Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Dahomey,” the Berlinale Golden Bear-winning film helmed by French-Senegalese director Mati Diop, has been sold to a raft of international territories by Les Films du Losange. Along with being acquired by Mubi in key markets, “Dahomey” has been acquired in Australia & New Zealand (Rialto), China (Hugoeast), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), Greece (One From the Heart), Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainement), Benelux (Cinéart), Bulgaria (Beta Films), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary (Mozinet), Czech Republic (Film Europe), Romania (Voodoo), Baltic Countries (Taip Toliau), Poland (New Horizons), Ukraine (Kyivmusicfilm), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Indonesia (PT Falcon) and Sudu Connexion in Africa.
Bruno Dumont’s Berlinale Prizewinner ‘The Empire’ Finds North American Distribution With Kino Lorber (EXCLUSIVE)
07.03.2024 - 16:31 / variety.com
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Kino Lorber has acquired North American distribution rights to Bruno Dumont’s “The Empire,” a sci-fi satire starring Anamaria Vartolomei (“Happening”), Camille Cottin (“Call My Agent!”), Lyna Khoudri (“The Three Musketeers”) and Fabrice Luchini. “The Empire” just world premiered in competition at the Berlin Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear Jury Prize.
The movie marks Dumont’s follow up to “France,” a dark comedy starring Léa Seydoux which competed at the Cannes Film Festival. Kino Lorber is planning a theatrical release later this year, followed by a home video, educational and digital release on all major platforms.
The acquisition of “The Empire” marks the sixth time that Kino Lorber has collaborated with Dumont, with previous releases including “Li’l Quinquin,” “Coincoin and the Extra-Humans,” “Slack Bay,” “Camille Claudel 1915” and, most recently, “France.” The film is set in a quiet and picturesque fishing village in Northern France, where a special baby is born — a child so unique and peculiar that it unleashes a secret war between extraterrestrial forces of good and evil. In an attempt to restore their empires, two opposing forces from the depths of outer space, One and Zero, unleash an apocalyptic conflict on Earth.
“We’re exhilarated to board Bruno’s latest excursion into the cinematic future,” said Richard Lorber, chairman and CEO of Kino Lorber. “He pulls off new risks in ‘The Empire’ with philosophical wit and visual glee, inventing his own brand of special effects to make for stunts like no other.” He continued, “Being a cinephile in the Dumont-osphere has never been so much fun, and our whole Kino Lorber gang is going into space training to navigate with
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‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Nears $300M Global; ‘Dune 2’ Closing In On $600M; ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ Traps $16M+ In Phase 1 Overseas Bow – International Box Office
Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 had a rock ‘em sock ‘em weekend at the international box office, adding $55.3M from 69 markets for a $135M overseas running cume, and $268.2M global (there are several key markets still to release, including France, Australia, the UK and Korea).
Zack, Deborah & Eli Snyder Behind French Foreign Legion Action Series ‘Until The Last One’; AGC Launching Hot TV Package During Series Mania
EXCLUSIVE: AGC Television is dropping a hot TV project into this week’s Series Mania market in Lille.
‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ Debuts Trailer Ahead of Visions du Réel Premiere, Filmotor Handling Sales (EXCLUSIVE)
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Belgian filmmaker Sofie Benoot‘s “Apple Cider Vinegar,” which has its world premiere in the International Competition section of Visions du Réel, has been picked up for world sales by Filmotor. The trailer and poster are being released exclusively by Variety. The film is narrated by actor Sian Phillips, who appeared in “I, Claudius” and David Lynch’s “Dune,” and is a veteran nature documentary narrator.
Netflix Orders Isabelle Adjani Thriller Series From France, Famke Janssen Crime Series From Netherlands
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent While at Series Mania Festival, Larry Tanz, Netflix‘s VP of EMEA Content, unveiled ambitious new shows commissioned from France and the Netherlands, including an untitled thriller series starring Isabelle Adjani, and “Amsterdam Empire,” a Dutch crime series starring and executive produced by Famke Janssen. The untitled French thriller series revolves around a young mother on the run finds an unexpected opportunity to bounce back by becoming a picker in a prestigious flower farm in Provence. But the mysterious death of the family patriarch of the company casts her under the spotlight as the prime suspect.
