CPH:DOX-Bound Anti-Deforestation Doc ‘Once Upon a Time in a Forest’ Lands at Autlook Film Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent In one of the most anticipated keynotes at Series Mania Festival, JB Perrette, president/CEO of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery, dropped the launch date for Max across the first nine European countries on May 21.

Disney+ unveiled new originals out of France, Germany and Spain at Series Mania, with period drama and a pair of true crime projects added to a 70-part Spanish novella that will be stripped through the week.

The hummingbirds of Every Little Thing are migrating from North America to Europe. Sally Aikten’s film about the extraordinary avian aerialists and a Los Angeles woman who tends to injured hummingbirds is making its European premiere at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, after initially hovering over Sundance.

Marta Balaga Be afraid, be very afraid: Finnish mystery thriller “Icebreaker” has just revealed exclusive first-look photos. Set on a stranded icebreaker, it sees coast guard Sanna Tanner (Jessica Grabowsky) leading a rescue team. She comes across a group of survivors – and a frozen body – but over the course of six days, crew members start to disappear.

The story shocked the world 10 years ago: the Copenhagen Zoo’s decision to euthanize a healthy two-year-old giraffe named Marius because they considered it a “surplus animal.” CNN reported on it. So did Le Monde in France, the U.K.’s Guardian and The Independent, and the Irish Times.

Marta Balaga “All and Eva,” starring “Annihilation’s” Tuva Novotny, has been acquired by Australia’s SBS, EITB, the Basque Country public broadcaster in Spain, and Vodafone TV in Greece, ahead of its SeriesMania premiere. “We are extremely excited about the fast-growing global buzz around this charming dramedy and thrilled for many more markets to come on board, once they see this fresh and captivating take,” noted Vanda Rapti, Viaplay Group EVP, Viaplay Select & Content Distribution. The new series – created, written and directed by Johanna Runevad – accompanies Eva (Novotny) on her way to Copenhagen to obtain sperm from a donor.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Academy Award-winning producer Daniel Dreifuss (“All Quiet on the Western Front”) has boarded “Red Men,” the latest feature from Mexico’s Hari Sama, best known for his lauded autobiographical pic “This is not Berlin,” which world premiered at Sundance in 2019. Described as an “edgy and provocative coming-of-age story” about the life of Austrian expressionist painter Egon Schiele, “Red Men” hones in on Schiele’s role in reshaping European aesthetics through his intimate relationship with lover and muse, Dominik Van Osen.

Marta Balaga Finnish comedy “Money Shot,” about an ex-porn star venturing out of her comfort zone, is heading to Canneseries. Sari, now in her forties, gets fired from her last role. Forced to find a new way to make a living, she teams up with Linnea – an aspiring director who struggles to get into film school.

Lise Pedersen Berlin-based Rise and Shine World Sales has picked up the rights for “E.1027 – Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea,” which is vying for the top Dox:Award at Copenhagen’s CPH:DOX, one of Europe’s leading documentary festivals. Variety is debuting the trailer and poster, below.

ZDF Latest To ‘Race Across The World‘

Annika Pham U.S. content management, financing and sales banner Cinetic Media has secured world rights to the life affirming doc “Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other,” about legendary photographer Joel Meyerowitz and his wife, artist and author Maggie Barrett. Rising filmmaking duo Manon Ouimet and Jacob Perlmutter of London-based Manon et Jacob are making their documentary debut, with Ouimet serving as producer alongside multi-Oscar nominated Danish producer Signe Byrge Sørensen of Final Cut Four Real (“Flee,” “The Look of Silence,” “The Act of Killing”).

It was a record-breaking night for Manchester City on Wednesday as they brushed Copenhagen aside to progress into the Champions League quarter-finals.

Kings Of Leon have opened up about the first time they heard their track ‘Sex On Fire’ on the radio.While appearing in a new interview with USA Today‘s Ralphie Aversa in support of their latest track ‘Mustang’ and their forthcoming album ‘Can We Please Have Fun’, Kings Of Leon – comprised of Caleb, Jared, Nathan and Matthew Followill – opened up about their 2008 hit ‘Sex On Fire’.“I remember I was at a Mexican restaurant with my wife, we were having like a tortilla soup and margaritas, and I think Andy our manager called me and said ‘Hey, there’s an interview we need you to do like right now’,” recalled Caleb.He continued: “I picked up the phone and it was Zane Lowe and he was debuting ‘Sex On Fire’. When he introduced the song, even like hearing it over the phone, I was like ‘Oh man, this does feel different’.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Seriesmakers, a joint initiative of Series Mania, Europe’s biggest TV festival, and European film-TV powerhouse Beta Group, has revealed the 10 top-notch project lineup of the second edition of its novel and high-powered mentoring program for filmmakers making their TV creator debut. This year’s Seriesmakers features in development drama series from Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald (“George Blake”), behind “The Last King Of Scotland,” and from Finnish director Mikko Myllylahti, who burst onto the scene co-writing with Juho Kuosmanen the latter’s “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Makki,” a 2016 Cannes Un Certain Regard winner.

Comedian Michael McIntyre has had to cancel a gig at the last minute due to an unexpected surgery.The 48 year old is currently on his world tour, named Magnificent, which has already taken him across the globe over the past year and is set to continue until the beginning of September. He's already performed in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Asia, New Zealand, the UAE, the USA and parts of Europe, and also still has shows lined up in the UK, Ireland and other European countries like Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden.

Annika Pham Danish sales outfit DR Sales, attached to the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning doc “A New Kind of Wilderness,” has boarded another high-quality Norwegian documentary – “Phantoms of the Sierra Madre” by the multi-awarded Håvard Bustnes (“Raging Grannies,” “Golden Dawn Girls”). The epic and self-reflective film, made in partnership with the Mescalero Apache Tribe, is due to world premiere in the main DOX:Award competition of Copenhagen’s CPH:DOX festival, running March 13-24. Bustnes, Christian Aune Falch and Torstein Parelius are producing for Norway’s Upnorth Film, in co-production with Finland’s Napa Films.

Annika Pham Taskovski Films has acquired world rights to the Danish doc “Daughter of Genghis,” produced by “The Lost Leonardo’s” Andreas Dalsgaard for Elk Film. The debut feature of award-winning photo-journalists Kristoffer Juel Poulsen and Christian Als will world premiere in the F:ACT competition section of the leading international documentary festival CPH:DOX in Copenhagen.

EXCLUSIVE: SkyShowtime‘s drama original Codename: Annika is taking its art crime sensibilities around the world.

Emiliano De Pablos U.K.-based distributor DCD Rights has pre-sold the fourth season of New Zealand’s mystery drama “My Life Is Murder” to a raft of territories ahead of its Feb. 27 official launch at the London Screenings. Starring Lucy Lawless (“Top of the Lake,” “Spartacus,” “Xena: Warrior Princess”), the series’ brand new season rights have been secured by YLE Finland, TV2 Denmark, Quebecor Content Canada and Yes DBS Israel.

Marta Balaga Amsterdam-based Big Blue is set to produce the upcoming series “Kiss My Feet,” alongside Finnish company Helsinki-filmi. Selected for Series Mania’s Forum Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, the six-episode drama is created by Daan Gielis and Mark Van De Grift, loosely based on their own experiences. In the show, successful marketer Max finds himself in a spiritual community in Finland, trying to help out his brother Lucas – apparently, his mysterious guru is interested in building an international brand.