s Mister Smith Enter- tainment will be on the Croisette with are Damon Cardasis and Rebecca Miller Jim Sheridan prison-break drama from Round Films (Maggie’s Plan), and H Block, set to star Cillian Murphy, Jamie Mandy Tagger-Brockey and Adi Ezroni Dornan and Pierce Brosnan. Currently in from Spring Pictures (A Late Quartet). pre-production, the feature, which Dylan For Metro International, Emile Hirsch Sellers (Southpaw) and Brad Feinstein is due to take the lead role in frontier (Fences) are producing, recounts one of western Never Grow Old. Hirsch will star the UK’s biggest ever prison breakouts. as an undertaker who finds his business HanWay Films will be tempting buyers booming when outlaws take over his with Nigerian-British writer Adewale frontier town. Irish filmmaker Ivan Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s feature directorial Kavanagh (The Canal) directs from a debut, based on his upbringing in a white script he co-wrote with regular collabo- working-class foster family in 1980s Brit- rator Colin Downey. ain. Farming will star Damson Idris, Kate Goldcrest Films has revealed that Beckinsale and Gugu Mbatha-Raw with Hugh Bonneville of Downton Abbey fame production set to get underway in August. is to star as beloved children’s author Protagonist Pictures will launch Saturday Church Roald Dahl in an untitled biopic about Directors’ Fortnight title The Rider, writ- Dahl and his wife, Oscar-winning actress ten and directed by Chloé Zhao. After suf- Patricia Neal. The story moves between fering a near-fatal head injury, a young New York, England and Los Angeles in cowboy undertakes a search for identity the early 1960s. and what it means to be a man in the Film Constellation has boarded sales heartland of the US. Protagonist is co- on doc-biopic Take Every Wave, about representing domestic rights with WME. surfing icon Laird Hamilton. Directed by Rocket Science will continue sales on Rory Kennedy (Last Days In Vietnam), Bubbles, the story of Michael Jackson’s the film examines the life of the big-wave celebrity pet chimpanzee. The stop- pioneer, and the passion and fear that motion film fromHunt For The Wilder- drives his exploits. people director Taika Waititi and Fantastic Great Point Media’s Cannes slate Mr Fox animation director Mark Gustaf- includes Rememory, in which Peter Din- son is handled by CAA in the US. klage plays a model-maker turned inves- Cornerstone Films is handling Henry- tigator, while the late Anton Yelchin Alex Rubin’s crime thriller Semper Fi, set plays the emotionally unstable prime to star Sam Claflin as a straight-laced cop suspect in a crime. The film is written who must break his brother out of jail. and directed by Mark Palansky, and pro- Producers are David Lancaster (Whip- Take Every Wave duced by Daniel Bekerman and Lee Clay. lash) and Karina Miller (To The Bone). SC Films International will be talking Production is due to begin this summer; friend, played by Matthew Shear, lives in Mamie Gummer and Teyonah Parris are to buyers about Around The World In 80 Cornerstone co-reps US with CAA. the apartment below. also attached. Production is due to begin Days, an animated feature loosely based Altitude Film Sales will begin sales on Independent Film Company will in the US this autumn. on Jules Verne’s classic novel. The pro- Tribeca title The Boy Downstairs, starring launch the new film fromDreams Of A WestEnd Films will be touting Tribeca duction will be a 3D underwater adven- Girls actress Zosia Mamet as a woman Life director Carol Morley. Out Of Blue musical Saturday Church, about a teen- ture based on the characters from SC who moves into a seemingly perfect will star Patricia Clarkson as homicide ager from the Bronx struggling with Films’ previous productions The Reef: apartment only to discover her ex-boy- detective Mike Hoolihan. Toby Jones, gender identity and religion. Producers Shark Bait and The Reef 2: High Tide. »

34 Screen International at Cannes May 17, 2017 www.screendaily.com CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

award, Christensen’s debut follows a mother who spirals into madness after losing one of her twins during childbirth. Dogwoof will be hitting the Croisette with doc-biopic Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, an exploration of the iconic Hollywood actress and secret inventor who was also infamous for her marriages and affairs with fi gures such as Spencer Tracy and John F Kennedy. Parkland Pictures will be selling Ste- ven Berkoff ’s fi lm adaptation of his thea- tre production Tell Tale Heart. Based on a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, the gothic tale is about a lonely servant who plots to kill an old man because of his evil ‘vulture’ eye. Devilworks will be touting Australian comedy horror Red Christmas, about a mother (Dee Wallace) who tries to protect her family from a vengeful Damien Hirst: Treasures From The Wreck Of The Unbelievable intruder in the Australian outback. Evolutionary Films’ slate includes AMP International will be shopping completed feature Let Me Go, a female- world rights to Ana, which will star driven drama about the generational Dafne Keen (Logan) alongside Luis Guz- impact of a terrible family secret. The man in the story of an unlikely duo who cast includes Juliet Stevenson, Lucy set off on a fraught journey across Puerto Boynton and Jodhi May, and the fi lm fea- Rico. The fi lm is due to shoot on the Car- tures the first original film score from ibbean island this summer. Radiohead’s Philip Selway. Kaleidoscope Film Distribution 7&7 Producers Sales Service will be in (KFD) has nabbed international rights to Cannes with Irish romantic drama Twice Tribeca premiere Psychopaths. The hor- Shy, about a young couple who travel to ror feature from writer-director Mickey England for an abortion (the procedure Keating (Carnage Park) is set over a sin- is illegal in Ireland). The film, which gle blood-soaked night when the paths of played at last year’s Galway festival, fea- multiple serial killers cross. CAA will tures a soundtrack including The Corrs, handle rights in North America. Gavin James and Ash. Goalpost Film will be introducing fea- Reason8 will be in Cannes with the ture-length documentary Michael X, international market premiere of about the life of the UK civil-rights activ- Another Mother’s Son, based on the true ist who was executed in Trinidad & Psychopaths story of a woman who took in an Tobago in 1975. Dog & Duck Films, escaped Russian PoW and hid him dur- which worked on Amy and Senna, is the tures the young man she believes mur- Timeless Films will come to market ing the Second World War. Bill Ken- archive producer. dered her son. with a promo and fi rst footage ofJim But- wright produces. The company also has GFM Films will have early footage of The Works International will be at the ton And Luke The Engine Driver, based on rights outside the UK and North Amer- action thriller All The Devil’s Men, star- market with Trudie Styler’s Berlin title the novel of the same name by Michael ica for thriller The Ghoul. ring Milo Gibson, William Fichtner, Syl- Freak Show, starring Alex Lawther, Abi- Ende (The NeverEnding Story). The live- Met Film launches its sales arm with a via Hoeks and Gbenga Akinnagbe. gail Breslin, AnnaSophia Robb, Laverne action fantasy film will be released slate of documentaries including Last Shooting on the film, about a battle- Cox and Bette Midler. The fi lm follows through Warner Bros Germany in 2018. Breath, backed by BBC Scotland, about a scarred ‘War on Terror’ bounty hunter, the story of teenager Billy Bloom who, Truffl e Pictures will be talking to buy- commercial diver stranded on the seabed took place in locations throughout Lon- despite attending an ultra-conservative ers about UK feature documentary Ten with five minutes of oxygen and no don before moving to Marrakech. high school, makes the decision to run Count. The Redeeming Features film, chance of rescue. Celsius Entertainment will be in for homecoming queen. currently in post-production and show- Sharp Teeth Films will be selling doc- Cannes with action drama Forgotten Carnaby International will launch ing on promo, charts the story of a for- umentaries and genre features including War, about a man who led a covert mis- Pugwash, a live-action family adventure mer athlete’s painful breakdown and his Portuguese horror The Forest Of The Lost sion under US president Harry S Truman film about the flawed pirate who comeback as a boxer. Souls, a coming-of-age indie drama and at the height of the Korean War. The mis- teams up with an ultra-smart Jinga Films will be shopping inter- slasher movie set in the 1970s. It has so sion was so secretive that the only evi- cabin boy and a clumsy crew. The national rights to Brandon Chris- far sold to the US, Canada, Japan, Ger- dence is from a small band of men who fi lm is from writer-director John tensen’s supernatural horror Still/ many, Sweden and Portugal. do not even know each other’s names. Hay (Stig Of The Dump) Born, with ICM Partners repre- Park Circus will have a market screen- Moviehouse is handling Harry Brown and producers Atticus senting North America. ing of documentary Damien Hirst: writer Gary Young’s directorial debut Pictures and Winner of Overlook Treasures From The Wreck Of The Two Graves, starring I, Daniel Blake’s Elliot Jen- Film Festival’s Unbelievable, about the avant-garde UK Dave Johns, Cathy Tyson (Mona Lisa), kins. scariest film artist and his latest major work, which David Hayman (Taboo) and Katie Jarvis depicts an ancient shipwreck and (Fish Tank). The plot is about a doctor of (Left) All The its excavation. The show is currently pathology (Tyson) who captures and tor- Devil’s Men exhibiting in Venice. »