Spanish Sales Outfit Begin Again Films Teams With Industry Vet Rosa Bosch & Adds Berlinale Title ‘The Human Hibernation’ To International Slate
Veteran producer and sales agent Rosa Bosch has joined the Madrid-based distributor and international sales agency Begin Again Films. Bosch will serve as part of the company’s international department.
‘#LookAtMe,’ Film Denied Exhibition in Singapore, Lands U.S. Distribution with Buffalo 8 (EXCLUSIVE)
Naman Ramachandran Ken Kwek’s acclaimed Singaporean film “#LookAtMe” has secured North American distribution with Buffalo 8. The deal is exclusive for the North American territory and non-exclusive for the rest of the world. The film is a tragicomedy following the family of a teenage YouTuber who posts an irreverent video lampooning a megachurch pastor in defense of his gay twin brother.
The CW, Stan, Roku & Jeff Wachtel Team For Comedic Procedural ‘Good Cop/Bad Cop’ Starring Leighton Meester
EXCLUSIVE: The CW, Roku and Australia‘s Stan are working up Good Cop/Bad Cop, a comedic crime procedural The CW with Jeff Wachtel’s Future Shack Entertainment.
Pakistan Oscar Entry, Cannes Title ‘In Flames,’ Unveils Trailer Ahead of North American Theatrical Release (EXCLUSIVE)
Naman Ramachandran Zarrar Kahn‘s acclaimed psychological thriller film “In Flames” has unveiled a trailer ahead of its North American theatrical release. The film bowed at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 2023 and played at several global festivals including Toronto, Pingyao and Red Sea, where it won the top prize. It was Pakistan‘s entry to the Oscars’ international category.
‘The Taste of Things,’ ‘Exhuma’ to Bookend Debut Edition of India’s Cinevesture Film Festival
Naman Ramachandran India premieres of France’s “The Taste of Things” and Korea’s “Exhuma” will open and close respectively the first edition of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival. Tran Anh Hung won best director at Cannes 2023 for “The Taste of Things,” which was subsequently submitted as France’s official entry to the Oscars’ international feature category.
Hong Kong Film Festival to Open With Ray Yeung’s ‘All Shall Be Well,’ Close With Japanese Charmer ‘All the Long Nights’
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief This month’s Hong Kong International Film Festival will showcase over 190 films from 62 countries and regions, including five world premieres, and 64 Asian premieres. Running 12 days (March 28 – April 8), the festival will open with the Asian premiere of local director Ray Yeung’s “All Shall Be Well,” which won the Teddy Award at the recent Berlin festival.
Metrograph Pictures Strikes North America Deal With Charades For Jérémy Clapin’s Berlinale Sci-Fi Movie ‘Meanwhile On Earth’
EXCLUSIVE: New York-based distributor Metrograph Pictures has acquired North American rights to French director Jérémy Clapin’s sci-fi drama Meanwhile on Earth following its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Panorama section last month.
Tyla Cancels North American Tour Due to ‘Injury That Has Tragically Worsened’
Steven J. Horowitz Senior Music Writer Tyla has canceled her upcoming North American tour, citing a longstanding injury that has worsened over time. The South African singer, who rose to prominence last year with her single “Water,” was scheduled to kick off her Tyla Tour on March 21 in Oslo, Norway, with eight international dates on the itinerary before she intended to swing back Stateside.
‘Immortals,’ About Iraqi Anti-Government Protestors, Boarded by Cat&Docs: ‘Young People Were Crying for Visibility’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Lise Pedersen Paris-based outfit Cat&Docs has acquired world sales for “Immortals,” the sophomore feature film by Swiss director Maja Tschumi (“Rotzloch”), which will compete in the main competition at leading European documentary festival CPH:DOX. “We’re excited to bring this exceptional and important documentary to the international market.
