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Home , Andrew Haigh, Daisy Ridley, Dany Boon, Despite the Falling Snow, Geoffrey Enthoven, Jalil Lespert

Cannes BUzz The Lowdown

Hot titles and sizzling deals are expected on projects at various stages of production in the Marché. Here we profile the pick of the bunch for which buyers should be on the lookout BUZZ

about a pair of detectives who strive to NORTH AMERICA prevent a boy’s wish, that his sister will be swallowed by a black hole, from becoming a reality. Nu Image arrives with worldwide By Jeremy Kay rights to Escobar, starring Javier Bardem as the drug kingpin Pablo Escobar and Sierra/Affinity has boarded international Penelope Cruz as his love interest. rights to Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut Insiders sells Mustang director Deniz Molly’s Game to star Idris Elba and Jes- Gamze Erguven’s English-language sica Chastain. eOne and The Mark Gor- debut Kings, a riots story don Company finance the story of ‘The starring Halle Berry as a protective Poker Princess’ Molly Bloom and Gordon mother in South Central. produces with former Pictures will com- Entertainment head Amy Pascal. WME mence sales on animation 2, American Wrestler: The Wizard Global and CAA represent US rights. which Open Road distributes in the US. International reunites with FilmNation and Open Road Interna- A Monster Calls and The Impossible direc- tional hit the Croisette with tor JA Bayona, who will serve as execu- from Open Road and Riverstone tive producer on Marrowbone. Bayona’s Pictures. Raja Gosnell, of Scooby-Doo and regular screenwriter Sergio G Sanchez The Smurfs fame, will direct the family will make his feature directorial debut on adventure about a police dog who helps the psychological about a young his handler thwart an attack on a prestig- man and his siblings in a sprawling fam- ious dog show. Production is scheduled ily manor plagued by a sinister presence. for a September start ahead of an Octo- Sales veteran Kim Fox arrives on the ber 13, 2017, US release via Open Road. Croisette in her role as MadRiver Pictures is kicking off sales on partner and head of international with Status Update, a Millennials-skewing Why We’re Killing Gunther, which will star story from and Arnold Schwarzenegger as an arrogant Canada’s Brightlight Pictures with a cast The Fixer hitman whose peers gang up to take him led by Disney Channel star and musi- out. UTA Independent Group repre- cian Ross Lynch. Shooting begins in Toni Kalem is directing the film, which is ing a big studio production. Myriad will sents US rights. June in Vancouver on the story, based on the novel by Lisa Zeidner. show first footage. is showcasing the described as Big meets 17 Again. China’s Covert Media has drama to Radiant Films International is in town romantic drama Mudbound, which is set DNA Pictures and Heyi Capital are co- star and Daisy Ridley, with American Wrestler: The Wizard, a to star Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, financing after acquiring Chinese-lan- while Visit Films has the completed completed drama starring William Garrett Hedlund and Jason Mitchell. It is guage remake rights. thriller Always Shine with Mackenzie Fichtner and newcomer George Kos- the story of two families pursuing their Richard Gere will star as a psychologist Davis and Caitlin FitzGerald. turos about a bullied teen who joins the dreams in the Mississippi Delta after the with a potentially career-defining case in XYZ Films is selling Brawl In Cell high-school wrestling team. Second World War. Three Christs. Jon Avnet will direct. High- Block 99, which stars Vince Vaughn as a The Solution Entertainment Group is Bloom will kick off sales on another land Film Group sells international and former boxer slung into prison where his beginning sales on Anna Dressed In Blood, post-Second World War drama, The Out- CAA represents US rights. enemies force him to commit acts of vio- based on the young-adult novel about a sider from Martin Zandvliet, the highly Foresight Unlimited arrives with lence. WME Global handles North ghost hunter confronting the spirit of a regarded Danish director of Land Of drama The Last Full Measure to star Scott American sales. 1958 murder victim who kills anyone dar- Mine. Jared Leto stars as an imprisoned Eastwood and . Laurence Fish- Penelope Cruz stars in Fernando True- ing to enter her home. Maddie Hasson US soldier who is released with the help of burne is in final negotiations and Morgan ba’s 1950s-set comedy The Queen Of and Cameron Monaghan will star. his Yakuza cellmate and enters the murky Freeman is in discussions to join the cast. , which is being sold by Myriad Pic- Content Media is talking up the docu- criminal underworld to repay his debt. Fortitude International is on the Croi- tures. The sequel to Trueba’s 1998 The mentary Pistorius, about South African IM Global arrives with Headless Pro- sette with Layover, a drama that will star Girl Of Your Dreams, the film is about a Olympic hero turned convicted killer ductions’ Wish Police, a family animation Penelope Cruz as a travelling saleswoman sultry Spanish film star who sets out to Oscar Pistorius. The film is now shooting from The Book Of Life producers Reel FX on the verge of a nervous breakdown. rescue a friend after he is kidnapped dur- and investigates the truth about the man»

