A raft of distribution deals were secured throughout the London Film Festival, it has emerged, including controversial title Compliance.

Soda Pictures swooped to take UK rights to Craig Zobel’s Compliance, one of the most controversial films in the festival. Sold by Memento International, the film is inspired by true stories of prank call scams in the US that led to the humiliation of young workers at a fast food chain.

This acquisition came on the back of Soda’s pick-ups of such other LFF titles as Jem Cohen’s Museum Hours and (on the eve of the festival) kids’ animated movie Zarafa.

Other sales of LFF titles confirmed during the festival include Dogwoof’s acquisition of Sarah Gavron’s documentary Village at the End of the World, New Wave’s pick up of Egyptian drama Winter Of Our Discontent and Mara Pictures’ acquisition of Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

Artificial Eye secured Irish drama What Richard Did and Beware of Mr Baker, the documentary about former Cream drummer Ginger Baker.

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Some buyers questioned whether the festival really had unearthed many new titles.

“As far as I can see there hasn’t been a discovery at the festival, or if there has, it has passed beneath my radar,” commented New Wave’s Robert Beeson.

However, festival organisers reported a significant surge in industry activity.

According to their figures, there were 1,063 attendances at 40 industry screenings (approximately 25% higher than in 2011, when the festival had 42 industry screenings) over the four days from Oct 15-18.

A total of 40 films were screened to buyers, of which 38 were available for distribution in the UK.

Some 24 foreign sales companies attended as industry guests and took part in the Meet the Buyer day on Oct 16. 24 UK distribution companies were represented at the event.

Meanwhile, 308 officially scheduled meetings between sales agents and UK distributors were scheduled by the Industry Office and took place on the Meet the Buyer day.

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