Vietnam’s ‘A Fragile Flower’ Heads for U.S. Theatrical Release – Global Bulletin
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Atlas Distribution Company, a U.S. indie distributor, has set Vietnamese-American co-production film “A Fragile Flower” on course for a theatrical release in the U.S. Produced by the duo Mai Thu Huyen and Jacqueline Thu Thao, the romantic musical drama, with a screenplay by Vietnamese singing sensation Nhat Ha, is set debut from Mar.
Berlin Competition Entry ‘From Hilde, With Love’ Travels Across Europe, to Australia, New Zealand for Beta Cinema (EXCLUSIVE)
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Following its world premiere in the competition section of the Berlin Film Festival, Beta Cinema has revealed first sales across Europe and to Australia and New Zealand for Andreas Dresen’s “From Hilde, With Love.” The drama about anti-Nazi activists in Berlin, which is led by “Babylon Berlin’s” Liv Lisa Fries and introduces Johannes Hegemann in his first big screen appearance, will be released in France by Haut et Court, in Italy by Teodora and throughout Scandinavia by Angel Films. Beta Cinema also closed deals for Benelux (September Film), Portugal (Outsider), former Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary (Cirko) and Czech Republic (Film Europe). Palace Film picked up the film for Australia and New Zealand.
‘Babylon Berlin’ Finds New U.S. Home On Newly-Merged MHz Choice & Topic Streaming Platform
Babylon Berlin has landed a new U.S. home on a newly-merged streaming service created as Kino Lorber’s MHz Choice and Topic combine.
Epic Chess Show ‘Rematch,’ Bought by HBO Europe and Disney+, Sets New Milestone for French Banner Unité and Federation Studios (EXCLUSIVE)
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent A rare flagship indie producer left on the French market, Bruno Nahon‘s Paris-based company Unité is preparing to conquer international audiences with “Rematch,” a period psychological thriller chronicling the historical battle between world chess champion Garry Kasparov (Christian Cooke, “That Dirty Black Bag”), and IBM’s supercomputer Deep Blue in 1997. The sprawling show, directed by Yan England (“The Red Band Society”) and co-created with Nahon and André Gulluni (“Sam”), was commissioned by Arte in France and has already been sold by Federation Studios to major outlets around the world, including HBO Europe for Spain, Portugal, the Nordics, Iceland, Baltics, Central Europe, Greece and the Netherlands.
Ross and Rocky Lynch of the Driver Era Plot North American Tour (EXCLUSIVE)
Thania Garcia Los Angeles-based duo the Driver Era is hitting the road for a 17-city tour across North America. With over three albums to date, brothers Ross and Rocky Lynch will again begin touring on April 2 in Pittsburgh’s Roxian Theatre and hit venues in New York, New Jersey, Quebec and more before wrapping in Toronto on May 8.
Berlinale Competition Titles ‘Dying’ and ‘Architecton’ Score Multiple Deals With the Match Factory
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Match Factory has revealed multiple distribution deals for two Berlinale competition titles: German director Matthias Glasner‘s “Dying,” which won the festival’s Silver Bear for best screenplay, and Russian director Victor Kossakovsky‘s documentary “Architecton.” “Dying,” which stars Lars Eidinger, Lilith Stangenberg and Corinna Harfouch, also picked up the Guild of German Arthouse Cinemas and the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award. Variety‘s review describes the film as “a profoundly affecting exploration of life and loss.” The Match Factory closed deals for the film in France (Bodega Film), Italy (Satine Film), Benelux (September Film Distribution), Norway (Selmer Media), Poland (Aurora), CIS (Provzglyad), Ex-Yugoslavia (MCF MegaCom Film), Hungary (Cirko Films), Greece (Cinobo), Romania (Freealize), Taiwan (Andrews Film) and South Korea (Pancinema).