24 at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

as well as the reputation of his country Cinema Management Group is confi - for segregation and violent crime. dent the response generated by 70 mil- Charlotte Mickie and her Mongrel lion-plus views of the trailer for ‘painted International team are selling Ian Olds’ animation’ Loving Vincent will translate Tribeca title The Fixer, about a former into further international sales in Cannes. fixer for US journalists in Afghanistan The drama about Vincent van Gogh’s who relocates to small-town America and fi nal months is screening in the market. becomes embroiled in a mystery. Melissa Epic Pictures has Day Of Reckoning, a Leo, James Franco, Rachel Brosnahan, post-apocalyptic story now shooting in Thomas Jay Ryan and Dominic Rains Los Angeles. The story takes place 15 star. CAA has North American rights. years after a hellish one-day assault on Bleiberg Entertainment is in town mankind by demonic forces that has left with Predilection, based on a screenplay humans questioning when the next wave written by The Birth Of A Nation star and will come. Joel Novoa directs. director Nate Parker. It is about two con- Concourse Media has international victs who plan an elaborate bank heist in rights to ’s dark comedy The Rio de Janeiro. Filming is scheduled to Little Hour starring Alison Brie, John C start in November. The Queen Of Spain Reilly and Molly Shannon. AMBI Distribution has Antonio Ban- The Little Film Company arrives with deras, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Piper thriller Bad Blood, about a woman on the Perabo in the thriller Black Butterfly. run from a killer in a mountain resort. Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s Xavier Samuel and Morgan Griffi n star. AMBI Group and Silvio Muraglia’s Para- Toronto’s Raven Banner will screen dox Studios are fi nancing and producing SXSW exorcism comedy Another Evil, the fi lm about a screenwriter who is taken and Lightning Entertainment has com- hostage. Production is underway in Italy. pleted sci-fi drama The Summerland Pro- Film Sales Company has picked up ject with Ed Begley Jr. worldwide sales rights to Cannes Classics MPI Media Group has acquired inter- selection Midnight Return: The Story Of national sales rights to Martin Owen’s Billy Hayes And Turkey, in which Oliver Slamdance selection Let’s Be Evil, about Stone, who won an Oscar for theMidnight an advanced learning programme for Express screenplay, director Alan Parker gifted children that sees events spiral out and Hayes himself recount the fi lm’s sen- of control. IFC Films has US rights. sational reception following its 1978 Bob’s Your Uncle is selling Jorva world premiere in Cannes, and Hayes The Fixer Entertainment Productions’ Being Char- tries to return to Turkey to rebuild bridges. lie, directed by Rob Reiner. Nick Robin- Hannibal Classics screens Second son, Common and Cary Elwes star in the World War survival story USS Indianapo- drama about an addict and son of an lis: Men Of Courage starring Nicolas -turned-politician on the road to Cage, Tom Sizemore and Thomas Jane. self-discovery and acceptance. Double Dutch International has the Seville International will be talking up animation Spark featuring a voice cast of Holocaust drama Hana’s Suitcase, about a Jessica Biel, , Patrick survivor and entrepreneur who must Stewart and . revisit memories of Auschwitz and dis- Arclight Films represents thriller Bad cuss his sister’s fate to help a passionate Girl starring Sara West, while Clay educator create a Holocaust exhibit. Epstein’s new Film Mode Entertainment Ascot Elite holds German-speaking right. handles with Arclight the First World Cohen Media Group is selling world- War rom-com The Angel Makers, starring wide rights on a 4k-restored version of Christina Hendricks and Emily Watson. Howards End, the classic Merchant Ivory The Exchange will be talking up Loving Vincent drama starring Anthony Hopkins and Sundance hit doc Gleason, while Shore- . line has family adventure The Boat Archstone Distribution arrives in Builder, starring Christopher Lloyd as a town with Instant Death, starring Lou recluse who befriends a bullied orphan. Ferrigno, about a disturbed veteran who 13 Films is talking to buyers about the goes to war against a vicious gang. comedy Croak, written by and starring Canadian outfi t Attraction Distribu- David Thewlis. The fi lm-business , tion has a host of new projects, including based on the short Sunday Roast, follows action title Nitro Rush, billed as ‘Fast & an encounter between a young actor and Furious of Quebec,’ which stars Guil- a twisted mortician. Juliette Lewis also laume Lemay-Thivierge, Antoine Desro- stars. Stephen Fry produces. chers and Andreas Apergis. The Spotlight Pictures is screening Bitter company also screens Dave Schultz’s Harvest starring Max Irons, Samantha drama Considering Love And Other Barks, Barry Pepper and Terence Stamp. Magic, starring Eric McCormack and The romantic epic takes place against the Maddie Phillips. It is also debuting The backdrop of Stalin’s genocide of the Ardennes starring and Ukrainian population in the early 1930s. Nitro Rush animated Czech feature Pat & Mat. »

