Indie Sales Boards Family Animation Sequel ‘Richard The Stork 2’ – AFM (EXCLUSIVE)

Christopher Vourlias Blue Monday Productions has boarded “Cora,” the feature directorial debut of visual artist and filmmaker Evi Kalogiropoulou, which was awarded at the Rotterdam Film Festival’s CineMart and the Cannes Cinefondation’s Atelier earlier this year.“Cora” is the story of two working-class women fighting for freedom and their own identity against a dystopian patriarchal society.

Naman Ramachandran “The Crown” actor Derek Jacobi has boarded David Bartlett’s short film “Mousie” as executive producer, Variety can exclusively reveal. The film, which is produced by Will Poole (“Waffle the Wonder Dog”), tells the story of a seven-year-old Roma girl who seeks sanctuary from the Nazis in a decaying Weimar Cabaret Club.“’Mousie’ is such a beautiful film – original, heartbreaking, yet also uplifting,” says Jacobi, who played the Duke of Windsor in Netflix’s royal series.

Davide Abbatescianni Swiss sales outfit Lightdox has acquired “Museum of the Revolution,” the feature debut of U.S.-based, Serbian director Srđan Keča, ahead of its world premiere in IDFA’s Luminous strand, Variety has learned.The documentary is set in Belgrade, where, in 1961, there were plans to build a grand museum as a tribute to Socialist Yugoslavia. Meant to “safeguard the truth” about the Yugoslav people, the plan never got beyond the construction of the basement.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Giancarlo Nasi’s Quijote Films, one of the lead producers of Chile’s current Oscar entry “White on White,” has closed a co-production deal with France’s Les Valseurs at the American Film Market for “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo,” the first feature from Diego Cespedes, the Cannes Festival’s 2018 Cinefondation first prize winner.Mexico’s Varios Lobos, led by Pablo Zimbron, is also a co-producer.In addition, the pact includes the financing and co-production of a

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorMickey Rourke is joining the cast of action movie “Section Eight.” Sales agent The Exchange is introducing the movie to international buyers during the virtual American Film Market, which wraps Friday.The cast also includes actors Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins, Ryan Kwanten, Dermot Mulroney, and Blue October’s lead singer Justin Furstenfeld, as previously announced.The movie is the story of a former soldier who, after avenging the murder of his

Mel Gibson has come onboard to star in the fantasy-adventure, Boys of Summer, written by Cornelius Uliano and Bryan Schulz. Mason Thames is also on board. David Henrie will direct.

Lea Michele stayed quiet about her health struggles while pregnant with her son, Ever. The 35-year-old actress and singer opened up to ET about her private struggles as she and her husband, Zandy Reich, tried to conceive and then worked through her difficult pregnancy on her way to welcoming their son, who turned one in August. «I had a really intense pregnancy, I had a very intense journey of trying to get pregnant,» Michele told ET.

In 2016, Gareth Jennings introduced audiences to koala Buster Moon and the rest of Calatonia’s animals in “Sing.” In that film, Buster puts on a singing competition for the ages to save his struggling venue and inspire some musical dreams in the process. READ MORE: ‘Sing 2’ Trailer: Buster Moon & Friends Have More Songs For Audiences In December Now, in “Sing 2,” the stakes are that much higher, as Buster and his friends take to Redshore City for a new show at the Crystal Tower Theater.

EXCLUSIVE: Interactive story app Weirdwood Manor is being adapted as an animated movie titled Shadowrail Circus, which The Exchange is launching sales on this week during the virtual AFM.

Manori Ravindran International EditorA timely new documentary chronicles a British solder’s return to Afghanistan, just as U.S.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentVeteran Australian director Rolf De Heer (“Ten Canoes”) is shooting a new film with an Aboriginal theme set in South Australia and Tasmania titled “The Mountain,” for which Italy’s Fandango Sales is launching sales at the online AFM.“The Mountain” (pictured above in a first-look image) tells the story of a central character named BlackWoman, who is abandoned in a cage in the middle of the desert.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorIn a presentation delivered to buyers this week during the virtual American Film Market, the stars of biopic “McCarthy,” Michael Shannon and Emilia Clarke, as well as its director Václav Marhoul and screenwriter Tom O’Connor, explained why the story of the venomous demagogue Joseph McCarthy had to be told now.The film, now in development, follows McCarthy’s journey from being an ambitious Republican Senator to the most powerful and feared man in the

Jamie Lang Leading Spanish indie sales outfit Filmax has scooped the international rights to “Seve: One Man Army,” a new feature-length documentary about legendary Spanish golfer Severiano Ballesteros, arguably the top golfer of his era and a Spanish icon on and off the course.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentBestselling Italian writer-turned-director Donato Carrisi (“The Girl in the Fog,” “Into the Labyrinth”) has started shooting near Lake Como on his third feature film “I Am the Abyss.”Vision Distribution is launching international sales at the online American Film Market on the pic, which based on his new thriller by the same title.Carrisi, who has penned 11 international bestsellers and sold over 3 million copies of his books worldwide, shot to the top

Naman Ramachandran Studiocanal has begun worldwide sales on writer-director Cédric Klapisch’s “Rise” (En corps) at the virtual American Film Market this week.A story of resilience set in Paris and Brittany, “Rise” traverses the the worlds of classical and contemporary dance with a young woman’s journey from success to rock bottom, and back again.The cast includes emerging actor and dancer Marion Barbeau, Pio Marmaï (“How I Became a Super Hero”), Denis Podalydès (“Anaïs in Love”), François Civil

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFrance’s most famous Catholic priest, Abbé Pierre, will be portrayed in a €15 million ($17.5 million) biopic movie produced by SND and Wassim Beji, who previously teamed on “Yves Saint Laurent.”Titled “Abbé Pierre, a Century of Devotion,” the movie will be directed by Frederic Tellier (“Goliath,” “Through the Fire”) with Benjamin Lavernhe (“The Speech”) playing the title role, alongside Emmanuelle Bercot (“Mon Roi,” “Polisse”).SND, the commercial arm of

Naman Ramachandran Variety can reveal the first look poster and trailer of the long awaited sequel to all-time British kids’ classic film “The Railway Children” from Studiocanal. Studiocanal is launching global sales on the film at the virtual AFM (Nov.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent“Lupin” star Omar Sy is re-teaming with Gaumont on his big screen comeback with “Father & Soldier,” a politically minded WWI action-drama about family bonds and Africa’s forgotten war heroes.Shooting now in France, the action-packed film is being helmed by Mathieu Vadepied, who made his directorial debut with “Learn by Heart,” which world premiered at Cannes’ Critics Week.