Vertical Takes U.S. Rights To SXSW Thriller ‘Deadland’

Anna Marie de la Fuente Chile’s BF Distribution, among the leading distributors in Latin America, has picked up Latin American and Spanish distribution rights to “El Silencio de Marcos Tremmer” with BF Distribution partners Carlos Hansen and Matias Cardone of Invercine Chile boarding the pic as executive producers. Shot in the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Madrid, it was helmed by Spanish director Miguel García de la Calera (“Caribbean, All-Inclusive”) and is currently in post. The film stars Benjamín Vicuña (“Mienteme,” “Locked Up”), Adriana Ugarte (Pedro Almodovar’s “Julieta”), Daniel Hendler (a Berlin best actor winner for “Lost Embrace”) and Felix Gomez (“La caza”).

Mean Girls reunion has finally taken place – but it’s on a Walmart advert.The US retail giant has created a new advertising campaign surrounding Black Friday, and have used the cult classic 2004 teen comedy to help draw attention to their sales.Some key members of the original cast, including Amanda Seyfriend, Lindsay Lohan and Lacey Chabert have returned as adult versions of their teen roles, and are sporting pink outfits, referring to one of the film’s most iconic references, “On Wednesdays we wear pink.”The ads will be released on Wednesdays throughout the month leading up to Black Friday on November 24, with slight iterations each week. According to Variety, a different member of the cast will appear in an ad each week, meaning Rachel McAdams could still reprise her role of spoilt antagonist Regina George.The first instalment released today shows the cast in a familiar high school setting, and contains numerous references to the original movie, from the talent show scene, to the headshot interviews of students, to the infamous Gretchen Wiener adjective.The actors are excited about the return, with Daniel Franzese, who played Damian Leigh in the movie saying: “We think fans are going to be super excited to see us after all these years.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks, led by CEO Guido Rud, has pounced on world sales rights to Lucia Puenzo’s “Los Impactados” on the eve of the American Film Market (AFM) where it will kick off sales. Delving into the theme of rebirth in the face of profound trauma, “Los Impactados” follows Ada, portrayed by Mariana Di Girólamo (Pablo Larraín’s “Ema” ), whose unusual journey begins when she is struck by lightning, leading her on a fascinating transformation alongside a mysterious doctor, played by Germán Palacios, the lead from “El Último Hereje.” Along the way, she forms a bond with a group of fellow survivors who find themselves increasingly captivated by the power of electricity.

EXCLUSIVE: Juno Films has acquired all U.S. and Canadian rights to The Caravan, the first documentary feature from directors Núria Clavero and Aitor Palacios, which will have its North American premiere in International Competition at DOC NYC ahead of its release in theaters in late spring.

Broadway box office held fairly steady heading into trick or treat season, with receipts for the week ending Oct. 29 at $26,480,578 (about 6% down from the previous week) and attendance at 218,581 (a slip of just 3%).

K.J. Yossman Trinity Creative Partnership have snapped up U.K. sales rights for historical war film “Love, Courage and the Battle for Bushy Run,” which is launching at AFM.

EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has taken North American distribution rights for James Rowe’s crime thriller Breakwater starring Dermot Mulroney, Darren Mann and Mena Suvari as Film Mode Entertainment kicks off sales at the AFM.

EXCLUSIVE: UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance are co-repping North America whilst Protagonist Pictures has come on board to handle international rights to Summer Camp starring Academy Award-winners Diane Keaton (First Wives Club, Annie Hall)and Kathy Bates (Titanic, Misery), as well as Golden Globe-winner Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave, The Book of Clarence).  Rounding up the ensemble cast are Eugene Levy (Schitt’s Creek, American Pie), Golden Globe nominee Dennis Haysbert (Far from Heaven, 24), Nicole Richie (Great News) and Josh Peck (Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer).

EXCLUSIVE: On the eve of AFM, Lionsgate has picked up North American and UK rights to Indian action movie Kill for theatrical release in 2024.

Angus Finney Industry players treading the floors of Le Meridien Delfina, the American Film Market’s new venue, will be besieged by aggressive funding offers and fliers tubthumping diverse landscapes and state-of-the-art facilities from all around the world — marketing tools promoting incentives and driving the heated battle for productions across the globe. The incentive wars have been raging for decades, with several U.S. states and leading producing nations — such as Canada, the U.K., France, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and Germany — battling over a $177 billion worldwide production pot being spent on film, scripted TV and docs in 2019 alone, according to consultants OlsbergSPI. Given the inherent link between total production spend and automatic funding systems as a crude percentage, that indicates that some $20 billion-$30 billion of tax credits, production rebates and other automatic mechanisms are underpinning worldwide production. But just as the industry at large is reeling from strike actions, the impact of streamers and talk of a “great spend re-correction,” all is not well in the land of automatic funding incentives.

An ice hockey star has died following a freak accident during a match on Saturday, during which he is believed to have taken a blade to his throat.

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Adam Thomas had to miss a scheduled appearance on BBC spin-off show It Takes Two tonight - just 24 hours before he is due to dance the American Smooth on Saturday's live show.

“I think that the reason there is so much fervor against trans people, and specifically transgender youth right now is because the opposition is deliberately taking advantage of the public’s lack of familiarity with them,” says Rodrigo Heng-Lethinen, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, which is celebrating 20 years with a gala on Oct. 27. “Most Americans do not think they know someone who is transgender.

Will Smith is taking on a new project following the notoriety that has plagued his family over the past couple of weeks. Smith will involved in an eight-part podcast series called “Class of ‘88,” exploring the rise of Hip Hop in the US.

EXCLUSIVE: The Coven (Terrifier 2) has boarded sales ahead of the AFM on the 2023 Tribeca horror Somewhere Quiet.

Christopher Vourlias XYZ Films has acquired North American sales rights to the horror-thriller “Deus Irae,” the debut feature of Argentine filmmaker Pedro Cristiani, and will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming AFM. Variety has been given exclusive access to the film’s bone-chilling trailer (see below).

EXCLUSIVE: Greenwich Entertainment is adding Who I Am Not to its roster of awards-contending documentaries. 

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) sought to flip 22 Republican holdouts who have blocked his path to House speakership today, but there was little sign that he is getting any closer to clinching the leadership post.

Rob Kardashian wasn’t holding back!

Unfortunately for Jody Cundy CBE, he became the third celebrity to depart the dance floor on Strictly Come Dancing. He and his dance partner Jowita Przystal performed their Salsa to Samba de Janeiro by Bellini while Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer performed their American Smooth to Sex Bomb by Tom Jones again.