26 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

UNITED KINGDOM

By Andreas Wiseman

Embankment is launching sales at Cannes on Andy Serkis’s feature Breathe, which will star Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy. Gladiator writer William Nicholson scripts the drama about a handsome and brilliant man with his whole life ahead of him who is struck down by polio, leading to paralysis. Jonathan Cavendish (Elizabeth: The Golden Age) produces for The Imaginar- ium Studios. HanWay Films comes to market with fi rst footage of A Storm In The Stars, the English-language debut from Wadjda director Haifaa Al-Mansour starring Douglas Booth as the British poet Percy Journeyman Bysshe Shelley and as Frankenstein writer Mary Shelley. Protagonist is in town with fi rst-time writer-director Michael O’Shea’s The Transfi guration, which will have its world premiere in Un Certain Regard. The fi lm is produced by Susan Leber, whose cred- its include Sundance winner Down To The Bone, and was shot by Graceland cin- ematographer Sung Rae Cho. Bankside Films is tempting buyers with the drama Tiger Raid, about a pair of mercenaries who travel through the desert night to carry out a kidnapping in Iraq. Sofi a Boutella and Brian - son star. Altitude is hoping to repeat the suc- cess of Oscar winner Amy with another Old Boys music documentary biopic, this time addressing the life and career of Whit- Driver alongside Iranian actress ney . Marley director Kevin Golshifteh Farahani. Macdonald will take the reins of the as- Moviehouse will continue to talk to yet-untitled project, which the produc- buyers about comedy tion has promised will offer an drama Funny Cow, which is due to shoot unvarnished account of the late US sing- in October. Martin Freeman co-stars in er’s highs and lows. the fi lm, which has been snapped up by Cornerstone Films is showing a fi rst- eOne for the UK. look promo of Tyrannosaur director Meanwhile Independent is on the Paddy Considine’s sophomore feature Croisette with Jarmusch’s Iggy Pop docu- Journeyman in which the Bafta winner mentary Gimme Danger, which is a Mid- will play a champion fi ghter who begins night Screening. The film marks the to suffer from personality changes after a film-maker’s first documentary since devastating punch leaves him in a coma. 1997’s Year Of The Horse, about rockers Studiocanal is releasing in the UK. The Transfi guration Neil Young and Crazy Horse. WestEnd Films is in Cannes with the Celsius is hoping for deals on Isabel recently wrapped UK comedy Old Boys, coming-of-age drama about a 15-year- son Green of Harbinger Pictures is pro- Coixet’s drama The Bookshop, which is starring The Imitation Game actor Alex old boy who steals a bag of drug money ducing the story of a city teen who travels due to shoot later this year. Emily Mor- Lawther and César-nominated actress and runs away with the girl he loves, to Montana to go hunting with his timer and star in the Pauline Etienne, whose credits include while her corrupt cop father hunts them estranged father, only for the strained 1950s-set feature about a woman who The Nun and Eden. The take on Edmond down. stars alongside Josh trip to become a battle for survival when forges ahead with plans to open a book- Rostand’s Cyrano De Bergerac has a Wiggins, Sophie Nélisse and Colm Feore. they encounter a grizzly bear. shop in a small East Anglian town despite script by The Bad Education Movie co- Salt’s buzz title for the Croisette is K5 is shopping Competition entry Pat- polite but ruthless local opposition. writer Freddy Syborn. father-son survival drama Walking Out, erson directed by Jim Jarmusch. The story Goalpost Film is talking to buyers Mister Smith is on the Croisette with starring , Bill Pullman and of a bus driver and poet features Star about the third instalment in popular Directors’ Fortnight title Mean Dreams, a Josh Wiggins. The Help producer Brun- Wars: The Force Awakens actor Adam Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon comedy »

28 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com Cannes BUzz The Lowdown

GSP Studios is in Cannes with John Hurt and drama That Good Night, about a once-famous, termi- nally ill screenwriter in his 70s who has two final missions: to be reconciled with his son and to ensure he is not a burden to his wife. Making its Cannes bow on Carnaby’s slate is Mozart biopic Interlude In Prague, which has recently wrapped principal photography. James Purefoy, Aneurin Barnard and star in director John Stephenson’s story, which follows a few turbulent months in the life of Mozart that influenced the creation of his operatic masterpiece Don Giovanni. Parkland Pictures is talking to buyers about Despite The Falling Snow, starring , Charles Dance and Sam Reid. The completed Cold War-set romantic thriller follows a female spy We Go On who steals secrets from an idealistic poli- tician but falls in love with him, with The Trip, which sees the comedians take tragic consequences. their gentle bickering, ruminations on Among Starline Entertainment’s line- life and endless impersonations to Spain. up is contemporary Lawless Simon Crowe’s animation specialists Range, featuring Kris Kristofferson and SC Films is launching the animated ver- alongside Patrick John Flu- sion of Jack ’s White Fang. Now eger and Austin Nichols. The latter pair in pre-production, the project comes play Texan brothers whose family loyal- from French outfit Superprod, Luxem- ties are tested when one finds himself bourg’s Bidibul Productions and New indebted to a dangerous criminal. York-based . Alexandre Espig- 4 Square Films is in town with thriller ares, whose credits include Iron Man 3, B&B, the directorial debut of Trance co- Happy Feet 2 and : The Clone writer Joe Ahearne. Paul McGann, Tom Wars, will direct. Bateman and Sean Teale star in the story Fabien Westerhoff ’s recently launched of a gay couple who return to bait the Film Constellation is looking to book owner of a remote bed-and-breakfast deals on the drama Cross My Mind, star- one year after they successfully sued him ring Sally Hawkins and Jack Lowden.F ish Gimme Danger for not allowing them to share a bed. Tank producer Kees Kasander is on board Dogwoof is in Cannes with Life, Ani- for the story of a married woman who mated, director Roger Ross Williams’ falls for a temporarily blinded soldier. feature about an autistic boy and his The Works is talking to buyers about family who overcame great challenges by Loft director Erik Van Looy’s action turning Disney animated movies into a thriller The Prime Minister, which is in language. Williams won the 2010 docu- post-production. The English and Flem- mentary short Oscar; his new film ish-language feature centres on a terror- scooped the US Documentary directing ist kidnapping of the Belgian prime award at Sundance. minister who will be released on one Maura Ford of 7&7 will give a market condition: he must murder the man he screening to drama Away, starring Timo- has a meeting with later that day… who thy Spall and Juno Temple as kindred happens to be the US president. spirits who form an unlikely friendship. Metro International is in town with Jinga has boarded international rights Zoo, set to star Toby Jones, Penelope Wil- to Jackson Stewart’s fantasy horror ton and actor Art Par- Beyond The Gates starring Graham Skip- kinson. Produced by Wee Buns and Life, Animated per, Chase Williamson, Brea Grant and Ripple World, Zoo is about a 10-year-old Barbara Crampton who also produced. and his misfit friends who fight to save Alfie, who are whisked off to a mysteri- GFM is screening Simon West’s action Stewart co-wrote the screenplay with Buster the baby elephant during the Ger- ous island filled with strange and won- thriller Stratton for the first time to dis- Stephen Scarlata about two estranged man air-raids of Belfast in 1941. It will derful characters. tributors. Dominic Cooper plays a British brothers who come across a deadly start shooting in July. Timeless Films has a market premiere Special Boat Service commando who 1980s board game. Kaleidoscope comes to market with of animation Rock Dog, about a wide- has to track down an international ter- Genre specialist Devilworks’ slate animation project The Land Of Some- eyed Tibetan Mastiff who leaves home to rorist cell. includes Dennis Ho’s feature debut times, which will be voiced by Ewan fulfil his dream of becoming a musician, Metrodome is kicking off sales on A Better Place, which tells the story of a McGregor, David Walliams and Terry setting into motion a series of unexpected supernatural chiller We Go On starring young man who uses his abnormal Jones. Based on the audio-book series, events. Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard and JK Clark Freeman as a man looking for regenerative powers to heal people, the story follows the journey of Elise and Simmons are among the voice cast. proof of the afterlife. despite the cost to himself. »