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Alma Cinema will show a first promo FRENCH SELLERS for Guillaume Nicloux’s Indochina War- set drama To The Ends Of The Earth star- ring Gérard Depardieu and Gaspard Ulliel, English-language thriller A Blue- By Melanie Goodfellow bird In My Heart and cultural identity drama The Charmer. SBS Distribution launches Paul Verho- Doc & Film International is flying in even’s Blessed Virgin (Sainte Vierge), star- documentarian Nicolas Philibert to pre- ring Virginie Efira, an adaptation of sent his next project and will market pre- academic work Immodest Acts: The Life Of miere Gael Morel’s topical drama Catch A Lesbian Nun In Renaissance Italy. Other The Wind, starring Sandrine Bonnaire as new titles include Kleber Mendonca Fil- a woman who follows her delocalised fac- ho’s sci-fi western Bacurau and Nadav tory job to Morocco. It is also handling Lapid’s long-gestating Micro Robert. The Amos Gitai’s West Of The Jordan, which company is also selling Philippe Garrel’s premieres in Directors’ Fortnight. Directors’ Fortnight title Lover For A Day. Marvin Studiocanal will kick off sales on Nima Celluloid Dreams kicks off sales on Nourizadeh’s The Tracking Of A Russian Sébastien Marnier’s high-school set Spy as well as Gilles Lellouche’s Sink Or thriller School’s Out starring Laurent Swim (Le Grand Bain), which is about a Lafitte. It marks the director’s second fea- group of 40-year-old men who take up ture after Irréprochable. Cannes titles synchronised swimming. comprise André Téchiné’s out of compe- Upcoming films on the Pyramide tition screener Golden Years, as well as International slate include Annemarie Tehran Taboo and Familia, which both Jacir’s Nazareth-set father-son reconcilia- debut in Critics’ Week, and The Interpreter tion tale Wajib and Marie Garel Weiss’s starring Peter Simonischek. The Party Is Over, about two former Memento Films International begins addicts trying to stay clean. The compa- pre-sales on The Wild Pear Tree, the new ny’s Cannes titles include Plot 35, After feature from Palme d’Or winner Nuri The War, A Violent Life, Bloody Milk and Bilge Ceylan. It is also handling Direc- The Prince Of Nothingwood. tors’ Fortnight title The Nothing Factory Fresh additions to the WTFilms slate and Palme d’Or contender Good Time. include Mélanie Laurent’s Diving, which Le Pacte is at the market with Cathe- The Prayer charts the unravelling of a passionate rine Corsini’s An Impossible Love, a tale of relationship between a former war pho- unrequited love spanning 50 years, star- tographer and the mother of his child, a ring Virginie Efira and Niels Schneider; free-spirited woman who abandons Agnes Jaoui’s ensemble drama Place Pub- them, and Jared Moshe’s 35mm coming- lique, which revolves around a television of-age western The Ballad Of Lefty Brown. presenter whose career is on the wane; Elle Driver launches sales on street- and Cédric Kahn’s The Prayer, about a art documentary The Man Who Stole drug addict who joins an isolated com- Banksy and Eva Husson’s female Kurd- munity in the mountains. ish fighters taleGirls Of The Sun starring Wild Bunch kicks off sales on UK Golshifteh Farahani and Julie Delpy. It is director Brian Welsh’s ’90s rave movie also handling Atsuko Hirayanagi’s off- Beats, Chinese director Bi Gan’s detective beat comedy Oh Lucy!, starring Shinobu drama Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Terajima opposite Josh Hartnett, which starring Tang Wei, and thriller The Third premieres in Critics’ Week. Murder, which it is co-selling with Gaga. New titles on the Films Distribution Festival titles comprise opening film slate include Sou Abadi’s romance-with- Ismael’s Ghosts and Competition titles Big Bang a-timely-twist Some Like It Veiled and Rodin, Redoubtable, A Gentle Creature black comedy 68 Kill. Cannes films com- and Loveless, as well as Before We Vanish cast features Isabelle Huppert, Vincent tender Radiance as well as Un Certain prise Competition titles L’Amant Double in Un Certain Regard and Special Macaigne and Grégory Gadebois. Regard titles Until The Birds Return and and Aids-activist drama BPM (Beats Per Screening 12 Days. SND Films unveils Philippe Le Guay’s April’s Daughter, the latter jointly with Minute) as well as Laurent Cantet’s Un Gaumont will market premiere Guil- comedy Normandie Nue, starring Fran- Protagonist Pictures. Certain Regard entry The Workshop and laume Gallienne’s Maryline (working title cois Cluzet as the mayor of a village in New titles on the Bac Films slate Claire Denis’ Directors’ Fortnight opener Bright Weakness) about a fragile but tal- Normandy chosen by a famous photog- include Sebastiano Riso’s drama Una Let The Sunshine In. ented women. It is also selling Un Certain rapher (Toby Jones) for a naked shoot, Famiglia, starring Micaela Ramazzotti Other Angle will launch pre-sales on Regard opening filmBarbara . and Cécilia Rouaud’s Big Bang starring and Patrick Bruel. It is Riso’s second film, Budapest, a comedy revolving around the France TV Distribution launches Xabi Vanessa Paradis, Camille Cottin and after 2014 Critics’ Week hit Darker Than true story of a company specialising in Molia’s Kings For A Day, starring Kad Pierre Deladonchamps as three discon- Midnight. The company will also be sell- stag-night mini-breaks. Genre specialist Merad as a failed con-man opposite nected siblings thrown together in the ing Critics’ Week title Ava. Xavier Gens directs from a screenplay by Kacey Mottet Klein and Sylvie Testud. family’s holiday home one last time. Cercamon is handling sales of Slovak Manu Payet, who also co-stars. TF1 Studio will unveil Anne Fontaine’s MK2 launches sales on Corneliu filmmaker Gyorgy Kristof ’s Un Certain Indie Sales will kick off sales on Reinventing Marvin, starring Finnegan Porumboiu’s new project Gomera and Regard selection Out, about a man in his Sophie Fillieres’ high-concept comedy Oldfield as a young man reconstructing Mikhael Hers’ Amanda. It is also han- 50s who sets off across Eastern Europe in When Margaux Meets Margaux starring himself through drama. The ensemble dling Naomi Kawase’s Palme d’Or con- search of work. this year’s Caméra d’Or jury president »

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Sola (Fausto 5.0) about an 88-year-old tailor from Buenos Aires who travels to Poland in search of the man who saved him from certain death in Auschwitz. The sales outfi t is also selling Mist & The Maiden, a crime thriller set against the volcanic landscape of the Canary Islands, starring Veronica Echegui, Happy End Quim Gutierrez and Roberto Alamo. The fi lm is the debut feature by Andres Sandrine Kiberlain as a woman who Koppel. The Madrid-based company meets her younger self. The company will also be showing footage from Mem- will also market premiere Russian direc- ories From The Cell by Uruguayan direc- tor Klim Shipenko’s Soviet space drama tor Alvaro Brechner, which is based on Salyut 7. Coby the true story of a secret military opera- Alfama Films kicks off sales on The tion in 1970s Uruguay. Black Book, about the adventures of a Film Factory Entertainment is selling young orphan and his Italian nanny, the Un Certain Regard entry The Summit latest collaboration between Valeria from Santiago Mitre, whose Paulina Sarmiento and Carlos Saboga. won the Fipresci prize in 2015. The sus- Upcoming films for Luxbox include pense thriller is set in the environs of a The Eternal Feminine, which captures the Latin American political summit where life of Mexican poetess and intellectual the Argentinian president, played by Rosario Castellanos. It is also handling a Ricardo Darin, ends up facing political quartet of festival titles: Bruno Dumont’s and personal turmoil. Film Factory is musical drama Jeannette: The Childhood also showcasing Sarah’s Notebook, about Of Joan Of Arc, They, A Ciambra and Frost. the adventures of a woman, played by Kinology kicks off pre-sales on Yann The Orphanage star Belen Rueda, who Gonzalez’s Knife + Heart, which revolves travels to the heart of the Congo to look around a 1970s producer of gay porn. It is for her missing sister. Norberto Lopez his second film after orgy comedy You Amado is directing. Also on Film Facto- And The Night, which played in Critics’ When Margaux Meets Margaux ry’s slate is Carlos Vermut’s After Magi- Week in 2013. The company is also han- cal Girl, a melodrama about a troubled, dling UK director Rungano Nyoni’s once-famous singer (Sex And Lucia’s Directors’ Fortnight entry I Am Not A Najwa Nimri), which is now in post- Witch, which sparked a mini-bidding war production. The company also has the after it was presented at Les Arcs Paris new fi lm from Paco Plaza ofREC fran- Coproduction Village last December. chise fame: Veronica stars Ana Torrent Upcoming titles for Urban Distribu- (Thesis) and Leticia Dolera (REC 3), and tion International include Indian film- is based on a true story of a Ouija game maker Kanwal Sethi’s romance Once gone wrong. Again, which took the top prize at Film Filmax International has new footage Bazaar last year, and UK director Louis of Jaume Balaguero’s Muse to show buy- Lagayette’s thriller Trendy. It is also han- ers here. The English-language super- dling family animation Zombillenium, natural thriller, about a troubled literature which premieres as a Special Screening. professor, stars Elliot Cowan, Franka The Alpha Violet slate includes Chris- Potente and Joanne Whalley. Filmax is tian Sonderegger’s Midwest US-set docu- Jeannette: The Childhood Of Joan Of Arc also showing the fi rst teaser forErremen- mentary Coby, which is about the impact tari: The Blacksmith And The Devil, a hor- of a young woman’s sex change on End, Barbet Schroeder’s The Venerable W, ror fantasy that marks the directorial friends and family. The fi lm is premiering Emmanuel Gras’ Critics’ Week screener SPANISH SELLERS debut of Paul Urkijo. Alex de la Iglesia is a in the Acid sidebar. Makala and Tony Gatlif ’s Djam, which co-producer on the project. In post-pro- Jour2Fete will introduce the market to will premiere as a beach screening. duction is Antonio Cuadri’s comedy Oper- Guilhem Amesland’s romantic comedy Upcoming productions on the ation Golden Shell, starring Jordi Molla Superlovers, and is also selling Tunisian EuropaCorp slate include Norwe- By Elisabet Cabeza and Karra Elejalde, and set in and around director Kaouther Ben Hania’s rape gian director Pal Oie’s New York-set San Sebastian Film Festival. » drama Beauty And The Dogs, which pre- thriller Underground starring Peter Latido Films is in town with Pablo mieres in Un Certain Regard. Franzen, Carly Chaikin and Ben Solarz’s The Last Suit, a Spain- New titles for The Bureau Sales include Kingsley. Argentina co-production Fabienne Godet’s gritty drama Our Won- Titles on the Wide Management starring Angela Molina derful Lives, about a recovering addict slate include Romanian director Con- (Blancanieves) and who rebuilds her life, and So Help Me God, stantin Popescu’s drama Pororoca, about Miguel Angel the latest work from fl y-on-the-wall docu- a contented man whose family life is mentary makers Jean Libon and Yves shattered by the disappearance of his Hinant, which tackles the legal system. wife, and Finnish fi lmmaker Teemu Nik- Les Films du Losange comes to Cannes ki’s Euthanizer, which explores human with a quartet of festival titles: Michael nature through the tale of a man whose (Right) Operation Haneke’s Palme d’Or contender Happy second job is to put down sick pets. Golden Shell

