The Match Factory has busiest EFM led by sales for Barbara, Tabu, Just The Wind

Cologne-based The Match Factory said it was its most successful EFM since the company started in 2006.

Barbara by Christian Petzold (who won Silver Bear for best director), sold to more than 20 territories during the EFM, including France (Pyramide), UK (Soda Pictures), Spain (Golem), Italy (BIM), Benelux (A-Film Distribution), Scandinavia (Future Film), Switzerland (Look Now), Japan (New Select),  the US (Adopt Films)and Romania (Independenta), Greece (Seven), Ex-Yugoslavia(Discovery), Colombia (Babilla), Poland (Aurora), Israel (United King), Taiwan (Cineplex) and the US (Adopt). The film also won the Berliner Morgenpost audience award.

Tabu by Miguel Gomes, which won the Alfred Bauer Prize and the Fipresci award, sold to Switzerland (Look Now), Canada (Filmswelike), Greece (Seven Films), Poland (Aurora Films), Austria (Stadtkino-Filmverleih), Ex-Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom) and Argentina (Zeta Films). A number of other territories are in negotiation now.

Just The Wind by Bence Fliegauf, which won the Grand Jury Silver Bear, Peace Film Prize and Amnesty International Film Prize, sold to Benelux (ContactFilm), Spain (Vertigo), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery), Greece (Ama Films), Czech and Slovak Republic (Artcam) and Taiwan (Jointt Entertainment).

“I am thrilled by the response these films received by the jury and Berlinale audience,” said Managing Director Michael Weber. “And it is an honour to be working with such outstanding and diverse directors with totally different approaches in film language like Christian Petzold, Bence Fliegauf and Miguel Gomes.”

Among other sales, Hans-Christian Schmid’s Home For The Weekend went to France (Jour2Fete), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Poland (Aurora) and Colombia (Babilla Cine); Edwin’s Postcards From The Zoo sold to Austria (Stadtkino-Filmverleih), Korea (Sponge Entertainment) and Taiwan (Joint); and Ecumenical jury winner The Wallby Julian Pölsler, sold to the UK (New Wave), Benelux (ABC-Cinemien) and France (Bodega) while a US deal is expected to be announced soon.

Furthermore, And If We All Lived Together by Stephane Robelin sold to Canada (A-Z Films), Israel (United King), Norway (Fidalgo), Spain (Golem) and Estonia (Tallinn Films), with US negotiations underway. The Exchange by Eran Kolirin went to Greece (Seven Films); Alois Nebel by Thomas Lunak went to Russia (Russian Report); Gerhard Richter Painting by Corinna Belz sold to Benelux (Contact Film); Che — A New Man by Tristan Bauer sold to Korea (Line Tree); and Andreas Dresen’s Stopped On Track went to Taiwan (Cineplex).