Wild Bunch's slate includes new films from Castellitto, Frears, Ozon

Along with its festival selections, Wild Bunch will introduce several new films to buyers at the market.

Among the company’s big announcements is the acquisition of Sergio Castellitto’s Twice Born starring Penelope Cruz and Emile Hirsch. Based on the book Venuto Al Mondo, the film is the story of a woman who returns to Sarajevo with her son in tow and revisits the tumultuous past she shared with his late father. Shooting is to begin in September. Co-producer Medusa has Italian distribution.

The hot new project from Stephen Frears, Lay The Favorite, is also on Wild Bunch’s slate. With casting ramping up over the past few months, the film now boasts Bruce Willis, Rebecca Hall, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joshua Jackson.

Set in the world of legal - and illegal - gambling, the film is based on the book by Beth Raymer. Shooting has begun on the project and Wild Bunch will screen three scenes in Cannes.

Also new is the latest from director François Ozon, Dans La Maison. Fabrice Luchini and Emmanuelle Seigner star in the comedy/thriller about a professor and the student who comes to threaten the relationships of those around them.

The Euros 10m film, which Maraval says evokes a similar ambiance to Ozon’s Swimming Pool - albeit with a comedic element - is produced by the Altmayer brothers’ Mandarin Films. Ozon, who will be in Cannes to do a presentation of the film, will shoot in September.

Meanwhile, in the selections, Wild Bunch has three competition films: The Kid With A Bike from the Dardenne brothers, Poliss by Maïwenn and Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist. In Critics’ Week, the company is handling Valérie Donzelli’s Declaration Of War and Jonathan Caouette’s Walk Away Renee. Further, Michael Radford’s documentary Michel Petrucciani has a special screening while Wild Bunch has just acquired official out of competition title Bollywood The Greatest Love Story Ever Told.

The latter was recently added to the official selection and is produced by Shekhar Kapur along with Ronnie and Trishya Screwvala. Wild Bunch’s Vincent Maraval says the film harkens back to such extravaganzas as That’s Entertainment and assures the screening will see people dancing in the aisles.

Back in the market, Jacques Maillot’s Blood From A Stone is a new social drama on Wild Bunch’s slate that will be ready for Berlin. Daniel Auteil stars as a man trying to save his shipyard from financial collapse.

Also new is Raymond Depardon’s Journal De France, a documentary that traces the director’s six-year journey through his home country to create an intimate travel journal that becomes a sort of map of France. The project will be ready for Cannes next year.

Ken Loach’s The Angels’ Share, written by longtime collaborator Paul Laverty, is produced by Rebecca O’Brien with Why Not’s Pascal Caucheteux executive producing. A return to comedy for Loach, the film follows a group of young, endearing delinquents who pull a scam at a whisky auction.

Amongst previously announced titles are Fernando Meirelles’ 360 with Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Ben Foster and Jamel Debbouze. The screenplay, by Peter Morgan, is inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s classic La Ronde. Wild Bunch will have a promo from the currently shooting title while Morgan will also come to Cannes in support of the film.

James Marsh’s Shadow Dancer stars Clive Owen, Andrea Riseborough, Gillian Anderson and Aidan Gillen in a sort of Sophie’s Choice set in Northern Ireland. Paramount has UK rights.

Abel Ferrara has recently completed shooting on 4:44 Last Day On Earth starring Willem Dafoe, Natasha Lyonne and Paz de la Huerta in the story of a couple facing upsetting personal revelations as the world is coming to an end. Wild Bunch will have a promo reel and is representing world sales in association with Funny Balloons.

The company will screen a promo of Roman Polanski’s Carnage starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John C. Reilly on which it is selling certain territories while producer Saïd Ben Saïd is also handing sales.

7 Days In Havana, which Maraval says is “not your usual omnibus” is from directors Benicio Del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Elia Suleiman, Julio Medem, Gaspar Noé, Juan Carlos Tabio and Laurent Cantet. The film is a snapshot of Havana in 2011 with each director devoting his chapter to a different day of the week. Although the stories have independent plots, certain connections between them serve to create a powerful dramatic unity. Daniel Bruhl, Emir Kusturica and Josh Hutcherson are among the cast. Wild Bunch will screen a promo.

Only God Forgives from Nicolas Winding Refn stars Luke Evans, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm and Yaya Ying. Refn will shoot the story of murder and corruption set in the world of Thai boxing in December.

In addition to other previously announced films - and the first promos from Sylvie Verheyde’s Confessions Of A Child Of The Century starring Pete Doherty and Charlotte Gainsbourg - Wild Bunch will screen the market premieres of Robert De Niro/Monica Bellucci love story The Ages Of Love, Agnes Merlet’s Hideaways and Christophe Ruggia’s In Turmoil.