40 Screen International at Cannes May 17, 2017 www.screendaily.com CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

ITALIAN SELLERS GERMAN SELLERS

By Gabriele Niola By Geoffrey Macnab

True Colours’ market slate includes Ser- The Match Factory will be a major pres- gio Castellitto’s Fortunata, which is in Un ence in the market, with seven titles in Certain Regard. Produced by Indigo, the offi cial selection. The company has Fatih film is an emotional tale of a strong Akin’s In The Fade and Kornel Mundruc- woman (Jasmine Trinca) struggling in zo’s Jupiter’s Moon in Competition; the suburbs against the odds — and her Mohammad Rasoulof ’s A Man Of Integ- ex-husband — to fulfi l her dreams. The rity in Un Certain Regard; and Abel Fer- company, led by Catia Rossi, will also rara’s Alive In France, Leonardo Di start sales on body-swap fantasy comedy Costanzo’s The Intruder and Roberto De Wife & Husband and It’s The Law, a com- Holding Hands Paolis’ Pure Hearts in Directors’ Fortnight. edy hit at the Italian box offi ce this year The Match Factory also represents Fabio about what happens when a small Sicil- Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza’s Sicilian ian town elects an honest mayor. Ghost Story, which opens Critics’ Week. Rai Com will be selling Matteo Gar- Beta Cinema will bring Claus Rafle’s rone’s new project Dogman, a thriller set drama-documentary The Invisibles, based in the 1980s and inspired by one of Italy’s on the true story of four young Jews who most gruesome homicides. The company survive the Third Reich in the middle of is kickstarting sales on Holding Hands Berlin. It stars Maximilian Mauff (Bridge (La Tenerezza), a drama from Gianni Of Spies), Alice Dwyer and Ruby O Fee. Amelio starring Micaela Ramazzotti (Like Also on Beta’s slate is Felix Randau’s Neo- Crazy) and Elio Germano (Our Life), and lithic epic Iceman, starring Juergen Vogel comedy It’s All About Karma, also star- and Andre M Hennicke, and Text For You, ring Germano, about a small-time crook. a dramedy from Karoline Herfurth about Intramovies will handle Israel-Austria a woman sending texts to her late fi ancé. co-production The Testament, about a And there is likely to be strong buyer Holocaust expert who discovers by acci- interest in Werk Ohne Autor, the latest fea- dent that his mother may not have been Funne: Sea Dreaming Girls ture from Florian Henckel von Donners- who he thought she was. The Italian out- marck (The Lives Of Others). Shot by Caleb fit is also selling Funne: Sea Dreaming Deschanel, the thriller stars Tom Schil- Girls, a documentary about a group of ling, Paula Beer and Sebastian Koch. elderly women who set up a Kickstarter Sola Media has picked up worldwide campaign to fi nance their fi rst ever trip to rights for CGI animated feature Anchors the sea, and Ignorance Is Bliss, a comedy Up: Boat To The Rescue. It is directed by about modern life and technology featur- Simen Alsvik and William John Ashurst. ing Alessandro Gassman (Quiet Chaos) Global Screen will bring a slate of new and Marco Giallini (Perfect Strangers). titles including Julian Schnabel: A Private Fandango is bringing to market Back Portrait, a documentary about the artist Home, the new fi lm from comedian Anto- and fi lmmaker. The company is also pre- nio Albanese (Days And Clouds), as well senting 3D animated feature Marnie’s as kicking off sales on A Life Beyond World, and will market premiere Halal Earth, Elisa Fuksas’s documentary about For Beginners from writer/director Conor extraterrestrial experiences, and Made In McDermottroe, a comedy set in Ireland’s Italy, a new film from music artist fi rst Halal meat factory. Luciano Ligabue featuring Stefano Halal For Beginners ARRI Media International is present- Accorsi, which is now in pre-production. ing animated feature Ploey — You Never Minerva Pictures heads to Cannes with Fly Alone. The company will hold a pri- a pair of comedies. Welcome To Gomor- vate screening to show nine minutes of rahland spoofs the neo-crime genre, footage of the co-production between while Life, Heart, Beat is a slapstick about animation studios GunHil in Iceland an ignorant Neopolitan couple and Cyborn in Belgium. ARRI is plan- who fi nd themselves mixing ning a market premiere at AFM later with the upper classes. this year. The company is also introduc- FlexyMovies will be ing buyers to drama Directions by Ste- selling The Gospel phan Komandarev, which screens in Un According To Mattei, a Certain Regard. comedy about a fi lm M-Appeal is handling Directors’ Fort- director attempting a night title The Dragon Defense from Pasolini remake. young Colombian filmmaker Natalia Santa. It will also kick off sales in earnest (Left) on SXSW title Easy Living from director Fortunata The Intruder Adam Keleman. »

