Jeremy Kay reports on the key deals at this week's Berlin International Film Festival.
lUniversal bought North American, German, Spanish and Latin American rights from Mandate International to Sam Raimi's upcoming horror film Drag Me To Hell starring Oscar nominee Ellen Page.
l Miramax paid mid-six figures for North American rights from Summit International to Mike Leigh's competition entry Happy-Go-Lucky starring Sally Hawkins and Alexis Zegerman.
lParamount Vantage was in Berlin to sound out buyers in Germany, Spain and Italy on Martin Scorsese's upcoming adaptation of the Dennis Lehane thriller Shutter Island to star Leonardo DiCaprio and Michelle Williams and Ben Kingsley but remained tight-lipped about deals. Summit reported a roaring trade on the film and has concluded deals with the UK (Momentum), Germany (Tobis), France (MK2), Italy (Mikado), Spain (Dea Planeta), South Korea (Sponge), Scandinavia (Sandrew Metronome), CIS (West Video), Australia/New Zealand (Rialto), Latin America (Swen Do Brazil) and Benelux (RCV).
l IFC Films bought US rights from Maximum Films International to Roger Goldby's drama The Waiting Room, which received its market premiere at EFM and stars Anne-Marie Duff, Ralf Little and Rupert Graves. Lionsgate UK acquired UK rights.
l Netflix's Red Envelope Entertainment and Koch Lorber Films took US rights from Nordisk to Ole Bornedal's thriller Just Another Love Story, which also screened in Sundance last month.
l Momentum pounced on UK rights from Focus Features International to Andrew Fleming's hit Sundance comedy Hamlet 2 starring Steve Coogan. The UK buyer also took The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning director Jonathan Liebesman's upcoming thriller The Killing Room from ContentFilm. Rights also went to Germany (Square One) and Portugal (Lusomundo).
l South Korea's CJ Entertainment sold a four-film package to Germany's Splendid: Kim Yoo-jin's $10m period action drama The Divine Weapon, which wrapped two weeks ago, Kim Hae-gon's Fate and market screeners Open City by Lee Sang-gi and Our Town by Jung Gil-young.
l CJ sold Chung Yoon-chul's A Man Who Was Superman to J-Bics in Thailand, Festive Films in Singapore and Golden Scene in Hong Kong.
l Fortissimo reported strong business on music documentaries. Martin Scorsese's untitled Bob Marley portrait - which was announced in the first days of EFM and is due to be delivered by 2010 - has pre-sold to the UK (Contender), South Africa (Nu Metro), Portugal (Lusomundo) and Benelux (RCV). Offers are on the table for Japan, France, Italy, Germany and Spain. CSNY: Deja Vu - filmed during Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's 2007 Freedom Of Speech tour - went to the UK (Metrodome), Australia/New Zealand (Madman), Benelux (RCV), Italy (Metacinema), South Africa (Nu Metro) and Portugal (Lusomundo). Scorsese's Rolling Stones film and Berlinale opener Shine A Light sold to Nu Metro for South Africa, Gulf for the Middle East and Palador Pictures for India.
No comments yet