The Match Factory Acquires Berlinale’s ‘Per Lucio,’ Directed by ‘Martin Eden’s’ Pietro Marcello (EXCLUSIVE)

Naman Ramachandran Global distributor, producer and streamer MUBI has snapped up major global markets for Berlinale title “Azor,” a thriller set in the world of international banking.MUBI has acquired all rights in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Italy, India and Turkey to Andreas Fontana’s debut feature, which was presented at the recently concluded Berlinale in the Encounters Section, from international sales company Be For Films.The film uses French, Spanish and English dialogue to tell the

Thomas Jane tracks down his prey in this exclusive first-look image from upcoming western thriller The Last Son. The film — previously entitled The Last Son of Isaac LeMay and being sold at Berlin's virtual European Film Market by VMI Worldwide, which first announced it at the AFM in 2019 — also stars Sam Worthington, Machine Gun Kelly and Heather Graham.

EXCLUSIVE: Julie Taymor is attached to direct Gun Love, an adaptation of the Jennifer Clement novel. Babylon Berlin‘s Liv Lisa Fries is attached to play the role of Margot in the ensemble cast. Marissa Kate Goodhill (Come Away) wrote the script.

Veteran screen legends Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) and William Shatner (Star Trek) get stopped by the police in this exclusive first-look image from upcoming comedy Senior Moment, from which Film Mode Entertainment is screening footage at the virtual European Film Market.

With much of the world having experienced the longest year in living memory since last February, only hardened film history buffs may recall the 2020 Berlinale, the last major festival and market to take place physically before the COVID-19 pandemic led to global cinemas began shutting their doors and considering some unfortunate existential questions.

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

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights to WWII drama Into the Darkness, from veteran Danish filmmaker Anders Refn and depicting the disintegration of a family unit amid Denmark's slow side into fascism under the shadow of the Third Reich.

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.

Two fine actors volley for advantage across 90 minutes in the tastily insidious little melodrama Next Door (Nebenan).

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks Int’l has snapped up worldwide sales rights to “The Death of God,” the much-coveted documentary about Argentina’s iconic soccer star Diego Maradona.“After a fierce bidding war, we are thrilled to have closed this deal on such a powerful, untold story,” said FilmSharks’ Guido Rud. “It’s a remarkable addition to our Berlin lineup,” he noted, adding that he’ll be showing some footage from the doc during EFM.

2020 may have been something of an "annus horribilis" for vast swathes of the film industry, but that didn’t stop the buzzy new packages from landing. Even at the virtual Cannes market in June, when much of the world was still under some form of lockdown from the first COVID-19 wave and most film sets and studios were gathering dust, major A-list-heavy projects were popping in all directions (ok, mostly via Zoom pitches), with buyers not shying away.

EXCLUSIVE: Natalie Morales makes her feature directing debut with Language Lessons which will have its world premiere in the Specials section of the Berlin Film Festival next week. Written by Morales and Mark Duplass, the darkly comic drama is an exploration of platonic love. Duplass is also an exec producer along with his brother Jay Duplass. Check out an exclusive clip from the movie above.

EXCLUSIVE: AGC Studios is fully financing Panopticon, an Andres Baiz-directed thriller that will star Shailene Woodley, Anthony Mackie and Jacob Latimore. Scott Free and AGC are producing, and the script will be sent to buyers overnight for virtual Berlin, with AGC International and CAA Media Finance launching worldwide sales. Pic will shoot in New Mexico this summer.

Get ready for a coming-of-age story unlike any other.

Naman Ramachandran Director Christian Schwochow and writer Thomas Wendrich’s “Je Suis Karl,” due to premiere at the Berlin Film Festival’s Berlinale Special strand in June, is a chillingly timely film.On Aug. 29, 2020, dozens of assailants from the far right attacked the Reichstag building, the home of German parliament in Berlin, the burning of which in 1933 heralded the rise of Hitler’s Nazi rule.

EXCLUSIVE: The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey is set to direct Better Man, a fantastical coming of age story about the unlikely rise of celebrated singer/songwriter Robbie Williams. The package is going out shortly to the Berlin buying crowd, for a film that Gracey wrote along with first-time screenwriters Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson.

Anand Tucker’s (Hilary & Jackie) period-drama Curtain Call, which is due to star Colin Firth, Gemma Arterton, Paapa Essiedu and Simon Russell Beale, has been pre-sold by Culmination Productions to a host of key territories ahead of shoot later this year in the UK.

Arturo Di Modica was a sculptor known for his “Charging Bull,” which became a beloved landmark after he secretly placed it on Wall Street in the middle of the night.Di Modica was a native of Sicily, who came to New York City in 1970 and began building his career as a sculptor. Public art was a signature of his – he often worked outside his studio, crafting large bronze and marble works and leaving them on the sidewalk.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFilms Boutique has acquired Marc Bauder’s cinematic documentary “Who We Were,” which is set to world premiere in the “Berlinale Special” section of the Berlin Film Festival.“Who We Were” observes the current state of the world and postulates about the future through intense encounters with six intellectuals and scientists, including the astronaut Alexander Gerst, the deep sea researcher Sylvia Earle, the molecular biologist and buddhist monk Mathieu

George Martin to their 28-player squad in preparation for their Six Nations match with Wales after losing Jack Willis to injury. The Wasps back row’s left leg was jarred when Sebastian Negri pulled him out of a ruck during the dominant win over Italy last weekend.