www.screendaily.com CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

The Hungarian National Film Fund NORDIC SELLERS has high hopes for adventure Kincsem, the country’s highest-grossing local film of the past 10 years. It tells the story of the titular thoroughbred race horse who won By Wendy Mitchell every race she ran from 1876-79. Belgian outfi tBe For Films’ new titles TrustNordisk has boarded hot Danish include surrogate mum drama Diane Has debut The Guilty, which had a buzzy pres- The Right Shape and Swiss drama Blue entation at Goteborg’s Work In Progress My Mind from Lisa Brühlmann. sessions. The real-time, contained thriller Dutch Features Global Entertain- is about an alarm dispatcher (Jakob Ced- ment’s Cannes slate includes the compa- ergren) racing against time to save a kid- ny’s fi rst English-language production, napped woman. The film is the first Sunset Contract, billed as a modern folk- feature to emerge from Nordisk’s new tal- Rabbit tale about a CEO who is confronted by ent arm SPRING. TrustNordisk will host the devil. The company also has Dutch market screenings of Peter Schnau Fog’s comedy Ron Goossens, Low-Budget Stunt- You Disappear, starring Trine Dyrholm, man and contemporary drama The Swell, Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Michael Nyqvist; which explores what happens when the Danish thriller Darkland directed by national flood defences of the Nether- Fenar Ahmad; and Petra Volpe’s Swiss lands and Belgium start to collapse. comedy drama The Divine Order, which New Europe Film Sales’ Scaffolding by won the audience award at Tribeca. Matan Yair has been chosen for the festi- TrustNordisk is handling Lars von Tri- val’s Acid section. The company will also ers’s now-shooting serial-killer story The be introducing Israeli comedy Holy Air House That Jack Built, starring Matt Dil- from Shady Srour to the market. lon, Bruno Ganz and Uma Thurman, as Australian outfi tOdin’s Eye is begin- well as Icelandic horror thriller I Remem- ning sales on high-concept sci-fi movie ber You; Norwegian war drama The 12th Quanta. Directed by Nathan Dalton, and Man directed by Harald Zwart; and Nor- Bobbi Jene produced by Jesse O’Brien and Christian wegian fantasy epic The Ash Lad: In The D’Alessio of Raygun with Ben Whimpey Hall Of The Mountain King. The com- of Indimax Productions, it is the story of a pany is also selling Pernille Fischer Chris- middle-aged physicist who reluctantly tensen’s Becoming Astrid, now shooting. takes on a younger man with Asperger’s LevelK brings to market Luke Shana- syndrome for a research project. han’s Australian thriller Rabbit, which is The Russians will be out in force at now in post, and is also introducing the market. Central Partnership will be Mehdi Avaz and Milad Avaz’s Danish presenting 13th-century action epic drama While We Live, about four people Furious, basketball drama Three Seconds, in northern Denmark whose lives inter- which tells the story of how the Soviet sect in a tragic accident. The company is team beat the supposedly invincible US also selling Christian Tafdrup’s A Horri- at the Munich Olympics of 1972, ballet ble Woman, currently in post. Anders Juul drama The Bolshoi and fantasy adven- and Amanda Collin star in the story of a ture Frontier. crumbling relationship, told from the Planeta Inform is going to present new man’s perspective. Also new is Danish Scaffolding materials from The Coma by Russian animation The Incredible Story Of The VFX specialist Nikita Argunov; action Giant Pear directed by Philip Einstein Danish thriller Robin, directed by Antonio fantasy The Scythian, produced by Sergey Lipski, Jorgen Lerdam and Amalie Tublen. The sales company is also show- REST OF THE WORLD Selyanov; and historical blockbuster Naesby Fick, which is also in post. ing a promo of Tony Simpson’s New Zea- SELLERS Prince Oleg, co-produced by Vladimir Kil- SF Studios’ slate includes Janus Metz’s land family film Kiwi Christmas, which burg and Dmitry Litvinov. hotly anticipated Borg/McEnroe, which is stars Finland’s Kari Vaananen as Santa. It Russian outfit Indie Vision (part of due for delivery in August and stars Sver- will be delivered this autumn, and Mad- By Geoffrey Macnab World Vision) is bringing some upscale rir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf and Stellan man will release in Australia and New projects to Cannes, among them four Skarsgard. SF also has two animated Zealand in November. Austrian doc specialist Autlook Filmsales stage productions in HD, based on projects: Sweden’s Bamse And The Eyewell’s slate includes Elmo is representing an eclectic mix of fi lms, famous Russian literature, from the Witch’s Daughter and Norway’s In Nuganen’s Estonian drama 1944; among them Vanessa Redgrave’s directo- country’s most renowned theatre compa- The Forest Of Huckybucky. SF is also Swedish horror American Burger; rial debut Sea Sorrow, which tells the nies. The titles are Eugene Onegin, The selling Norwegian thriller King’s Bay, Jaak Kilmi’s Estonian comedy story of refugees fleeing warzones Cherry Orchard, The Black Monk and directed by Stig Svendsen and The Dissidents, which will throughout the last century; Kaspar Anna Karenina. The company also has a produced by Trollhunter’s John have a market screen- Astrup Schröder’s Big Time, about design project in post-production called Light M Jacobsen. ing; and Fredrik Hill- guru Bjarke Ingels; and Marieke Up, billed as “an unusual satire on con- The Yellow Affair will be er’s Swedish action Schroeder’s Schumann’s Bar Talks, which temporary Russian reality”. hosting market screenings film Zone 261: profiles bartender Charles Schumann. Art Pictures Studio, the outfi t behind of Becker: Small Town Operation Ragn- Autlook will also give a market screening Stalingrad and Attraction, is set to Gangster, a Swedish arok, now in post to Elvira Lind’s Bobbi Jene, about the US announce a sequel to the latter, which black comedy directed with a promo reel dancer, which arrives with festival was a big success in Russia and has now by Martin Larsson; and Becker: Small Town Gangster available. awards from Tribeca and Hot Docs. sold to 74 countries. Is

44 Screen International at Cannes May 17, 2017 www.screendaily.com HOT PROJECTS INDIA Rise of India’s indies Despite the absence of Indian feature films in this year’s official selection, India’s independent production scene is in overdrive, with a slew of films ready for festival directors to consider. Liz Shackleton reports

hile India does not have any features in Cannes’ offi cial selec- Wtion, Directors’ Fort- night or Critics’ Week this year, there are several Indian independ- ent fi lms in production or post-pro- duction that are likely to appear at festivals either later this year or in early 2018. The list below includes titles from established fi lmmakers, such as Nandita Das and Iran’s Majid Majidi, as well as feature debuts from promising new talents. In an encouraging sign for the sus- tainability of India’s indie fi lmmak- ing sector, the list also includes second and third features from directors whose debuts won acclaim on the festival circuit, such as Devashish Makhija (Oonga), Aditya Vikram Sengupta (Labour Of Love) and Anup Singh (Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost). Beyond The Clouds

Ajji Beyond The Clouds Titus Andronicus, which is in post-pro- Dir Devashish Makhija Dir Majid Majidi duction for delivery in early summer. Co- produced by Cinestaan Film Company One of the first features from Indian The first Hindi-language feature from and Film London, the film was devel- music company Saregama, which Iranian director Majidi (Children Of oped using Film London’s low-budget stepped into the production of independ- Heaven), Beyond The Clouds is a coming- Microwave scheme as its model, with the ent feature fi lms last year, Ajji is the story of-age story about the relationship fi lm-makers undergoing a training pro- of a 60-year-old woman seeking justice between a brother and a sister. Majidi, Bombay Rose gramme funded by the British Council. and revenge for the rape of a child when who has a loyal following in India, shot The cast also includes Arjun Gupta, the local police refuse to intervene. the film in Mumbai using a wholly feature from Rao, whose short anima- Neeraj Kabi and Sayani Gupta. Makhija made his feature debut with Indian cast and crew. Ishaan Khatter tion Printed Rainbow won the Kodak Contact Marina Fuentes, C International Oonga, about the plight of Indian tribals, heads the cast, while behind-the-scenes short fi lm award and two other prizes in Sales [email protected] in 2013 and has also directed a string of talent includes Oscar-winning composer Critics’ Week in 2006. Also employing highly praised shorts. Currently in the AR Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire) and her hand-painted style of 2D animation, fi nal stages of post-production, Ajji was DoP Anil Mehta (Lagaan). Produced by Bombay Rose revolves around two produced by Saregama and Yoodlee India’s Zee Studios and Eyecandy Films, migrant children and the clash between Films and stars Sushama Deshpande, the film is in post-production for romance and harsh reality on the streets Sharvani Suryavanshi and Saadiya Sid- delivery in the autumn. of Mumbai. Currently in production, it dique. Paris-based Charades has picked Contact Vibha Chopra, Zee is scheduled for delivery in 2018. up international rights. Studios International vibha. Contact Marina Fuentes, Contact Carole Baraton, Charades [email protected] C International Sales [email protected] [email protected] In The Shadows Bombay Rose Dir Gitanjali Rao The Hungry In The Shadows Dir Bornila Chatterjee Dir Dipesh Jain Co-produced by India and UK-based Naseeruddin Shah and Manoj Bajpayee (Gangs Of Wasseypur) Cinestaan Film Com- Tisca Chopra head the cast plays the lead role in this psychological pany and France’s of this UK-India co-pro- drama about a lonely man trapped Les Film d’ci, Bombay duction, a contemporary within the walls of the old city of Delhi, Ajji Rose marks the first The Hungry adaptation of Shakespeare’s as well as within his own mind. In the »

36 Screen International at Cannes May 18, 2017 www.screendaily.com HOT PROJECTS INDIA

fi nal stages of post-production, the fi lm also stars acclaimed actors Neeraj Kabi (Ship Of Theseus), Shahana Goswami (Midnight’s Children) and Ranvir Shorey (A Death In The Gunj). The feature debut of Jain, who has written and directed a string of award-winning shorts, In The Clouds is produced by Shuchi Jain of UK- based Exstant Motion Pictures and Swiss producer Lena Vurma. Contact Shuchi Jain, Exstant Motion Pictures [email protected] Lena Vurma, Dragonfly Films [email protected] Jonaki Dir Aditya Vikram Sengupta

