Charades Closes Major Sales on Annecy-Bound ‘Even Mice Belong to Heaven’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Bruno Fernandes is now recognised as one of the best midfielders in the world. Despite his tepid start to Euro 2020 with Portugal, the Manchester United's man quality is undeniable, especially after his sensational start to life with the Red Devils.

Charades Films has boarded Carlota Pereda’s rural thriller “Piggy” (“Cerdita”), one of the most awaited feature debuts of the year from Spain.Written and directed by Pereda, “Piggy” is produced by Morena Films and France’s Backup Media, the outfit behind “Still Alice,” “Submergence” and Ari Folman’s Cannes entry “Where Is Anne Frank.” Charades will handle world sales rights on “Piggy,” while Filmax, a frequent backer of first time directors, will distribute the film in Spain.Starring Laura

Will Thorne Staff WriterSaban Films has made another major step in its global distribution push.Ahead of the Cannes film festival, the North American-based company has unveiled new distribution deals with partners across 11 territories, with a view to acquiring product in the Cannes market.The fresh set of pacts in question are with Splendid in Austria and Germany, ACE Entertainment in France, Mis.Label in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland, Key2Media in Spain, and Defiant Screen

Ann-Marie Corvin Barcelona-based producer distributor Filmax has snagged the Spanish and international rights to Carlota González-Adrio’s debut thriller “The House Among the Cactuses.”Currently in post-production, the film is based on Paul Pen’s U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: Downton Abbey and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel star Penelope Wilton is joining Oscar winner Jim Broadbent (Iris) in Hettie Macdonald’s (Normal People) upcoming feature The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

Emilio Mayorga Antonio Pérez‘ Seville-based Maestranza Films, producer of Benito Zambrano’s “Solas” and “The Sleeping Voice”), and Kiko Martinez Madrid-based Nadie Es Perfecto, the company behind Álex de la Iglesia’s “The Bar,” have teamed to co-produce a remake of Bigas Luna’s cult horror modern classic “Anguish” (1987).Spain-born but based in Los Angeles, Spanish director F. Javier Gutiérrez is attached to direct.

Emilio Mayorga Spain’s Mago Production will produce the animated TV series “Polinopolis” in co-production with France’s Godo Films and Mexico’s Apapacho Films. Barcelona-based Goldbee will handle international sales.Also co-producing are public broadcasters TVE and TVC in  Spain, as well as Argentine state kids channel Pakapaka, and the Catalan Institute of Cultural Companies (ICEC).

Oscar nominees Emily Watson and Richard E. Grant have been set to star in director Jason Wingard’s romantic comedy Fado! from a script by Andrea Mann. Global sales agent Protagonist Pictures will introduce the project to buyers at the upcoming Cannes Market.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Julia’s Eyes” helmer Guillem Morales is readying 1980s-set psychological thriller “Brother,” with WestEnd Films set to launch sales at the Cannes virtual market later this month.Morales, one of Spain’s top genre auteurs, is best known for 2010 Spanish horror “Julia’s Eyes” (pictured), which was produced by Guillermo del Toro. The director recently won a BAFTA for his work on the hit BBC dark comedy anthology series “Inside No.

Emilio Mayorga “Disposable,” “Ghost Bros” and “Olivia and the Shadows” feature among projects to be pitched from Monday June 14 at at an Ibero-American Animation Focus held at Annecy’s Mifa market and backed by Argentina’s Ventana Sur section Animation!, Spain’s Quirino Awards and Mexico’s Pixelatl festival.Projects’ slate includes two features, two TV series and a short.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentSuperights, the upscale distribution arm of France’s Superprod Group, a co-producer on Tomm Moore’s Academy Award-nominated “Song of the Sea,” has licensed international rights to three new series, securing properties produced out of France, Spain, Belgium and Switzerland.The acquisition marks the latest move from Superprod, founded in 2010 by Jérémie Fajner and Clément Calvet, which has made its name producing both animated series (“Pat the Dog,”

Anna Marie de la Fuente Leading Barcelona production-distribution company Filmax has picked up the international rights to “Ama,” the directorial debut of Spain’s Julia de Paz Solvas. The mother-daughter drama bowed at Spain’s 24th Malaga Film Festival this week, where it plays in official competition.

Naman Ramachandran Pan Nalin’s “The Last Film Show,” (aka “Chhello Show”) which opens Tribeca’s Spotlight section on June 10, has attracted buyers around the world, ahead of its world premiere.Neue Visionen has acquired the film for Germany, Karma Films for Spain, Shochiku for Japan, Red Cape and Nachson for Israel and Nos Lusomundo for Portugal.Nalin is known for his eclectic, and visually striking, body of work including “Samsara,” “Valley of Flowers” and “Angry Indian Goddesses.”The partly

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentProducer of HBO Max hit “Veneno,” Spain’s Buendía Estudios, a joint venture of Atresmedia and Movistar Plus, is now developing a series on Federico García Lorca, Spain’s greatest and best known modern poet, executed by dictator Francisco Franco supporters in 1936 for his left-wing views and homosexuality.Currently in development, “Lorca in New York,” a six hour miniseries, is based on an original idea by Granada writer-producer Eduardo Galdo.