‘Magical Girl’ Director Carlos Vermut’s New Film ‘Manticora’ Acquired by Film Factory (EXCLUSIVE)

Spike Lee, who was set to lead last year’s jury for the Cannes Film Festival that was ultimately cancelled by the pandemic, will preside over this year’s jury instead.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentCeline Sciamma’s Berlinale competition title “Petite Maman” has been sold by MK2 Films around the world with some bidding wars in multiple territories.The critically acclaimed film, which marks Sciamma’s follow-up to “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” has been sold to Alamode (Germany), Culture (Japan), Challan (South Korea) Sun (Latin America), Avalon (Spain), Madman (Australia/New Zealand), Red Cape (Israel), Cinéart (Benelux), Cineworx (Switzerland), Angel

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentNetflix is reteaming with “Lupin” director Louis Leterrier (“Now You See Me”) and star Omar Sy (“The Intouchables”) on a sequel to the 2012 action comedy “On the Other Side of the Tracks.”The film, which is still untitled, began shooting in Paris on March 15 and will also be lensed in the French Alps. It will be available on Netflix worldwide in 2022.Eric and Nicolas Altmayer at the Paris-based banner Mandarin et Compagnie are producing.

Emilio Mayorga One of the Spanish-speaking world’s biggest sales forces, Film Factory Entertainment has swooped on sales rights to thriller “Two” (“Duo”), directed by Mar Targarona and the latest production from top Spanish genre auteur producer Rodar y Rodar.Producer of two milestone titles of Spain’s genre auteur scene  – J.A Bayona’s “The Orphanage” and Guillem Morales’ “Julia’s Eyes,” Targarona has built her own directorial career on suspense thrillers that prove unexpected and

Angelina Jolie is continuing to do her part to help both people and the planet.

Pepe Le Pew, the cartoon French skunk whose amorous attentions have chased generations of females, has been targeted by the New York Times.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaNamir Smallwood and Sidney Flanigan will star in “Rounding,” a new dramatic thriller from “Saint Frances” director Alex Thompson. “Rounding” follows a driven young medical resident (Smallwood) who transfers to a rural hospital for a fresh start.

Jamie Lang France’s Manny Films has boarded Chilean feature “Maybe It Is True What They Are Saying About Us,” and will co-produce alongside leading Chilean independent label Storyboard Media and Argentina’s Murillo Cine, whose credits include Cannes sidebar entries “The Snatch Thief” and “Land of Ashes.”“We are thrilled that Manny Films is joining as a co-producer on this exciting film,” Storyboard’s Carlos Nuñez told Variety.

Laetitia Eido, the French actress known to fans of Netflix's Israeli drama Fauda as Dr. Shirin El Abed, has signed on to co-star in Nhiem, a new high-end television series set during the Vietnam War from New Zealand director Roger Donaldson (The World's Fastest Indian) and German production group Carte Blanche International.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAtresmedia Cine, one of Spain’s biggest film production companies, has tapped David Pérez Sañudo, writer-director of “Ane,” the country’s biggest first feature breakout of 2020, to write and direct a new movie, an adaptation of Felix García Hernán’s “Cava dos fosas.”Part of Spain’s Buendía Estudios, a 50/50 joint venture between broadcaster Atresmedia and pay TV/SVOD giant Movistar Plus, Atresmedia Cine has optioned in exclusivity rights to the

Emilio Mayorga Spain’s Film Factory has acquired international rights on Jaime Rosales’ latest feature “Wild Sunflowers,” a co-production between the director’s own Fresdeval Films, A Contracorriente Films (“The Bookshop”), Oberon Films (Golden Bear winner “The Milk of Sorrow”), and Paris-based production-distribution company Luxbox Films (“Our Time”).Starring Anna Castillo (“The Olive Tree”) and Oriol Pla (“Petra”), “Wild Sunflowers” follows 22-year-old Julia, a mother of two who falls in love

U.K.-based sales outfit Alief has racked up a series of international territory deals for Isaac, a romantic drama from directors Ángeles Hernández and David Matamoros, about two childhood friends who reconnect as adults. Hernández and Matamoros were both producers on Netflix's Spanish-language horror hit The Platform.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Spain’s Soul Pictures has picked up international sales rights to Mexican helmer-scribe Carlos Cuaron’s dramedy “Amalgama,” while Mexico’s Cinepolis has snagged Latin American distribution rights to the film.Best known for co-writing his brother Alfonso’s career-reviving road movie “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” “Amalgama” is Cuaron’s third feature although he has directed several award-winning shorts, and participated in 2015 anthology “Vidas Violentas” as well as written scores

Christopher Vourlias Jan Naszewski’s Warsaw-based New Europe Film Sales continues its pre-sales of “The Peasants,” the hotly anticipated follow-up from Oscar-nominated “Loving Vincent” director Dorota Kobiela, selling rights for Germany and Austria to Koch Media.As reported earlier, New Europe brokered a deal with The Jokers for distribution in France of the buzzy animated feature.“The Peasants” is produced by BreakThru Films’ Sean Bobbitt and Hugh Welchman, who also co-wrote the script, using

Chloe Zhao has made history at the Golden Globes by becoming the first Asian woman to be named best director. The US-based 38-year-old, who was born in China, is also only the second woman to win the award.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Three of Spain’s most prominent international sales agencies have banded together to form a new association, VICA.Filmax, Film Factory and Latido, who together represent the largest volume of cinematic content produced in Spain, point to key factors that propelled them to form the new alliance.

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Museum of Art has announced a major gift to its photography department - the third such announcement this month.Collectors Cherye R. and James F.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMK2 Films has scored a raft of strong pre-sales on “The Worst Person In The World,” the anticipated third film in Joachim Trier’s “Oslo” trilogy, following “Reprise” and “Oslo, August 31st.” The company has also unveiled a first look still of the film ahead of the virtual EFM, where it will present a promo-reel to buyers.The Paris-based banner, whose sales team is spearheaded by Fionnuala Jamison, has already sold the film to France (Memento), Benelux

Emilio Mayorga Barcelona-based film-TV studio Filmax has acquired international sales rights to Cesc Gay’s new comedy “Stories Not to Be Told,” which is currently shooting.Filmax will also handle Spanish distribution to the latest outing from Gay, whose 2021 Goya Awards contender “The People Upstairs,” has sold to major territories in Europe and North America.Written by Gay and regular co-scribe Tomás Aragay “(“In The City,” “Truman”), Gay’s ninth feature is produced by Marta Esteban at