The second feature from Labour Of Love writer-director Sengupta is an abstract work delving into the mind and memo- ries of an elderly woman in a coma. Vet- The Monster eran actress Lolita Chatterjee plays the 80-year-old lead in the Bengali-lan- in Lahore. Das, who is also producing the the film, which also includes Waheeda guage feature, which is currently in pro- fi lm, is an acclaimed actress who made Rehman, Shashank Arora and Tillotama duction. Vikram Mohinta is producing her directing debut with Firaaq (2008). Shome. Singh’s last fi lm,Qissa: The Tale Of with Samir Sarkar of Magic Hour Films Contact Jean-Pierre Le Calvez, HP Studios A Lonely Ghost, premiered at Toronto in and Paris-based Catherine Dussart Pro- [email protected] 2013 and won a slew of awards. Currently ductions (CDP). Labour Of Love, about a [email protected] in post-production, The Song Of Scorpions young couple in Kolkata, won the Fede- is produced by Switzerland’s Saskia Vis- ora award for best debut fi lm in Venice The Monster cher, Shahaf Peled and Michel Merkt, Days 2014 and a National Film Award in Dir Dnyanesh Zoting along with France’s Thierry Lenouvel. India. Sengupta is also working on Contact Saskia Vischer Memories And My Mother, to be co-pro- Currently in post-production, fantasy [email protected] Unknown Faces duced by CDP. drama The Monster (Raakshas) tells the Contact Vikram Mohinta story of an eight-year-old girl whose The Sweet Requiem uncovers a series of disturbing secrets, [email protected] father is making a documentary about the Dirs Ritu Sarin, Tenzing Sonam including his father’s bankruptcy. protests of a tribal village against a devel- Mukherjee, who previously worked as opment project. After reading a fairy tale The second narrative feature from an editor on films such as Monsoon about a monster in the forest, she begs her acclaimed documentary filmmakers Shootout, developed the project through father not to visit the village again, but he Sarin and Sonam recently wrapped fol- the Drishyam Sundance Screenwriters goes anyway and disappears. While her lowing a gruelling shoot in Ladakh and Lab. Drishyam Films also produced mother launches a search, the girl uses Delhi, India. The story follows a young Neeraj Ghaywan’s Masaan, which the plot of her fairy tale to bring him back. Tibetan woman living in exile in Delhi screened at Un Certain Regard in 2015, Produced by Holy Basil Productions and whose life is unexpectedly shattered when and Amit Masurkar’s Newton, which Navalakha Arts, the Marathi-language she runs into a man from her past. Pro- premiered at this year’s Berlinale. production is Zoting’s first feature and duced by White Crane Films and Infi ni- Contact Ritika Bhatia, Drishyam Films was developed through the Drishyam tum Productions, the film stars Tenzin [email protected] Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Dolkar and Jampa Kalsang. Sarin and Contact Sanjay Ram, Basil Content Sonam’s first feature, Dreaming Lhasa Village Rockstars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and [email protected] Nandita Das on the set of Manto (2005), was executive produced by Jer- Dir Rima Das emy Thomas and Richard Gere, and pre- The Song Of Scorpions miered in Toronto. Selected for Hong Kong Goes To Cannes, Manto Dir Anup Singh Contact Shrihari Sathe, Infinitum due to its participation in the Works-in- Dir Nandita Das Productions [email protected] Progress Lab of this year’s Hong Kong- Set in the Thar desert of Rajasthan, Sin- Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), Das’s Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays controversial gh’s The Song Of Scorpions is about a Unknown Faces Assamese-language drama follows a Indian writer Saadat Hasan Manto in woman who can overcome the poison of Dir Atanu Mukherjee free-spirited 10-year-old girl who fi ghts Das’s highly anticipated biopic, which is scorpions through music. gender stereotypes in a remote village in currently in production. Known as South When the man whose Produced by Drishyam Films, Mukher- Assam by forming a rock band with a Asia’s greatest short-story writer, Manto advances she has jee’s debut feature Unknown Faces group of local boys. A self-taught fi lm- wrote extensively about the partition of spurned has her (Rukh) stars Adarsh Gourav, Manoj maker who has made shorts and docu- India and was tried for obscenity six attacked, she sets Bajpayee and Smita Tambe in the mentaries, Das made her feature debut times but never convicted. Produced by out on her own mis- story of a young man attempting in 2016 with Man With The Binoculars, HP Studios, Viacom18 Motion Pictures sion of healing and to uncover the truth behind his which screened at Tallinn Black Nights and Filmztoc, the biopic also stars Rasika revenge. Golshifteh father’s sudden death. Although and Mumbai fi lm festivals. Dugal (Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost) Farahani and Irrfan his mother tries to shield Contact Rima Das, Flying River Films as Manto’s wife and follows his later years Khan head the cast of him from the truth, he [email protected] Is

The Song Of Scorpions 38 Screen International at Cannes May 18, 2017 www.screendaily.com HOT PROJECTS JAPAN

Japan’s show of strength

Japan is well represented in official selection by Naomi Kawase, Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Takashi Miike, while market highlights include titles from Hirokazu Koreeda and Yojiro Takita. Liz Shackleton reports

Radiance apan has an exceptionally Dir Naomi Kawase strong showing at Cannes this year, with Naomi The latest drama from Cannes regular JKawase’s Radiance in Kawase, which is playing in Competi- Competition, Takashi Miike’s Blade tion, sees a woman who writes film Of The Immortal playing out of voiceovers for the visually impaired team competition, and titles also selected up with a photographer losing his sight for Un Certain Regard, Cannes to discover a previously invisible world. Classics and Critics’ Week. The cast includes Masatoshi Nagase (Pat- While Cannes’ offi cial selection erson), Ayame Misaki (Attack On Titan) usually focuses on established Jap- and veteran Tatsuya Fuji, whose credits anese fi lmmakers, such as Kawase include In The Realm Of The Senses, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa, whose sci-fi which is screening in Cannes Classics. drama Before We Vanish will pre- Contact Fionnuala Jamison, MK2 Films miere in Un Certain Regard, this [email protected] year’s Critics’ Week line-up includes a first-time feature from female Japanese fi lmmaker Atsuko Hirayanagi. The US-Japan collabo- ration Oh Lucy! is a feature-length version of her short film of the The Ballad Of Narayama same name, which won a jury prize at Sundance in 2015 and more than invasion of Earth. Selected to screen in 35 other awards. OFFICIAL SELECTION Un Certain Regard, the film stars Radiance Meanwhile, another Cannes Masami Nagasawa (Our Little Sister), regular, Hirokazu Koreeda, is now The Ballad Of Narayama Ryuhei Matsuda (The Great Passage) CRITICS’ WEEK in post-production on his fi rst legal Dir Shohei Imamura and Hiroki Hasegawa (Shin Godzilla). drama, The Third Murder, starring Asia contact Emico Kawai, Nikkatsu Masaharu Fukuyama (Like Father, Winner of the Palme d’Or in 1983, Ima- [email protected] Oh Lucy! Like Son), which is scheduled for mura’s The Ballad Of Narayama has RoW contact Olivier Barbier, Wild Bunch Dir Atsuko Hirayanagi delivery in September. As with Kore- been digitally restored and selected to [email protected] eda’s previous films, Wild Bunch screen in this year’s Cannes Classics as Shinobu Terajima and Josh Hartnett and Japanese distributor Gaga are part of a celebration of the festival’s 70th head the cast of this US-Japan col- sharing worldwide sales duties. anniversary. In turn inspired by Keisuke laboration, which marks the feature Japan’s other studios and major Kinoshita’s 1958 classic of the same debut of Japanese director Hirayan- broadcasters also have a strong name, the fi lm is set in a village where agi. The comedy drama tells the line-up of releases for the rest of tradition dictates that when people story of a lonely offi ce worker who the year in addition to the titles reach the age of 70, their children falls for her teacher when she takes listed below. High-profi le local pro- should carry them into the mountains up English lessons. When the ductions scheduled to open over and leave them to die. Sumiko Saka- Blade Of The Immortal teacher disappears, she sets out on a the summer include Yoji moto and Ken Ogata star as the mother journey to fi nd him that takes her to Yamada’s What A Won- and son who are facing this cruel fate. Blade Of The Immortal California. The cast also includes derful Family 2, Yu Irie’s Contact Daichi Yashiki, Toei Dir Takashi Miike Kaho Minami (Kabukicho Love Memoirs Of A Murderer, [email protected] Hotel) and Koji Yakusho (Babel). Kentaro Hagiwara’s UK producer Jeremy Thomas’s Contact Adeline Fontan Tessaur, Tokyo Ghoul, Takashi Before We Vanish Recorded Picture Company is reteaming Elle Driver Miike’s JoJo’s Bizarre Dir Kiyoshi Kurosawa with Miike on this action drama about a [email protected] Adventure: Dia- samurai cursed with immortality after a mond Is Unbreaka- Based on a play by legendary battle. Adapted from Hiroaki ble and Toho’s Tomohiro Maekawa, Samura’s hit manga, the film stars highly anticipated Kurosawa’s sci-fi Takuya Kimura (2046), Hana Sugisaki, animation Fire- drama tells the story of Ebizo Ichikawa and Min Tanaka. works, Should a woman in a loveless Released by Warner Bros Japan on April We See It From marriage who is puzzled by her 29, it is screening in Cannes in an out of The Side Or The husband’s strange behaviour, competition slot. Bottom?. Before We Vanish until he reveals he is an Contact Anna Chettle, HanWay Films advance scout for an alien [email protected] »

