Screen is rounding up the key packages launched before and during the 2024 European Film Market (which runs February 15-21).
Refresh the page for latest updates. Listed in alphabetical order.
500 Miles
A 16-year-old and his livewire younger brother embark on a road trip to reunite with their estranged grandfather on Ireland’s west coast. Starring Bill Nighy and Roman Griffin Davis with Morgan Matthews directing. Production will commence later this year in Kerry, Ireland. David Thompson is producing with Alex Gordon and Keren Misgav Ristvedt for Origin Pictures, Martina Niland from Dublin-based Port Pictures, and Minnow Films.
Int’l sales: Beta Cinema
A French Pursuit
A re-imagining of France’s box office hit Antoinette Dans Les Cévennes that marks the third collaboration between star Toni Colette, director Catherine Hardwicke and producer Christopher Simon, following Miss You Already and Mafia Mamma. Simon produces via New Sparta Productions alongside Collette’s outfit Vocab Films.
World sales: HanWay Films
A Prayer For The Dying
Callum Turner, Kristine Kujath Thorp and Gustav Lindh lead Dara Van Dusen’s debut surrounding a small town of Scandinavian settlers in 1870s Wisconsin dealing with the consequences of the recent Civil War. The film shoots summer 2024 and is produced Eye Eye Pictures.
Int’l sales: Anton, New Europe Film
The Beacon
Ralph Fiennes is directing and starring in this drama about a Ugandan-born man who travels from London to the countryside to spend the summer with his girlfriend’s family. Further cast includes Indira Varma, Charles Babalola and Alison Oliver. Produced by the UK’s Potboiler Productions.
World sales: Cornerstone
The Captive
Period adventure epic from Oscar-winner Alejandro Amenábar that tells the origin story of Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes. Julio Peña and Alessandro Borghi, with principal photography commencing in April 2024. Disney has Spain rights.
World sales: Film Constellation
Come Back
The directorial debut from Flemish brothers Jan and Raf Roosens starring Veerle Baetens and her real-life daughter Billie Vlegels. Vlegels plays the teenage daughter of a once-successful techno DJ couple, with Baetens starring as her mother.
World sales: Indie Sales
Deep Water
Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley lead Renny Harlin’s thriller about a group of passengers on a flight who make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters. Simmons/Hamilton Productions wrapped production on the title last year and is now in post.
World sales: Arclight
Dracula - A Love Tale
Caleb Landry Jones and Christoph Waltz are attached to French Dogman filmmaker Luc Besson’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, produced through Besson’s own EuropaCorp.
World sales: Kinology
The Dreadful
Game Of Thrones stars Sophie Turner and Kit Harrington reunite for this gothic horror set against the War of the Roses. Natasha Kermani directs while Redwire Pictures/Tunnel, Storyboard Media and Black Magic produce.
Int’l sales: Film Bridge International
North America sales: UTA
The Fires
Volcano thriller is the debut feature of Ugla Hauksdóttir and will shoot in Iceland this summer with a local cast led by Vigdís Hrefna Pálsdóttir. An adaptation of the bestselling Icelandic novel of the same name by Sigríður Hagalín.
World sales: Bankside Films
Fools
Karen Gillan, Patsy Ferran, Brenda Blethyn and Jim Broadbent will star in this comedy drama that explores the little-known story of Mary Tudor and her friendship with her female court jester. Guy Jenkin,, known for his work on UK sitcoms including Outnumbered and Drop The Dead Donkey, will direct from his own script. It will be produced by Ryan Bennett of the UK’s PaperEpic Productions, with shooting set to begin later this year.
Intl sales: Altitude Film Sales
North America sales: UTA
Fuze
Aaron Taylor-Johnson will star in heist thriller Fuze, directed by Hell Or High Water filmmaker David Mackenzie. The plot sees an unexploded Second World War bomb found at a London construction site – the perfect cover for a heist. Anton is fully financing
World sales: Anton
H Is For Hawk
Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson lead this true story about a woman who loses her father and forms an unlikely friendship with a hawk. Plan B will produce while Film4 developed and financed the project.
World sales: Protagonist
The Housewife
Psychological drama to star Naomi Watts, Tye Sheridan, Michael Imperioli and Norman Reedus in story of journalist investigating suspected former Nazi officer living in New York.
Int’l sales: Neon International
US Sales: CAA Media Finance
Love Child
The latest darkly comic feature from US writer-director Todd Solondz will star Elizabeth Olsen and Charles Melton, in the story of a woman stuck in a loveless marriage, with only her precocious 11-year-old son for consolation. When a handsome vagabond stranger appears, the son hatches a plan to get rid of his father. Killer Films’ Christine Vachon reunites with Solondz after Happiness and Wiener Dog.
Int’l sales: Rocket Science
US sales: Cinetic Media/WME
The Materialists
A24 and Past Lives director Celine Song are reuniting, with Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal rumoured to be in talks to star in New York-set rom-com about high-end matchmaker.
World sales: A24
Mr Burton
Toby Jones and Lesley Manville star in this biopic of the man who inspired screen legend, Richard Burton. Jones will play Welsh schoolmaster Philip Burton, who recognised raw talent in a young, wild schoolboy named Richard Jenkins.
World sales: Independent Entertainment
Palette
Euphoria star Hunter Schaffer and Noomi Rapace star in the psychological thriller about a woman suffering with a condition where she hears colours who discovers the dark underbelly of the colour design industry. The film is the directorial debut of Zach Strauss who co-writes on an upcoming Spike Lee feature. CAA Media Finance and Verve Ventures will co-rep US rights on Palette with Anton.
World sales: Anton
Titan
Kiana Madeira and Jessica Rothe will star in Constantin Film/JB Pictures’ horror thriller about a humanitarian mission in the Brazilian Amazon that encounters an ancient predator. Mike P. Nelson directs and Robert Kulzer of Constantin Film and Jeremy Bolt of JB Pictures are producing.
World sales: north.five.six
Tornado
Tim Roth has joined the previously announced Jack Lowden and Takehiro Hira in this survival thriller from John Maclean (Slow West). Principal photography is underway in Scotland. Has pre-sold in some territories, including Lionsgate UK for UK-Ireland. Produced by Tea Shop Productions.
World sales: HanWay Films
Untitled Todd Haynes / Joaquin Phoenix project
A love story about two men set in the ’30s from director Todd Haynes and starring Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix that is aiming to shoot this summer according to reports. Christine Vachon is producing.
World sales: mk2
Wilder & Me
Stephen Frears’ latest follows a young girl (Maya Hawke) working on the set of Billy Wilder’s Fedora, with Christoph Waltz playing the legendary director. Jon Hamm co-stars. Christopher Hampton wrote the screenplay with Jeremy Thomas producing. Germany’s Pandora Film is the partner. It is based on Jonathan Coe’s novel Mr Wilder And Me, about the struggles of legendary US director Billy Wilder to make his penultimate film Fedora.
World sales: HanWay Films
Winter Of The Crow
Kasia Adamik’s Cold War thriller stars Lesley Manville as a UK professor who arrives in Poland just as martial law is imposed. Principal photography has begun in Warsaw. Produced by Poland’s Wild Mouse Production and Film Produkcja, and the UK’s Iris Productions and Film and Music Entertainment.
World sales: HanWay Films
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