30 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com Cannes BUzz The Lowdown

Below Her Mouth

Highlights of Studiocanal’s slate France include Ben Stassen’s family entertain- ment 3D title The Son Of Bigfoot, Cédric Klapisch’s vineyard drama Back To Bur- gundy and German comedy drama My By Melanie Goodfellow Blind Date With Life. It will also be look- ing to close final territories on Nicole launches sales on Michel Garcia’s Palme d’Or contender From The Hazanavicius’ Jean-Luc Godard biopic Land Of The Moon. Redoubtable, Arnaud Desplechin’s Les Buzz titles for Kinology include Fantomes d’Ismael, which is about a Xavier Gens’ sci-fi thrillerCold Skin, set director sent into a tailspin by an ex-lov- on an island on the edge of the Antarctic er’s return, and Gilles Bourdos’ family- Circle and shooting now in Lanzarote, ties drama Endangered Species. It also and Rebecca Zlotowski’s 1930s-set neo- debuts Michael R Roskam’s The Racer thriller Planetarium, co-starring Natalie And The Jailbird, starring Adele Exar- Portman and Lily-Rose Depp and cur- chopoulos and , rently in post-production. Sergei Loznitsa’s Dostoyevsky-inspired Daphne The Bureau Sales continues sales on A Gentle Creature and Andrey Zvyagint- Andrew Haigh’s , which sev’s Loveless. Cannes titles comprise d’Or contender Personal Shopper, Un Boon’s Raid Dingue, about a misogynis- shoots this summer, and will show first Palme d’Or contenders I, Daniel Blake, Certain Regard title Harmonium from tic elite police officer who is partnered promos for Peter Mackie Burns’ Lon- Staying Vertical, Graduation, The director Koji Fukada and Decalogue 5 with a hopeless female recruit. Pathé is don-set life-crisis drama Daphne. It is Demon and The Unknown Girl, Un Cer- and Decalogue 6 in Cannes Classics. also handling Milos ­Forman’s Valmont also selling Critics’ Week title Tramon- tain Regard entries After The Storm, The Elle Driver launches Below Her Mouth, in Cannes Classics. tane from Lebanon. Dancer and The Red Turtle, Raw in Crit- starring actress Natalie Krill and model Gaumont unveils C’est La Vie from Celluloid Dreams brings Lean On ics’ Week and Midnight Screening title Erika Linder as two women who embark Intouchables directorial duo Eric Pete, which it is co-selling with The Blood Father. on an unexpected weekend fling, Chris- Toledano and Olivier Nakache, an Bureau Sales, and will also continue Memento Films International will tian Volckman’s Olga Kurylenko-star- ensemble comedy set against the back- working on Sundance acquisition The introduce UK director Jonathan Eng- ring fantasy thriller The Room, Iraqi drop of a lavish wedding party, featuring Eagle Huntress. lish’s action thriller Dias, which revolves director Koutaiba Al-Janabi’s long-ges- Jean-Pierre Bacri, , Cercamon will private screen US around Athens’ elite motorbike force. tating war drama Daoud’s Winter and Kévin Azaïs, Suzanne Clément, Gilles director Tim Sutton’s Sundance hit The company is also handling Palme Greek director Alexandros Avranas’s Lellouche, Judith Chemla and Jean-Paul Dark Night and also launch sales on d’Or contenders Slack Bay and The thriller Love Me Not, about a couple Rouve. French comedy Journey To Greenland, Salesman. who take in a young female migrant to New titles for Alfama Films include screening in the ACID selection, and MK2 signed four projects on the eve act as a surrogate mother. The company Terry Gilliam’s rebooted The Man Who Romanian director Catalin Mitulescu’s of Cannes: Karim Moussaoui’s contem- is also ­selling Cristi Puiu’s Competition Killed Don Quixote. The company is also drama By The Rails, in post-production. porary Algerian drama The Nature Of entry ­Sieranevada. handling Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet’s Doc & Film brings Luc Bondy’s Les Time, Italian director Fulvio Risuleo’s Pathé International will present mid- Fool Moon (La Foret De Quinconces), Fausses Confidences, a screen adaptation Look Up, an adventure film that unfolds life crisis comedy Rock ’N’ Roll starring which premieres as a Special Screening. of his Paris stage production of Mari- on the rooftops of Rome, Robert Guédi- and , Luxbox launches sales on Bruno vaux’s famous love farce, co-starring Isa- guian’s The House By The Sea and San- Etienne Comar’s biopic Django Melodies Dumont’s Jeannette, a musical about the belle Huppert, and Bulle drine Bonnaire’s documentary about about legendary jazz guitarist Django childhood of Joan of Arc, and is also han- Ogier, and Marion Hansel’s sibling rap- 1960s icon Marianne Faithfull. The out- Reinhardt, Lisa Azuelos’ biopic Dalida, dling sales on Un Certain Regard title prochement drama Upstream. Cannes fit is also selling Olivier Assayas’ Palme about the tragic music diva, and Dany Apprentice. titles include Special Screenings Hissein »

