Icon takes UK rights to Filmax thriller Kidnapped

The Spanish thriller, starring Fernando Cayo and Ana Wagener, is drumming up a lot of business following its best film and best director wins at the Fantastic Fest and its positive reaction at the Sitges festival in Spain last month.

Filmax has already sold Kidnapped to IFC Midnight for North America, and has also now secured the UK deal and further agreements with King Records for Japan, EDKO for Hong Kong and Kinoprom for CIS. At Toronto the film was sold to Universum for Germany, GUSSI for Latin America and CCV for Scandinavia.

Filmax has also pre-sold key theatrical rights to the two new Rec films, [Rec] Genesis, directed by Paco Plaza, and Jaume Balaguero’s [Rec] Apocalypse. Universum has picked up the film for Germany, Broadmedia for Japan and EDKO for Hong Kong. Principal photography for Genesis starts in January.

Balaguero’s new horror Sleep Tight, currently in post-production, starring Cell 211 leads Luis Tosar and Marta Etura, has also been sold by Filmax to Senator for Germany and Frenetic for Switzerland. The film is almost sold out, with just the US, UK, CIS and Japan still available.

And finally, Filmax’s horror Exorcismus, directed by Manuel Carballo, has been sold to Telepool for Germany, Seven Sept for France, At Company for Japan and Star Kinekor for South Africa) following its pick up by IFC for North America in a double deal with Kidnapped.

Commenting on these deals, Vicente Canales, head of the international division at Filmax International, says: “We are happy with the numbers and moreover with the companies we have closed the deals with. We are very selective with our clients and we know they are selective with the products they buy too. We are here for business not just to sign deals and we believe we have secured great titles to great companies and therefore business will be positive for all of us”.

Carles Rojano, managing director of business affairs, speaking about the market in general adds: “Things are tough and there is not a place for everyone and everything anymore. Being competitive and offering quality and different products is the key to succeed nowadays and that is what Filmax International is doing. The market situation in Spain is really rough at the present moment, as it is in Japan and in some other key territories. But we have to see the positive side of things: we have closed good deals with great Japanese companies, also with CIS companies. We are all working hard and looking for top-quality products, this is the right way.”