Princ Films Boards Slavek Horak’s Biopic ‘Havel’ for EFM (EXCLUSIVE)

Nick Jonas really missed his other half Priyanka Chopra while she was away in Germany shooting “The Matrix 4”.

Christopher Vourlias One year ago, as thousands of global film and TV industry reps descended on Berlin for the European Film Market, executives from Nigerian production and distribution powerhouse FilmOne Entertainment had good reason to feel optimistic. The company had recently unveiled a $1 million film fund with China’s Huahua Media and South Africa’s Empire Entertainment, an unprecedented pact for the Nigerian movie industry.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorLeading arthouse outfit The Match Factory is continuing its successful partnership with Laura Bispuri as it boards sales on her latest film, “The Peacock’s Paradise.” The film stars Cannes best actress winner Dominique Sanda and Venice best actress winner Alba Rohrwacher, Bispuri’s long-time collaborator.The Match Factory previously represented the director’s “Sworn Virgin,” which played in Berlinale Competition in 2015, and “Daughter of Mine,” which

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentParis-based Le Pacte has closed a raft of sales on Olivier Peyon’s “Tokyo Shaking” and Nadine Loiseau’s “Three Times Nothing,” both of which are screening at the Berlin Festival’s virtual European Film Market.A hot title on Le Pacte’s slate, “Tokyo Shaking” sold to Germany and Austria (ZDF), Israel (New Cinema), Canada (Axia Films), Spain (Alfa Pictures) and the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Mediasquad).“Tokyo Shaking” is set on March 11, 2011, when Japan

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMK2 Films has come on board to handle world sales on “House Arrest,” a satirical drama directed by critically acclaimed Russian helmer Aleksey German Jr. (“Dovlatov”) that tackles Russia’s judicial system.“House Arrest” follows David, a Russian university professor who takes to social media to criticize his city’s administration and the Mayor’s dodgy dealings.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorAlex Pettyfer, whose credits include “I Am Number Four” and “Magic Mike,” is attached to lead director Ricardo de Montreuil’s psychological horror feature “The Lost Ones.”The Exchange is handling the movie’s worldwide sales rights, and will be introducing the title to buyers at the virtual European Film Market, which runs until Friday.The film is the story of a young family on the run from unseen spirits haunting their daughter.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Multi-hyphenate Roselyn Sanchez (“Grand Hotel,” “Devious Maids”) is set to film her directorial feature debut, “Diario: Mujer y Cafe,” in Puerto Rico this summer, said producer Jolene Rodriguez, president of Broken English Prods.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMK2 Films has boarded Italian-American filmmaker Jonas Carpignano’s anticipated movie “A Chiara” which recently wrapped shooting in Calabria, in Southern Italy.Carpignano’s third feature, “A Chiara” is now in post and will be ready this summer. Carpignano made his feature debut in 2015 with “Mediterranea,” which premiered in Cannes Critics’ Week.

Christopher Vourlias Russian SVOD More.tv is unveiling a slate of original series for foreign buyers at the European Film Market.The four series are a sign of the fast-growing streaming service’s rising ambitions since launching in 2019.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentPopular French theater director Jean-Christophe Meurisse is making his sophomore film outing with “Bloody Oranges,” a black comedy headlined by Denis Podalydès (“La Belle Epoque”), Blanche Gardin (“Delete History”) and Christophe Paou (“Synonyms”).Brussels-based outfit Best Friend Forever has acquired international sales rights to the film, which is produced by Rectangle Prods.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorInternational sales agent Mister Smith Entertainment has boarded comedy horror whodunnit “Werewolves Within,” which will be released by IFC Films in the U.S.The movie, which is completed, is directed by Josh Ruben, and is written by Mishna Wolff. The cast includes Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, George Basil and Sarah Burns.In the pic, a proposed gas pipeline creates divisions within the small town of Beaverfield.

Emilio Mayorga Carolina Astudillo’s “Song to a Lady in the Shadow,” Fabrizio Ferraro’s “The Luminous View,” Jo Sol’s “Armugan,” and Miguel Angel Blanca’s “Magaluf Ghost Town” feature among a 31-title lineup hosted by promotion board Catalan Films at an European Film Market virtual screening room.Produced by Cornelius Films, “Song” marks the third feature outing of director Carolina Astudillo.

Manori Ravindran International EditorEva Green, Mark Strong and Chai Fonacier have boarded “Vivarium” director Lorcan Finnegan’s psychological thriller “Nocebo,” which is now in production in Ireland.The film, which marks the first co-production between Ireland and the Philippines, follows a fashion designer (Green) suffering from a mysterious illness that puzzles her doctors and frustrates her husband (Strong) until help arrives in the form of a Filipino carer (Fonacier), who uses traditional

Davide Abbatescianni German sales outlet Deckert Distribution has acquired Chris Wright and Stefan Kolbe’s “Anamnesis,” ahead of its world premiere in the Forum strand of the Berlinale.The making of “Anamnesis” started when the two directors first meet Stefan S. in 2015, in the therapy ward of Brandenburg Prison.

Naman Ramachandran Australia’s Stranger Than Fiction Films and the U.K.’s Arrow Pictures have teamed for theatrical documentary “River,” commissioned by BBC Arts and ABC Arts.Exploring the relationship between humans and rivers, the documentary spans six continents.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorPicture Tree Intl. has picked up the global sales rights on comedy drama “Risks and Side Effects,” which follows a woman’s kidney transplant journey that threatens to break-up her friendships and marriage.

EXCLUSIVE: Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired U.S. rights to explorer biopic Amundsen: The Greatest Expedition about Norwegian adventurer Roald Amundsen’s epic journeys to the South and North Poles.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentParis-based Totem Films announced Friday that it is handling sales on Iranian Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghaddam’s Berlin Film Festival competition entry, “Ballad of a White Cow.” Totem Films will bring the drama onto the market at early March’s European Film Market (EFM).The pick-up is sure to draw attention.

Leo Barraclough Senior International CorrespondentThe Match Factory is taking a strong slate to the European Film Market, including two world premieres: Anne Zohra Berrached’s “Copilot,” which is in the Berlin Film Festival’s Panorama section, and Christian Schwochow’s “Je Suis Karl,” which is in Berlinale Special.