30 Screen International at Cannes May 18, 2017 www.screendaily.com HOT PROJECTS JAPAN

SELECTED PROJECTS IN THE MARKET

Her Sketchbook Dir Masaya Ozaki

Rising actress Mugi Kadowaki stars in Innocent Curse this drama, which marks the second feature as director from acclaimed fi lm and TV writer Masaya Ozaki. The story follows a middle-school dropout who avoids human contact by immersing herself in copying her favourite manga and illustrations, until her father fi nds her a part-time job. Kadowaki won the best new actress prize at the 2015 Kin- ema Junpo awards for Love’s Whirlpool, and also starred in Naoko Ogigami’s recent Berlin title Close-Knit. Her Sketch- book is scheduled for local release on July 15. Side Job Mumon: The Land Of Stealth Contact Emico Kawai, Nikkatsu [email protected] Mumon: The Land Of Side Job theatre director Inoue and has Arata Stealth Dir Ryuichi Hiroki Furuta, Izumi Inamori and Shunsuke Dir Yoshihiro Nakamura Daitoh heading the cast. Based on the director’s own novel Her Contact Hiroyuki Hata, Village Inc The latest work from one of Japan’s Life Is Not At Fault, Hiroki’s latest feature hata@village-inc-jp most versatile fi lmmakers, Mumon: The tells the story of a young woman who Land Of Stealth is a period drama based escapes her mundane life as an office The Third Murder on Ryo Wada’s novel Shinobi No Kuni, clerk in Fukushima, where people are Dir Hirokazu Koreeda and tells the story of the showdown still suffering from the aftermath of the Her Sketchbook between a warlord and a rebellious 2011 earthquake and tsunami, by work- Renowned for insightful family stories, ninja clan. Starring Satoshi Ohno, ing as a call girl during the weekends in Koreeda has taken on a legal drama for Innocent Curse Satomi Ishihara and Yusuke Iseya, the Tokyo. Scheduled for release on July 15, his latest project, which reunites him Dir Takashi Shimizu fi lm is in post-production for Japanese the film stars Kumi Takiuchi (Twisted with Masaharu Fukuyama, the star of release in July. Justice), Ken Mitsuishi (Midnight Diner) his 2013 Cannes Grand Jury Prize win- Mugi Kadowaki also stars in the latest Contact Yuhka Matoi, Tokyo Broadcasting and Kengo Kora (Being Good). Hiroki is ner Like Father, Like Son. Currently in project from horror-meister Shimizu, System Television Inc (TBS) known for films that explore sexuality post-production for Japanese release on director of The Grudge series, along with [email protected] and the inner worlds of female charac- September 9, the fi lm tells the story of a singer-actors Hideaki Takizawa and ters, such as Vibrator (2003), starring lawyer who reluctantly defends a con- Daiki Arioka. Scheduled for local release Narratage Shinobu Terajima, and Kabukicho Love victed killer charged with another mur- in June, the fi lm is set in a suburban town Dir Isao Yukisada Hotel (2014). der. Koji Yakusho (Babel) plays the rocked by a series of child disappear- Contact Haruko Watanabe, Gaga murderer and Hirose Suzu (Our Little ances and suspicious adult deaths. A Based on Rio Shimamoto’s award-win- [email protected] Sister) also stars. reporter refuses to believe children are ning novel of the same name, Narrat- Asia contact Haruko Watanabe, Gaga killing adults and begins to investigate. age is a coming-of-age drama Stray Nightingale [email protected] Contact Shion Komatsu, Shochiku directed by a master of the genre, Dir Hidenori Inoue RoW contact Olivier Barbier, Wild Bunch [email protected] Yukisada (Crying Out Love, In The [email protected] Center Of The World), and pro- The filmed version of The Last Recipe duced by Ogawa Shinji (Nor- Japanese theatre company Vigilante (working title) Dir Yojiro Takita wegian Wood). Starring Village Inc’s latest sell- Dir Yu Irie Kasumi Arimura, Jun Mat- out production, Stray The director of Oscar-winning drama sumoto and Kentaro Saka- Nightingale, has been re- Nao Omori (Museum), Kenta Kiritani Departures, Takita is teaming with actor guchi, the film follows a edited for international (Close-Knit) and popular TV actor Kosuke Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters From Iwo university student who audiences. Filmed by Suzuki star in this drama as three broth- Jima) on this food-themed drama, which struggles with her feelings Village’s Geki Cine ers who decide to take the law into their is in post-production for release on when she is contacted by label using multiple own hands and form a vigilante group November 3. Based on a novel by Keiichi her former high school HD cameras, surround following the death of their father. Irie, Tanaka, director of popular TV food show teacher, on whom she had sound and high-end who fi rst garnered attention with 2009 Iron Chef, the film tells the story of a a crush, to post-produc- indie sleeper hit 8000 Miles, recently famous chef who is tasked with tracking appear in one tion, the directed NTV’s Memoirs Of A Murderer, down a 70-year-old missing recipe. The of his plays. play is which is scheduled for Japanese release cast also includes Hidetoshi Nishijima, Contact Akihiro directed by on June 10. Vigilante is in post-production Go Ayano and Aoi Miyazaki. Takeda, Toho Co acclaimed for release in winter 2017. Contact Akihiro Takeda, Toho Co a_takeda@ Contact Daichi Yashiki, Toei [email protected] toho.co.jp The Third Murder [email protected] Is

32 Screen International at Cannes May 18, 2017 www.screendaily.com HOT PROJECTS HONG KONG & CHINA Master builders The latest films by auteurs John Woo, Tsui Hark, Yuen Woo-ping and Chen Kaige are among the Hong Kong and China highlights for international buyers in this year’s market. Liz Shackleton reports

reater China only has one feature in official selec- tion at Cannes this year, GLi Ruijun’s Walking Past The Future in Un Certain Regard, which partly reflects how Beijing and Hong Kong-based producers continue to focus on their huge and currently very mainstream local market. Timing has also played a part, however: Cannes regular Jia Zhangke’s crime romance Money & Love will not be ready for delivery until the end of the year. The quality of Chinese movies was cited as one of the reasons for China’s box-offi ce growth fl atlining last year, but the downturn also means some of the speculative OFFICIAL SELECTION investment in the industry should be subsiding, leaving more room for projects from established studios Walking Past The that have been properly developed. Walking Past The Future Future Since the Chinese New Year peak Dir Li Ruijun box-offi ce period in February, two marks the feature debut of Jonathan Li, local productions have scored SELECTED PROJECTS associate director on Overheard 2, A late addition to Un Certain Regard, decent box offi ce and been critically IN THE MARKET Overheard 3 and Blind Detective. Li Ruijun’s drama stars Yang Zishan acclaimed: Enlight Pictures’ The Soi Cheang and Paco Wong are produc- as the daughter of ageing migrant Devotion Of Suspect X, which ing for Hong Kong-based Sun Enter- workers living in the city, who takes grossed $58m, and Hong Kong- A Better Tomorrow 4 tainment and YL Pictures, China’s part in a series of highly paid but China co-production Shock Wave, Dir Ding Sheng iQiyi Motion Pictures and Sil-Metropole risky medical experiments as a way which was still on release at the Organisation. of providing her parents with their time of writing and had grossed Jackie Chan’s long-time collaborator Contact Queenie Li, Bravos Pictures own home. Li has previously directed $56m after 18 days. Ding Sheng is rebooting John Woo’s [email protected] critically acclaimed dramas such as classic A Better Tomorrow series with River Road (2014) and Fly With The The lure of Hollywood this ‘heroic bloodshed’ action title, Crane (2012), while Yang has been Local fi lms have their work cut out, which is currently in post-production. considered a star since her highly however, to compete with a strong Starring Wang Kai (Railroad Tigers), praised turn in Vicki Zhao Wei’s col- Hollywood line-up. So far this year, Ray Ma (Ice Fantasy) and Talu Wang lege drama So Young (2013). The Fate Of The Furious has become (Railroad Tigers, Our Times), the fi lm fol- Contact Julian Chiu, Edko Films the highest-grossing US film of all lows the confl ict between two brothers [email protected] time in China with $362m, while — one heading a smuggling operation Kong: Skull Island took $169m. Chi- and the other an up-and-coming star Chasing The Dragon becoming one of Hong Kong’s most nese films that may have some in the police department’s narcotics powerful drug lords. chance of winning back market division. Chasing The Dragon Contact Angela Wong, Mega-Vision Project share include City Of Rock, directed Contact Andree Sham, Sparkle Roll Media Dirs Wong Jing, Jason Kwan Workshop [email protected] by Da Peng, whose 2015 hit Pancake [email protected] Man grossed $178m; John Woo’s Donnie Yen plays real-life 1970s City Of Rock action thriller Manhunt; Wong Jing The Brink gangster Ng Sek-ho (aka Crippled Ho) Dir Dong Chengpeng and Jason Kwan’s Chasing The Dir Jonathan Li in this action crime drama, backed by Dragon; and Yuen Woo-ping’s The Bona Film Group and Wong Jing’s Following his 2015 megahit Pancake Thousand Faces Of Dunjia. Heading Zhang Jin (Ip Man 3), Shawn Yue, Mega-Vision Project Workshop. Andy Man, actor and fi lmmaker Dong Cheng- into 2018, highly anticipated titles Wu Yue and Janice Man star in this Lau also stars and Wong is directing peng (aka Da Peng) has directed this include Tsui Hark’s Detective Dee: $15m action thriller about a cop who is along with acclaimed cinematographer comedy drama about a young man from The Four Heavenly Kings and fantasy caught in the crossfire between Jason Kwan. Currently in post-produc- a small town in China, who stages a char- sequel Monster Hunt 2. rival factions in a gold-smuggling ring. tion, the fi lm follows Ho from his days as ity rock concert to save the town’s treas- Currently in post-production, the film an illegal immigrant through his rise to ured ‘Rock Park’ from redevelopment by »

