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03.03.2021 - 11:09 / variety.com
Manori Ravindran International EditorStarzplay has swooped for Russell T. Davies’ hit drama “It’s a Sin” in Germany and Italy.The Lionsgate-backed platform, which has been steadily expanding its global footprint in the last year, has bought the five-part series from All3Media International.Produced by RED and commissioned by U.K.
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Sky Studios has expanded the remit of chief content officer Jane Millichip from just the UK to all of Europe.
Mario Falcone and Becky Miesner were forced to postpone their Italian wedding last May but as restrictions begin to lift they talk exclusively to HELLO! magazine about the prospect of getting married in 2021.MORE: Has your wedding been cancelled by coronavirus? Here's what the rest of 2021 will look like"We're not stressing. Everything is up in air.
Sam Heughan has proven he's a real Scotsman despite revealing he has French, German and Norwegian ancestry. And as Sam talked about growing up in Scotland and his roots he told of his plans to extend his tweed and tartan line to kilts and skirts as well as shawls.
Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMUBI has acquired “Ghosts,” a Turkish drama by emerging helmer Azra Deniz Okyay which won the Grand Prize at Venice’s Critics Week. The MUBI deal covers the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Scandinavia and Turkey.
Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentU.S indie distributor Film Movement has acquired North American rights from Italian sales company True Colours to Palestinian director Ameen Nayfeh’s drama “200 Meters,” about a Palestinian construction worker who takes huge risks to cross the West Bank wall to reach his hospitalized son.In September, “200 Meters,” which marks Nayfeh’s debut, launched from the Venice Film Festival’s Venice Days section, where it won the audience award.
Leo Barraclough International Features EditorForesight Unlimited has closed deals for key international territories on Gigi Gaston’s “Nine Bullets.” The adventure thriller, written by Gaston, stars Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”), Sam Worthington (“Avatar” franchise), Barbara Hershey (the “Insidious” films) and Dean Scott Vasquez (“Jack Ryan”).Major territories sold include Australia (Rialto), Benelux (Splendid), the CIS (Top Film), Eastern Europe (Daro), France (Daro), Germany (Splendid),
Naman Ramachandran International sales agency The Open Reel has scored a number of sales at the Berlin European Film Market (EFM).Daniel Sánchez López’s BFI Flare LGBTIQ+ Film Festival selection “Boy Meets Boy,” a German production, has sold to Peccadillo Pictures for the U.K. and Ireland and to Optimale to France and Francophone territories.
Davide Abbatescianni Rome-based international sales and production company TVCO has sold Dace Pūce’s debut feature “The Pit” to German independent distributor Arsenal Filmverleih.The drama, staged by Latvia’s Marana Production and Finland’s Inland Film Company, is based on a series of true stories published by Jana Egle.The plot follows a 10-year-old boy called Markuss (Damirs Onackis), who must adapt to starting a new life in the Latvian countryside with his strict grandmother (Dace Eversa).
Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentEmerging Italian helmer Claudio Giovannesi, who made a splash in Berlin with his prizewinning Neapolitan teen mob drama “Piranhas,” is set to direct immigration epic “Vita,” set in New York’s early 20th century Little Italy.Based on Melania Mazzucco’s novel by the same title, winner of Italy’s prestigious Strega Prize, “Vita” is set in 1903 when two kids, a girl named Vita and a boy named Diamante, disembark alone in New York.
Christopher Vourlias Dogwoof has taken U.K. rights to the Sundance World Documentary Cinema selection “Taming the Garden,” from Georgian director Salomé Jashi.
Carole Horst “Best Sellers,” a Berlinale Special Gala screener and debut feature from Lina Roessler, has scored deals from major territories, which were announced by film’s sales outfit Foresight Unlimited at the European Film Market.Universal Pictures Content Group has acquired major markets including the U.K., Germany, France and Latin America, among others.
John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentOne of Europe’s most formidable TV forces, ZDF Enterprises, the international distribution and co-production arm of German public broadcaster ZDF, has swooped on world sales rights to “White Night” (“Nuit Blanche”), the anticipated new show from screenwriter Julie Hivon who broke out in fall 2019 with “Amber Alert,” a big audience and critical hit in French-speaking Canada.Commissioned by CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s national public broadcaster,
John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentWritten when the Italian legend was at the height of his powers, the screenplay for Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Technically Sweet,” which he planned to shoot between “Zabriskie Point” and “The Passenger,” looks set to be finally brought to the big screen.Set in Sardinia and the Amazon jungle, “Technically Sweet” is set up at Brazil’s Gullane, the shingle behind Netflix’s upcoming “Senna” series, and Italy’s Similar, headed by Match Factory founder
Scroll down to watch the full video. Matteo has spoken openly of his desire to sing together with Ed Sheeran and was instrumental in setting his father Andrea's duet with the British singer, but perhaps he is also hoping to collaborate with another superstar.
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.
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
Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentVoltage Pictures is launching international sales at the EFM on Italian romantic comedy “Per Tutta La Vita” (“For All Life”), from the writer-director team behind global hit “Perfect Strangers.”“Strangers,” a dramedy involving cellphones and personal secrets, grossed over $31 million domestically and spawned remakes in a dozen territories including France, Germany, Spain, Greece and South Korea.
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.