Global Screen launches with strong I, Anna sales

Global Screen, the new joint venture sales company of Bavaria and Telepool, has closed a number of key deals on I, Anna ahead of its Berlinale Special premiere tomorrow.

It has sold to the UK (Artificial Eye), Germany/Austria (NFP), Belenux (ABC for Belgium; Cinemien for Netherlands), Sweden (TriArt), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), South Korea (Challan), and Greece (StraDa).

Embargo Films produced with Riva and Arsam International. Barnaby Southcombe makes his feature debut with the noir-ish drama, starring his mother Charlotte Rampling alongside Gabriel Byrne.

“It’s an intelligent psychological thriller/film noir and it has an incredible cast with Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne and also Hayley Atwell. It’s an easy film for buyers to promote with a cast like that,” says Global Screen head Sonia Mehandjiyska.

Global Screen has a slate 22 films being sold at EFM by a sales team of 11. Those projects include films such as Sandra Nettelbeck’s Mr Morgan’s Last Love starring Michael Caine (now in post) and genre title Eddie The Sleepwalking Cannibal.

Mehandjiyska, formerly of Echo Bridge and MRG, has only been in the new role for a week. “Telepool and Bavaria are two extremely established companies. We want to expand, not to change things drastically,” she told Screen. She doens’t anticipate greatly changing the mix of projects. “Bavaria is more top quality arthouse and more theatrical than TV, and Telepool has more commercial and family films, with more TV series and documentaries.”

She added: “I want to bring more to the company than just sales, I do want to be involved in acquisitions, I do want to be involved in co-productions, I think that’s essential elements of sales. When you know what to bring your team for sales, that’s important.”

The acquisitions team is busy scouting new product and adding more English-language tiles.