34 Screen International at Cannes May 19, 2017 www.screendaily.com HOT PROJECTS HONG KONG & CHINA

a corporate real-estate agent. Da Peng also stars along with Gulnazar and Qiao Shan. Produced by Enlight Pictures, the fi lm is scheduled for release around Chi- na’s National Day holiday in October. Contact Leslie Chen, IM Global [email protected] Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings Dir Tsui Hark

The third fi lm in Huayi Brothers’ block- buster Detective Dee franchise reunites the cast of the second instalment: Mark Zhao, Feng Shaofeng, Lin Gengxin and Carina Lau. The story follows Detective Dee as he battles a surreal crimewave at the same time as defending himself against accusations of wrongdoing from his most formidable opponent, Empress Wu. Currently in production, the fi lm is being lined up for release over Chinese New Year 2018. Contact Leslie Chen, IM Global [email protected] Heavyweight Assassin

production, the film is produced by Entertaining Power Co. Contact Grace Chan, Young Live Entertainment [email protected] The Invincible Dragon The Dude’s Manual Dir Fruit Chan

The Dude’s Manual Zhang Jin (Ip Man 3) and mixed martial- Dir Kevin Ko arts star Anderson Silva star in Fruit Chan’s $12m action fi lm about a detective Produced by Taiwanese filmmaker on the trail of a serial killer who may have Leste Chen (Battle Of Memories) and abducted his fiancée. Produced by directed by Taiwan’s Kevin Ko (Invita- Pegasus Motion Pictures, the film is in tion Only), this coming-of-age campus post-production after shooting in Hong sex comedy stars a cast of hot newcom- Invincible Dragon Kong and Macau. The crew includes cin- ers, including Dong Zijian (De Lan), ematographer Cheng Siu Keung (Elec- Elane Zhong (Bloom Of Youth) and Jes- Times series), Joseph Chang (Wild City), his efforts, but a jealous partner threat- tion) and action director Stephen Tung sie Li (Port Of Call). Produced by Bei- Gwei Lun Mei (Black Coal, Thin Ice) and ens to reveal the real motivation behind Wei (Operation Mekong). jing Magilm Media, the fi lm is currently Jiang Mengjie (Sword Master). his plan. Currently in production for Contact Alvina Wong, Pegasus in post-production for tentative release Contact Mia Sin, Universe Films release over the National Day holiday, Motion Pictures alvina.wong@ at the end of the year. Distribution [email protected] the comedy drama stars Wang Qiany- pegasusmovie.com Contact Clarence Tang, Golden Network uan, Huang Jingyu and Ivy Chen. Asia [email protected] Guns And Kidneys Contact Dian Song, Wanda Pictures Ip Man Series: Cheung Dir Zhang Meng [email protected] Tin Chi 3D Fraud Squad Dir Yuen Woo-ping Dir Oxide Pang Best known as the director of Heavyweight Assassin award-winning 2010 drama Dir Jeffrey Lau Currently in pre-production, this $28m Currently in production, the latest The Piano In A Factory, spin-off of the successful Ip Man series suspense action fi lm from Oxide Zhang Meng’s latest project Veteran filmmaker Jeffrey Lau, best follows the character played by Zhang Jin. Pang (Bangkok Dangerous) fol- follows a small-time conman known for the iconic A Chinese Odyssey He is laying low after being defeated by lows Chinese police attempt- who invites a Hollywood stu- series, is directing this martial-arts martial-arts master Ip Man, but manages ing to hunt down a dio to shoot a fi lm in adventure about a group of assassins to cross an influential female gangster phone-fraud gang an old industrial attempting to track down a stash of hid- and the foreign ‘big boss’ behind the local hiding out in Thai- town in order to den gold. Zhang Jin heads the cast, bar district. In addition to Zhang, the top- land. Shooting in earn some kick- which also includes Ada Choi and Andy flight kung-fu cast includes Dave Bau- China, Hong Kong, back money. The On, while behind-the-scenes talent tista, Michelle Yeoh and Tony Jaa. Thailand and Taiwan, town appreciates includes art director Lau Man Hung Contact Alvina Wong, Pegasus the $12m film stars (Call Of Heroes) and visual-effects direc- Motion Pictures alvina.wong@ Cheney Chen (Tiny (Left) Fraud Squad tor Cecil Cheng (Cold War). Currently in pegasusmovie.com »

36 Screen International at Cannes May 19, 2017 www.screendaily.com HOT PROJECTS HONG KONG & CHINA

Legend Of The Demon Cat Dir Chen Kaige

Based on a novel by Baku Yumemakura, Chen Kaige’s Tang Dynasty-set drama revolves around a Chinese monk and Japanese poet who join forces to investi- gate a demonic cat that appears to have possessed a general’s wife. A co-produc- tion between China’s New Classics Media and Japan’s Kadokawa, Legend Of The Demon Cat stars Huang Xuan, Zhang Yuqi and Japanese actor Shota Sometani. Currently in post-production, the fi lm is being lined up for release at the end of the year. Hong Kong-based Emperor Motion Pictures is handling select territories. Contact May Yip, Emperor Motion Pictures [email protected] (select territories) The Thousand Faces Of Dunjia

Our Time Will Come martial-arts warriors who secretly pro- the $22m action title, which is currently Dir Ann Hui tect the human race from evil outer-space in production, along with Chinese creatures. The fi lm is in post-production actresses Xu Jinglei and Yu Nan. Following her critically acclaimed biopic for release around the end of the year. Contact Christy Choi, One Cool Pictures The Golden Era, Ann Hui is tackling Contact Virginia Leung, Distribution [email protected] another historical drama, this time fol- Workshop virginia@ lowing a group of plucky youths fi ghting distributionworkshop.com for freedom during the Japanese occupa- tion of Hong Kong. Eddie Peng and Triple Threat Zhou Xun head the cast of the film, Dir Chad Stahelski which Bona Film Group is lining up for Manhunt release in July. Currently in production, this action Contact Virginia Leung, Distribution thriller unites three of Asia’s hottest Manhunt Workshop virginia@ action stars: Thailand’s Tony Jaa, China’s Warriors Of Future Dir John Woo distributionworkshop.com Tiger Chen and Indonesia’s Iko Uwais (The Raid, The Raid 2). Chad Stahelski, Warriors Of Future Chinese actor Zhang Hanyu and Japan’s Paradox whose credits include John Wick and its Dir Ng Yuen-fai Masaharu Fukuyama star in John Woo’s Dir Wilson Yip sequel, is directing from a script by $50m action thriller Manhunt, which is Dwayne Smith about a Chinese martial Louis Koo and Sean Lau star in this sci-fi in post-production after shooting in Louis Koo, Wu Yue and Lam Ka Tung artist who goes to Mexico on a mission to action title set in the near future when the Japan. Produced by Chan Hing Kai and star in this action thriller about a Hong rescue his ex-wife. The fi lm is produced Earth’s atmosphere has been destroyed Gordon Chan, the film is based on a Kong cop who teams up with local police by Beijing-based Kungfuman Culture and a mysterious vine is running rampant, novel by Juko Nishimura about a lawyer in Thailand to search for his missing Media and Hamilton Entertainment. leaving genetic modifi cation as the only who is framed for murder and sets out daughter. Currently in post-production, Contact Elliot Tong, Arclight Films hope for mankind. Currently in produc- on a mission to clear his name. The book the fi lm is produced by Soi Cheang and [email protected] tion, the $45m fi lm is directed by visual- was first adapted into a popular 1976 Paco Wong and also features Tony Jaa in effects veteran Ng Yuen-fai (Bodyguards Japanese fi lm starring Ken Takakura. a special appearance. Sammo Hung is on The Trough And Assassins), who runs One Cool Contact Fred Tsui, Media Asia board as action director. Dir Nick Cheung Group’s VFX fi rm FatFace Production. [email protected] Contact Queenie Li, Bravos Pictures Contact Christy Choi, One Cool Pictures [email protected] Hong Kong actor Nick Cheung’s [email protected] Monster Hunt 2 third fi lm as director following Dir Raman Hui The Thousand Faces Ghost Rituals and Keeper Of Wine War Of Dunjia Darkness, The Trough Dir Leon Lai The sequel to the 2015 blockbuster fan- Dir Yuen Woo-ping follows an under- tasy adventure, which grossed more than cover cop who The directorial debut of Hong Kong star $400m worldwide, Monster Hunt 2 reu- Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi are pro- unveils collusion Leon Lai tells the story of a renowned nites the stars of the fi rst instalment, Jing ducing this martial-arts action between the high- Chinese sommelier, residing in France, Boran and Bai Baihe, while Tony Leung fantasy directed by Yuen est level of gov- who is drawn into an age-old feud sur- Chiu-Wai (The Grandmaster) has also Woo-ping and starring ernment and the rounding a bottle of vintage wine said to joined the cast. The story follows the Aarif Lee, Zhou triads. Cheung have a connection to Kublai Khan and baby monster king Wuba as he faces Dongyu, Dong Cheng- also stars in Marco Polo. Lai also stars, along with another threat from the dark lord who peng (aka Da Peng) Zhang Hanyu, in the action drama, plots to overthrow the empire. and Ni Ni. Set during the which screens here in the market. Contact Julian Chiu, Edko Films Northern Song Dynasty, (Left) Contact Fred Tsui, Media Asia [email protected] the story follows a band of Paradox [email protected] Is