32 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com Cannes BUzz The Lowdown

Corporate Guapo Siempre

Habré, A Chadian Tragedy by Mahamat- manager confronted with a ruthless cor- Saleh Haroun and Chouf by Karim Dridi, porate culture. It is also handling Critics’ and Directors’ Fortnight title The Lives Of Week opener In Bed With Victoria and Thérese by Sébastien Lifshitz. My Life As A Courgette in Directors’ SND will launch sales on Philippe de ­Fortnight. Chauveron’s culture-clash comedy Other Angle Pictures will world pre- Pleeeeeze, starring Christian Clavier as a miere ’s #The Jews, an explora- left-wing intellectual forced to practise tion of antisemitic clichés featuring an what he preaches and invite a Roma ensemble cast led by Dany Boon, Benoit family to live in his home. Poelvoorde and , Les Films Du Losange continues sales as well as feelgood drama The African on Michael Haneke’s upcoming Happy Doctor, about a brilliant Congolese End, about a bourgeois family oblivious ­doctor hired for a post in a northern to world events. Cannes titles comprise French town. Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen’s The TF1 International launches sales on Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Maki The Shadow Of Iris Jalil Lespert’s The Shadow Of Iris, star- (Un Certain Regard) and Cambodian ring as a mechanic director Davy Chou’s Diamond Island caught up in a deadly false kidnapping (Critics’ Week). plot, and will show first images of New titles for Alpha Violet include Lucien Jean-Baptiste’s He Even Has Your Japanese director Yoshiyuki Kishi’s Eyes, a comedy revolving around a thriller A Double Life, about a woman mixed-race French couple who are who randomly tails a man for her PhD, offered a white baby for adoption. and Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s upcom- New films forLe Pacte include Lucas ing Luxembourg. It also handles Shahr- Belvaux’s This Is Our Land, starring banoo Sadat’s Directors’ Fortnight title Emilie Dequenne as a small-town nurse Wolf And Sheep — the first time a female put forward as a candidate by a rising Afghan director has screened at Cannes nationalist party, and Arnaud Des Palli- — and A Yellow Bird in Critics’ Week. eres’ Orphan, co-starring Adele Haenel, Versatile will launch Richard Aujard’s Adele Exarchopoulos, documentary Guapo Siempre, about and Solene Rigot as four facets of a Mickey Rourke’s return to the boxing woman with a troubled past. It is also ring in 2014, and show a first trailer for handling a trio of Directors’ Fortnight Australian director Chris Peckover’s He Even Has Your Eyes titles: ’s After Love, Ale- suburbia-set home-invasion thriller Safe jandro Jodorowsky’s Endless Poetry and Neighborhood. Virzi’s road movie Like Crazy, which is World War drama Frantz, Kim Nguyen’s The Together Project — the final film of New sales company Alma — launched playing in Directors’ Fortnight. drama Eye On Juliet and Katell Quillévé- French-Icelandic director Solveig Ans- by CG Cinema and distributor Ad Vitam EuropaCorp continues sales on Luc ré’s The Heart. Cannes titles comprise pach, who died last summer — as well as on the eve of Cannes — kicks off sales on Besson’s ambitious sci-fi epic Valerian Palme d’Or contender Ma’ Rosa, Un Cer- 1980s Uganda-set drama Wrong Ele- its first acquisition, the Sundance Spe- And The City Of A Thousand Planets — tain Regard title The Stopover, about two ments, which is a Special Screening. cial Jury Prize winner As You Are. currently shooting in Paris for a July 21, female soldiers stationed in Afghanistan Pyramide International kicks off sales Bac Films is handling Romanian 2017 release — as well as Shut In, The on leave in Cyprus, and Rithy Panh’s on Sébastien Laudenbach’s Brothers director Bogdan Mirica’s Un Certain Lake and Miss Sloane, which are all in Exile, a counterpart to his 2013 The Grimm adaptation The Girl Without Regard title Dogs, about a man who dis- post-production. ­Missing Picture. Hands, ahead of its premiere in Competi- covers his late grandfather was a local Titles on the Films Distribution slate Indie Sales will unveil French drama tion at Annecy International Animation crime lord, and Italian film-maker Paolo include Francois Ozon’s post-First Corporate, about an ambitious young Film Festival. It is also selling Un Certain»

