Cowboy Booking International, the world's first worldwide non-theatrical booking service, has begun its life at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.
Formed by the Toronto International Film Festival's Noah Cowan and Erin MacDonald, Cowboy will work with the world's leading independent sales agents to place the titles they represent into unsold territories around the world. «We're not interested in competing with existing distributors,» explained Cowan. «We will be working with festivals, cinematheques, museums around the world. Eventually, we will also deliver films for theatrical runs.»
Confirmed clients to date include Fortissimo Film Sales, Good Machine, Films Transit, Celluloid Dreams and Southern Star, with further announcements regarding major agents in the UK, France and Asia pending.
An initial catalogue of 50 films likely includes such past Cannes entries as Clean, Shaven, Bedevil, Lolo, as well as major festival winners Crumb, Twist, Autumn Moon and Through the Olive Trees.
UK's Portman Group expands Down Under
The rapidly expanding UK-based Portman Group's investment in the Antipodes continues to grow with the announcement yesterday of a six-picture production package signed between Portman's Australian subsidiary and the New Zealand Film Commission; as well as two new projects for the Northern Hemisphere.
Down Under, the NZFC is funding six features to be shot in New Zealand over the next two years, in association with Portman Australia, TVNZ and New Zealand On Air, with «the emphasis on the writing talent in particular,» according to Portman's executive producer on the project, Chris Brown. «The projects will rely heavily on a first-rate screenplay. We'll be looking for projects with a distinct identity and quirkiness, giving the films a crossover potential to break into the main marketplace.»
NZFC chief executive Richard Stewart said the deal was «a great vehicle for our next wave of talented filmmakers, following in the footsteps of people like Jane Campion.»
The largest investor is the NZFC, with Portman providing a sales advance against world rights excluding New Zealand.
Portman chairman Victor Glynn told Moving Pictures yesterday that the company plans to build on its already significant investment in Australia - and will shoot its US$30 million feature The Virtual Hero in Australia in January.
«There has been a significant shift in that we are focusing on new, young talent now,» he added. This philosophy applies worldwide it seems, with yesterday's second announcement of two new Portman-linked projects under its umbrella deal with producer Cat Villiers, who produced the Oscar nominated Before the Rain with Cedomir Kolar. They are teaming up again to make Radu Mihaileanu's next project, as yet untitled, as a co-production with Portman.
Villiers will keep busy with a second project just signed, bringing together Canadian producer Linda Beath's Ideal Filmworks as minority Canadian partner with Portman in Strange Voyage, directed by Suri Krishnamma (A Man of No Importance). Developed by British Screen, Strange Voyage is about a man believed to be lost in deep space, until there are signs he may be alive - and his daughter embarks on a strange voyage of discovery.
ANDREW L URBAN
The violence is never played for laughs.
In a town that makes Düsseldorf look like Rio, young Alex searches for a little love and tenderness. In the interim, she runs guns, has family rows at gunpoint, and kills people. The latest first film by a forceful, young Spanish director, Salto al Vacío (Jump In the Void, screening tomorrow in the market, 11.30 Palais L) is savage, gutsy, and bluntly violent. But, insists director Daniel Calparsoro, he's no Spanish Tarantino: perhaps because he's Basque, the violence is never played for laughs.
Von Trier's Kingdom adds Britain to list of territories
Screening in the Cannes market, Danish director Lars von Trier's mammoth television soap, Riget (The Kingdom) has been sold to the BBC which paid an unprecedented - six-figure - fee for the foreign-language production.
The Kingdom has now been licensed to 24 territories for theatrical release, besides already concluded TV deals, according to producer Philippe Bober of Germany's Co-Production Office.
Riget will reach the cinemas in, among others, the US (through October Films), the UK (ICA) and France (Haut et Court Films), and the four-part series will also show on Russian television (NTV).
«Admittedly, my most successful film last year was a television production,» said Danish producer Peter Aalbæk Jensen of Zentropa, referring to the four-and-a-half-hour picture commissioned by the DR-TV, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation.
Credited with such features as The Element of Crime and Europa, both awarded at Cannes, von Trier originally considered the project left of field, «but I grew immensely fond of it, and it became quite dear to me,» he added. When aired on Danish TV it emptied the streets, and the pubcaster signed for another 10 instalments to shoot when the director has completed his next feature, Breaking the Waves. JØRN ROSSING JENSEN
The buzz on Michael Rymer's debut feature
The buzz on Michael Rymer's debut feature, Angel Baby, translated into the first sale yesterday when Southern Star signed a saler to Brazil's Europa, «in the top price range,» said Southern Star Sales chief executive Robyn Watts, »Strictly Ballroom-type figures.»
The deal was done prior to the film's first screening (Wednesday 24 at 15.30 Les Ambassades) on the strength of the trailer, which the buyer said gave him «tingles» - his sure sign of a hit.
Capitol Films
Capitol Films has closed deals on the Richard E Grant starrer The Cold Light of Day, following a successful market premiere on Friday. Germany has gone to Telepool, Switzerland to Monopole Pathe and Italy to Video Film. Paris Films has picked up the movie for Brazil and Perroptiki for Greece. The thriller, about a detective who uses a child as bait in his search for a serial killer, is directed by Rudolf van der Berg, and produced by Haig Balian and Chris Brouwer.
The White Balloon
Iranian director Jafar Panahi's Badkonak-e sefid (The White Balloon) is flying high for Paris-based Celluloid Dreams, licensing the film to several territories after its Directors' Fortnight screening. Panahi's first feature will be released in the UK (through PolyGram/Electric), Spain (Vertigo-Civita), Italy (Mikado), the Netherlands (Cinemien) and Japan (Parco-Cinesaison).
Another movie with Douglas Trumbull and Cinergi
Jeff Kleiser and Diana Walczak of Kleiser-Walczak Construction Co, who created the special effects for Stargate and Sylvester Stallone's forthcoming Judge Dredd, are in Cannes looking for future projects. The company is currently working on Randal Kleiser's adult drama It's My Party, and is also planning another movie with Douglas Trumbull and Cinergi.
STOP PRESS