38 Screen International at Cannes May 19, 2017 www.screendaily.com KOREA FOCUS HOT PROJECTS A strong hand With five titles in official selection, South Korea is back with a bang at this year’s festival, and the market titles promise more excitement to come. Jean Noh reports

outh Korean films are out in On the heels of the worldwide success including to France (ARP) and Australia jump was fuelled by Makoto Shinkai’s force this year at Cannes, with of Korean zombie thriller Train To Busan, and New Zealand (JBG Pictures). animation Your Name, which clocked up five features in the official which premiered in Midnight Screenings In the fi rst quarter of 2017, local fi lms $25.5m. Sselection. Bong Joon Ho’s Okja last year, two highly anticipated thrillers took 49% of a total of $378.5m in box- Korean titles Confi dential Assignment and Hong Sangsoo’s The Day After are are debuting in the same category this office returns in South Korea, down and The King led the overall rankings for premiering in Competition, while the year — Jung Byung-gil’s The Villainess slightly from last year’s 50% in the same the first quarter, taking $56m and latter director’s Claire’s Camera, which and Byun Sung-hyun’s The Merciless. CJ period. Interestingly, US fi lms’ market $38.3m respectively, while Disney’s was shot in Cannes last year, will debut Entertainment has already presold the share dropped from 44% to 39%, while Beauty And The Beast ranked fourth in Special Screenings. latter to 85 countries before the festival, Japanese fi lms rose from 1% to 8%. The with $25.7m.

OFFICIAL SELECTION

Claire’s Camera Dir Hong Sangsoo

The fi rst of two offi cial selection titles by Cannes favourite Hong Sangsoo (Woman Is The Future Of Man, A Tale Of Cinema), Claire’s Camera is being pre- sented in Special Screenings. It stars Kim Minhee, who picked up the best actress Silver Bear in Berlin this year for her per- formance in Hong’s On The Beach At Night Alone, and Isabelle Huppert, who was in Hong’s previous Competition title In Another Country. Shot in Cannes last year, Claire’s Camera brings together a young sales agent who is unfairly fi red The Mercilless during the festival and a mysterious teacher with a Polaroid camera. Hong’s is also produced by Hong’s company Okja theatrically in South Korea day-and-date company, Jeonwonsa Film, co-produced. Jeonwonsa. Dir Bong Joon Ho on June 29. The film shot in New York Contact Finecut Contact Finecut City, Vancouver and around Korea. [email protected] [email protected] Bong Joon Ho follows up his previous Contact Netflix Cannes entries The Host, Mother and Kiki Yu [email protected] The Merciless short segment in omnibus film Tokyo! Milady Flores [email protected] Dir Byun Sung-hyun with Okja in Competition. Netfl ix’s fi rst Korean feature production, the fi lm stars The Villainess Showing in Midnight Screenings, The Ahn Seo-hyun as a young girl who sets Dir Jung Byung-gil Merciless stars Seol Gyeong-gu (a.k.a. Sul out to save her best friend, a huge animal Kyung-gu) and boy group ZE:A mem- named Okja, from a powerful multina- Midnight Screenings selection The Vil- ber Yim Si-wan in a thriller about a tional company. Tilda Swinton, Jake lainess stars Kim Ok-vin and Shin Ha- gangster who takes a newbie under Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano also kyun, both of whom were in Park his wing in prison. Directed by feature. The film is a Plan B Chan-wook’s 2009 Cannes title Thirst, The Day After Byun Sung-hyun (Whatcha Entertainment, Lewis Pictures with Bang Sung-jun. Directed by Jung Wearin’), the fi lm has been pre- and Kate Street Picture Com- Byung-gil (Confession Of Murder), The Day After sold to 85 countries including pany production in association The Villainess follows a mysterious Dir Hong Sangsoo France (ARP) and Taiwan with Netflix. The woman who has been raised as a killer (Movie Cloud). Financed online platform and is recruited to be a secret agent. Kim Minhee again stars for Hong, in and developed by CJ Enter- will premiere Okja Backed by Next Entertainment World Competition entry The Day After. She tainment, the fi lm was co- in 190 countries on (NEW), which also had international plays Areum, a new employee at a small produced by CJ and June 28. Next Enter- breakout hit Train To Busan in Midnight publishing company with a boss (Kwon Pollux-Barunson Co. tainment World Screenings last year, the film is pro- Haehyo) who had been having an affair Contact CJ (NEW) will release it duced by Apeitda. with her predecessor (Kim Saebyuk). Entertainment Contact Contents Panda Shot in Seoul, the black-and-white fi lm [email protected] (Left) The Villainess [email protected] »

32 Screen International at Cannes May 20, 2017 www.screendaily.com KOREA FOCUS HOT PROJECTS

SELECTED PROJECTS IN THE MARKET

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum Dir Jung Bum-shik

Jung Bum-shik’s film takes place in a psychiatric hospital selected as one of CNN Travel’s ‘7 Freakiest Places on the Planet’. According to local legend, it was shut down after a series of mysterious patient deaths in the 1990s, but things Warriors Of The Dawn spin out of control when an internet broadcaster recruits people for a live- streaming ‘experience the horror’ show at Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital. Pro- duced by Hive Mediacorp, the $1.5m horror is set for local release in the third quarter of 2017. Contact Showbox [email protected] Man Of Will Dir Lee Won-tae

Based on a true story, Lee Won-tae’s feature directorial debut stars Cho Jin- woong (The Handmaiden). In 1895, the nation is left in terror and outrage when Japanese assassins infiltrate Joseon’s The Preparation Man Of Will royal palace and murder the queen. In an act of vengeance, Kim Chang-soo paring to leave her family behind while in Yeon’s animation Seoul Station, Psycho- (Hyun). They decide to team up, but beats a ronin to death, landing himself Kim plays her mentally disabled son kinesis is about an ordinary man who each with their own hidden motives. on death row. In prison, he goes from who is preparing to stand on his own suddenly fi nds he has superpowers. He Contact Showbox fi ghting to teaching his fellow prisoners two feet. Currently in production, the uses them to help his daughter and the [email protected] until they all get assigned to a large drama is set for local release in the people around him, but runs into trouble Japanese construction site, where they fourth quarter of 2017. in the process. Train To Busan production Warriors Of The Dawn are subjected to an ordeal worse than Contact Opus Pictures company Redpeter Film and investor/ (aka The Proxy Soldiers) death. The fi lm is in post-production. [email protected] distributor Next Entertainment World Dir Chung Yoon-chul Contact Finecut (NEW) have reunited for the project. [email protected] Psychokinesis Contact Contents Panda Chung Yoon-chul’s period action adven- Dir Yeon Sang-ho [email protected] ture stars Lee Jung-jae (Assassination) The Preparation and Yeo Jin-gu (Hwayi: A Monster Boy) (working title) Train To Busan director The Swindlers and is set during the 1592 Japanese inva- Dir Cho Young Jun Yeon Sang-ho started Dir Jang Chang-won sion of Joseon when rich families would shooting this live- hire poor men to take the place of their Cho Young Jun’s feature action black comedy The feature-directing debut for Jang sons in the draft. Lee plays a veteran directorial debut stars Ko last month. Starring Chang-won, this crime drama stars proxy soldier who helps 18-year-old Doo-shim (Good Morn- Ryu Seung-ryong Hyun Bin (Confi dential Assignment) and crown prince Gwanghae (Yeo) to lead ing President) and and Shim Eun- Yoo Ji-tae (Old Boy). When a con man the defence of the nation while his father, Kim Sung-kyun (The kyung, who pulls a swindle worth billions and the king, fl ees to China. Warriors Of The Sheriff In Town). Ko voiced the leads escapes overseas, a prosecutor (Yoo) Dawn is set for local release on May 31. plays a mother with who colluded with him attempts to track Contact M-Line Distribution terminal cancer pre- (Left) The Swindlers him down, as does a man out for revenge [email protected] Is

34 Screen International at Cannes May 20, 2017 www.screendaily.com