34 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

Regard title Clash by Egyptian director ing sales on Claire Simon’s The Gradua- Mohamed Diab. tion. It also brings We’ll Be Alright, about Reel Suspects launches sales on Mac- two women trying to escape an institu- edonian director Vardan Tozija’s crime tionalised life in , and handles drama Amok, about a gang of feral boys, Thanos Anastopoulos and Davide Del and is handling We Are The Flesh by Degan’s The Last Resort, which will pre- ’s Emiliano Rocha Minter, which miere as a Special Screening. screens as one of the Marché’s Blood New titles for WTFilms include Jean- Window galas. Claude Brisseau’s Tempting Devils, about Producer Saïd Ben Saïd’s SBS will a woman who embarks on an erotic kick off international sales on Pascal journey after discovering a lost mobile Bonitzer’s Right Here Right Now, about a phone, Spanish thriller The Cliff, about a young woman who discovers her high- promising young attorney investigating flying boss has intriguing links to her The Cliff the disappearance of his sister following father. Cannes titles comprise Palme her initiation into a sect, and the Mojave d’Or contenders Elle and Aquarius. Desert-set thriller Sam Was Here. Wide Management acquisitions Funny Balloons is handling Pablo include Shoja Azari’s New York-set Sim- Larrain’s Directors’ Fortnight title ple Little Lives, about nine old friends Neruda, starring Gael Garcia Bernal gathered for an all-night hog roast, and as the police chief given the task of hunt- Glory, about a railway worker who fi nds ing down Chilean statesman and poet a small fortune on a train. It is the latest Pablo Neruda. fi lm by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Val- Upcoming titles for UDI International chanov, the Bulgarian directors of the include abduction thriller Hounds Of award-winning The Lesson. The com- Love from Australia’s Ben Young, That pany is also handling Un Certain Regard Thing Called Love set against the back- title The Student by Russian director drop of Medellin from Colombia’s Carlos Kirill Serebrennikov. César Arbelaez, and Cannes habitué Pen- Sister company Wide House is launch- The Graduation ek Ratanaruang’s Samui Song. »

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36 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com Cannes BUzz The Lowdown

SPAIN

By Elisabet Cabeza

Film Factory Entertainment is introduc- ing two thrillers with strong Spanish casts. Toro, which opened Malaga Film Indivisible Festival in April, is the new film by rising talent Kike Maillo. It stars Mario Casas, drama Fiore, which is screening in Direc- Luis Tosar and Ingrid Garcia-Jonsson. tors’ Fortnight. The second is Alberto Rodriguez’s Adriana Chiesa Enterprises has a Marshland follow-up Smoke & Mirrors, market premiere for The Minister, a black which is in post-production. The crime comedy about an entrepreneur on the thriller, set in the world of Spanish poli- verge of bankruptcy. The company is also tics and the secret service, stars Jose Cor- selling Water And Sugar, a documentary onado and Eduard Fernandez. about Italian DoP Carlo Di Palma. Latido is showcasing the Spain-Argen- Minerva Pictures is launching sales on tina thriller At The End Of The Tunnel, Toro three new titles: Elisabetta Rocchetti’s which stars Leonardo Sbaraglia, Federico Il Velo Di Maya, Giulio Base’s My Dad Luppi and Clara Lago. Already released Spanish thrillers and horror films shot in and documentary AA Professione Attrice, in , it will be distributed by English for the international market, is about Italian actress Adriana Asti. Warner Bros in Spain. Latido is also han- selling The Malevolent, starring Mischa Italy FilmExport is talking to buyers about dling Rara, by Chilean director Pepa San Barton, which is in post-production. It is Stefano Amatucci’s Caina, which tackles Martin. This coming-of-age story arrives also in pre-production on Ravenous, star- Europe’s refugee crisis. The drama is in Cannes after a successful premiere at ring Tara Reid. US distribution of all By Gabriele Niola about an unlikeable man who clears ref- the Berlinale, where it won the best film titles on the Rebel Movies slate is han- ugee corpses from a beach. prize in the Generation KPlus section. dled by . Nascent Italian sales outfitTrue Colours Rome-based Fandango is screening Filmax International is in town with a Spanish sales outfitCinema Republic is launching sales on Paolo Genovese’s Daniele Vicari’s Sun Heart Love, the story slew of its own productions. These will be at the market with titles including box-office hitPerfect Strangers, a comedy of an enduring friendship between two include 100 Meters, a drama starring local I Am Your Father, a documentary by Toni about a group of friends whose secrets women. It also has Gary Numan: sensation , who made his Bestard and Marcos Cabota about David are revealed by text messages and phone Android In La La Land, a documentary name in box-office hitsSpanish Affair and Prowse, the man behind ’s calls. The company is also handling docu- directed by Steve Read about the influen- Spanish Affair 2. Jaume Balaguero’s Muse mask in the original . mentary Naples ’44, featuring a voiceover tial new-wave musician. is in pre-production and available to pre- The company will also handle a thriller by Benedict Cumberbatch, Edoardo De Open Reel is kickstarting sales on buy, while Antonio Chavarrias’ The Cho- set in the Spanish Civil War, The Exile, by Angelis’ Indivisible, a drama about Sia- Le Cancre, starring sen, about Trotsky’s assassin Ramon Arturo Ruiz Serrano. Both will have mar- mese twin sisters, and Andrea Molaioli’s and , which is screening Mercader, will be screening. ket screenings. Slam, based on Nick Hornby’s novel. out of competition at the festival. It is New sales outfitInside Content is in Canary Islands Connection will be Rai Com has international rights to also talking to buyers about The Bear Cannes with Inés Paris comedy The selling Isaki Lacuesta’s Dying Beyond Pericles The Black, which is in Un Certain Tales, the experimental directorial debut Night My Mother Killed My Father, which Their Means, a black comedy with an all- Regard. Produced by Valeria Golino and of Samuele Sestieri and Olmo Amato. won the audience award at Malaga Film star Spanish cast that includes Luis Tosar Riccardo Scamarcio, and co-produced by Intramovies is handling Miya Hatav’s Festival. It stars Belen Rueda, best and Emma Suarez. It also has Mauro the , it features Scama- Between Worlds, an Israeli drama about known for her role in The Orphanage, Herce’s Dead Slow Ahead, the documen- rcio in the title role as a mob enforcer try- two women who meet in a hospital, and and Eduard Fernandez. tary that won the Special Jury Prize at ing to escape his past. Rai Com is also The Missing Paper, an action drama Rebel Movies, which specialises in Locarno in 2015. handling Claudio Giovannesi’s romantic inspired by a real-life DC9 air disaster.

