Cities of Love series, sold by WestEnd, will next travel to Shanghai, Rio and Jerusalem.

Fernando Meirelles, Guilermo Arriaga, Jim Sheridan, and Lu Chuan are among the big-name directors attached for the next episodes in the Cities of Love series, which will be filmed in Shanghai, Rio and Jerusalem.

London-basedWestEnd Films has secured exclusive worldwide rights to the next episodes and will be introducing them to buyers here in Cannes.

Following the example of Paris, Je T’Aimeand New York, I Love You (pictured), the new films will again feature 10 short stories about love composed by top international directors and starring A-list cast. The cities as always will play a leading role.

The Cities of Love brand will keep traveling around the world in the most iconic cities: negotiations are currently being held for the acquisition of several licenses. In the next few years the development of the franchise will be based out of China and co-financed by local investors.

The first in the series, Shanghai, I Love You begins shooting in October 2010 with Jim Sheridan, Lu Chuan and Gabriele Muccino attached to direct and more directors to be announced shortly. The Shanghai Film Group and the Shanghai Film Studios are  co-financing in association with an Asian film fund represented by Hong Kong based International Pacific Artists. Emmanuel Benbihy will produce in cooperation with Winston H. Lee, Marianne Maddalena (Scream) and Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) as executive producers.

The next city up is Rio, I Love You scheduled to shoot in early 2011, with directors Fernando Meirelles, José Padilha, and Guillermo Arriaga attached. Jerusalem, I Love You will shoot in Spring 2011 with Etgar Keret and Joseph Cedar attached to participate.

The newly acquired films compliment WestEnd’s steadily growing line up of quality projects and mark the first-time collaboration with producers Emmanuel Benbihy, Joshua Skurla and Scott Berrie.


 

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