At The End Of The Tunnel Le Cancre »

38 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com CANNES BUZZ THE LOWDOWN

GERMANY

By Geoffrey Macnab

Sales powerhouse The Match Factory has a Cannes slate dominated by fi lms in official selection, among these Maren Ade’s Competition entry Toni Erdmann and the latest Marco Bellocchio feature Sweet Dreams, which is in Directors’ Fortnight. The company is also launch- ing Mani Haghighi’s drama A Dragon Arrives, Mehmet Can Mertoglu’s Albüm, Eran Kolirin’s Beyond The Mountains And Hills and Alessandro Comodin’s Happy Times Will Come Soon. Happy Times Will Come Soon Too Hard To Handle Beta Cinema has a strong family- driven slate in the Marché this year. feature, We Used To Be Cool, which is in Titles include Laura Lackmann’s Woody post-production. The film is a drama Allen-style tragicomedy Too Hard To about hip couples in their 30s who have Handle, Wolfgang Groos’s family drama to modify their lifestyles as the demands Rico, Oskar And The Broken Hearted and of responsibility kick in. Also new on the summer camp-set teen adventure Bibi & slate is Heart Of Stone, an adaptation of a Tina — Girls Vs Boys, directed by Detlev dark 1827 fairy tale directed by Johannes Buck. Beta is also presenting the Berli- Naber and starring Frederick Lau, nale Competition entry 24 Weeks as well Moritz Bleibtreu and Henriette Confu- as the Sundance winner and Berlinale rius. Another addition to the line-up, Panorama entry Sand Storm and the Florian Schnell’s feature debut Offl ine, Gothenburg Audience Award-winning delves into the world of online gaming. Welcome To Norway. Virgil Widrich’s Night Of A 1000 Hours, Munich-based Global Screen is begin- produced by Amour Fou Productions, is ning sales on its 3D animated feature in post. Bayala, from the producers of Niko And Berlin-based Films Boutique is intro- Dolores The Way To The Stars. Now in pre-pro- ducing buyers to its musical documen- duction, the fi lm is planned for delivery tary Kiki, which looks at a group of heady drama Fluid. The latter two are mation outfi t Walking The Dog. Based in late 2018/early 2019. It is also selling LGBTQ young people of colour who through its Raspberry & Cream label. on a popular children’s book, the mainly 3D animation The Journey Of The Ele- make up the so-called ‘Kiki’ scene. Philippe Bober’s The Coproduction live- features an animated phant Soliman and Esteban Crespo’s Family specialist Sola Media is han- Offi ce is beginning sales on Ruben Öst- character, Robby the Robot. It will be intense drama Amar. dling Iqbal And The Secret Recipe, about a lund’s new feature, a dark social satire released by Studiocanal in German cine- Aktis is handling pre-sales in Cannes boy who blows up his school with a ran- called The Square. Casting is underway mas at the end of this year. Arri is also on Ursus — The Caucasian Bear by Otar domly brewed explosive during chemis- and Danish editor Jacob Secher Schuls- presenting footage of its animated fea- Shamatava. Now in production, this try class, and a new animated feature inger will collaborate with Östlund for ture Ploey — You Never Fly Alone. Ukraine-Georgia-Germany-Bulgaria co- called Latte And The Magic Waterstone. the third time. Atlas is handling Belgian director production will be ready by the end of Media Luna is giving a first market Arri Media has taken international Geoffrey Enthoven’s latest feature, the year. Aktis is also pre-selling Compat- screening to its thriller Dolores, directed rights on family feature Robby & Toby’s Brother, starring Koen De Bouw. The ibility by Stephan Komandarev, which is by Michael Rösel and starring Franziska Fantastic Voyager, produced by German company is also introducing to buyers in pre-production. The drama, set Petri. company Wüste Film and Belgian ani- Ken Duken’s drama Berlin Falling. over a single day, looks at life-and- M-Appeal has a raft of new death events from the perspec- projects including Maria tives of six Sofi a taxi drivers. Govan’s Play The Devil and Picture Tree International’s Bradley Liew’s Singing In Grave- Marché highlights include Dieter yards. Jakob M Erwa’s Berner’s Egon Schiele — Death Center Of My World is the And The Maiden, now in post- third feature by the production, and Austria-Czech German director of Republic collaboration Code- Home Sick, which name Holec, a Cold War spy screened in Berlin story directed by Franz last year. M-Appeal Novotny. The com- is also presenting pany is also intro- Lipstick Under My ducing Marie Burka, Bruce Kreutzer’s third LaBruce’s feminist terrorist saga The (Right) Robby & Toby’s Misandrists and Fantastic Voyager Shu Lea Cheang’s Egon Schiele — Death And The Maiden »

40 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com Cannes BUzz The Lowdown

NORDIC REGION REST OF THE WORLD

By Wendy Mitchell By Geoffrey Macnab

TrustNordisk is introducing The Ash Lad Iranian animator Ali Noori Oskouie’s long — In The Hall Of The Mountain King, a gestating Release From Heaven is nearing fairy-tale adventure from director Mikkel completion and is represented by Arme- Braenne Sandemose, now in pre-produc- nia-based Stunning Media. The company tion. In production is Small Town Killers, is also handling $22m The Whale Boy, Ole Bornedal’s Danish black comedy now in pre-production. starring Ulrich Thomsen and Nicolas Austrian outfitTerra Mater is present- Bro. Further titles on the slate include ing thriller Mission & Mercy, about a hit- Nicolo Donato’s Across The Waters, Saara man hired to kill eight people, seemingly Cantell’s Devil’s Bride, Benjamin Ree’s Small Town Killers without motive, which is in development. Magnus, Erik Skjoldbjaerg’s thriller Pyro- It also has comedy Out Of This World, maniac, Jesper W Nielsen’s The Day Will about an expedition to evacuate endan- Come, Vibeke Idsoe’s The Lion Woman, gered rhinos. Vienna-based Eastwest Dis- Lisa Ohlin’s Walk With Me and Peter tribution is selling the genre picture, Schonau Fog’s You Disappear. And Lars Attack Of The Lederhosenzombies, and von Trier is in development on his Eng- dino-rock family comedy Heavysaurs. lish-language feature The House That Austrian docs specialist Autlook is giv- Jack Built, which shoots later this year. ing a first market screening to insect Tine Klint’s LevelK is introducing a documentary Bugs, by Danish director promo of Norwegian title Cave, which is Andreas Johnsen. It follows two chefs in post. Rising Norwegian talent Henrik who investigate the culinary possibilities Martin Dahlsbakken directs the action of insects. Autlook is also introducing Big thriller. A sequel is already in pre-produc- Time, about architect Bjarke Ingels’ tion. LevelK is also selling three finished struggles to complete his New York sky- films:Tribeca selection Parents by Den- In The Forest Of Huckybucky Bugs scrapers. The company is also handling Olympic Pride: American Prejudice, about the African-American athletes who com- peted in the 1936 Olympics. From Russia, Wizart is continuing its sales drive on Sheep & Wolves and The Snow Queen 3. Raisa Fomina’s Moscow- based arthouse specialist Intercinema is introducing Aleksei Muradov’s drama Triptych to buyers. Meanwhile, Central Partnership is screening thriller The Crew and mixed martial arts drama Versus. Netherlands’ Dutch Features is holding a market premiere of Joram Lursen’s lav- ish period drama A Noble Intention (previ- The Look Of A Killer Triptych ously Public Works) from Topkapi Films and of two features by other notable mark’s Christian Tafdrup; Czech-Slovak Dutch directors: Ben Sombogaart’s In My drama The Teacher by Jan Hrebejk; and Father’s Garden and Erik de Bruyn’sHope . HotDocs-winning documentary Brothers Fellow Dutch outfit Mountain Road by Aslaug Holm. has children’s movies including Sniff And SF Studios (formerly Svensk) has mar- The Secret Garbage Dump, a coming-of- ket debuts for Borning 2 — On Ice, the car- age story about five young friends and racing sequel now in production; their dog, Sniff. Mountain Road is also Norwegian animation In The Forest Of handling Love At Second Sight, a roman- Huckybucky from Rasmus A Sivertsen; tic comedy about a young advertising and Supervention — Skiing On The Edge, a executive who uses social media to trawl winter sports documentary now in post. back through past love affairs. Other titles are local Swedish hit A Holy Australian outfitOdin’s Eye is screen- Mess and family filmSiv Sleeps Astray. ing of 3D animated family Michael Werner’s Stockholm-based adventure Throne Of Elves, a big-budget Eyewell has Estonian drama 1944 China-US co-production. The company directed by Elmo Nüganen; Finnish also brings a 3D animated feature from crime thriller The Look Of A Killer China, Foodiverse. Meanwhile, Odin’s Eye directed by Lauri Nurkse; and Swedish will hold a screening of epic western The action adventure Zone 261 — Operation Legend Of Ben Hall, written and directed Ragnarok, directed by Fredrik Hiller. Release From Heaven by Matthew Holmes. ns

42 Screen International at Cannes May 11, 2016 www.screendaily.com