Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Dahomey,” the Berlinale Golden Bear-winning film helmed by French-Senegalese director Mati Diop, has been sold to a raft of international territories by Les Films du Losange. Along with being acquired by Mubi in key markets, “Dahomey” has been acquired in Australia & New Zealand (Rialto), China (Hugoeast), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), Greece (One From the Heart), Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainement), Benelux (Cinéart), Bulgaria (Beta Films), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary (Mozinet), Czech Republic (Film Europe), Romania (Voodoo), Baltic Countries (Taip Toliau), Poland (New Horizons), Ukraine (Kyivmusicfilm), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Indonesia (PT Falcon) and Sudu Connexion in Africa.
Berlin Winner Ariel Rotter’s Latest ‘A Blue Bird,’ Pushing Viewers ‘to Try to Decipher Battles Being Fought in the Protagonist’s Head’
06.03.2024 - 23:07 / variety.com
Holly Jones Berlin-winning Argentine helmer Ariel Rotter (“Incident Light,” “The Others”) debuts his latest feature “A Blue Bird” (“Un Pájaro Azul”) to Spanish audiences in Málaga this week, the film screening in a particularly robust out-of-competition 19 title lineup that include Benito Zembrano’s “Jumping the Fence” and Morena Films-backed “Puntos Suspensivos,” from David Marqués. Produced by Argentina’s Tarea Fina, behind “Sublime” and Cannes Camera d’Or winner “Las Acacias,” alongside Uruguay’s Montelona Cine (“Nunchaku”), the film follows Javier (Alfonso Tort) and his partner Valeria (Julieta Zylberberg), as they navigate their exhausting six-year battle to conceive a child. Scenes sit still, sometimes in silence between the pair as they embrace, breathe, sigh, indicative of the love poured into their struggle.
“In the years that my partner and I spent trying to become parents, we went through periods of great uncertainty that strengthened us and wore us down at the same time. The feeling of those years is reflected, in some ways, in the film but the synthesis process also generates precision. Telling things in a few scenes generates depth,” Rotter told Variety.
Amidst the threat of company layoffs, Javier is met with further life-altering news that his tepid office fling with co-worker Camila has resulted in her pregnancy. Abruptly entering a new phase of his life, he strives for redemption while attempting to repair long-buried wounds. “In general, deception in love is clumsy.
It can be triggered by an attraction, a novelty, but in general it’s a manifestation of discomfort. A discomfort that co-exists with love and doesn’t invalidate it,” Rotter explained. “In this case, the couple’s in a circle of excitement
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Giovanni Pernice reveals meaning behind his huge tattoo amid latest Strictly drama
Giovanni Pernice has shared the the special meaning behind his arm tattoo, amid the continued drama surrounding his recent Strictly Come Dancing partnership with Amanda Abbington.The Sherlock actress, 52, has said that she has developed PTSD after dancing with Giovanni, 33, on the show last year. Amanda exited the show after five weeks due to "medical reasons." Since then Giovanni has defended how he trains, saying he just wants to get the best from his celeb partners. He has now revealed a defiant motto he has tattooed on his forearm, which he showed best pal and Strictly judge Anton du Beke, 47, on their BBC travel show in Spain.
Girl, 8, died after being sucked into pool pipe at Hilton DoubleTree Hotel
The tragic schoolgirl who died after being sucked into a pool pipe at a Hilton DoubleTree Hotel has been named.
Giovanni Pernice shares heartbreaking reason for being self-confessed 'workaholic' amid Amanda Abbington row
Strictly's Giovanni Pernice has opened up about the heartbreaking reason he is a self-confessed 'workaholic' as he admitted his family back in Sicily is a huge driving force behind his work ethic.The 33 year old professional dancer, who is one of the stars of Strictly Come Dancing, faced scrutiny last year after his celebrity partner on the show, Amanda Abbington, 52, abruptly quit amid rumours that Giovanni's tough training style pushed her to the decision. On the TV show, Adventures In Spain, Giovanni told Anton Du Beke that he works a lot because he's scared it might all end one day.
Spanish Sales Outfit Begin Again Films Teams With Industry Vet Rosa Bosch & Adds Berlinale Title ‘The Human Hibernation’ To International Slate
Veteran producer and sales agent Rosa Bosch has joined the Madrid-based distributor and international sales agency Begin Again Films. Bosch will serve as part of the company’s international department.
Ronaldo's one-word reply agrees with Pep Guardiola in Man City's battle with Liverpool and Arsenal
Brazilian football legend Ronaldo has given his prediction for this season's Premier League title winner.
IDFA Award Winner ‘Canuto’s Transformation’ Debuts Trailer, Utopia Docs Handles Sales (EXCLUSIVE)
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Sales agency Utopia Docs has shared the international trailer in exclusivity with Variety for “Canuto’s Transformation,” winner of the best film and outstanding artistic contribution awards in the Envision section of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. After IDFA, the film was selected at Taiwan Documentary Festival, Cinelatino Toulouse, Jean Rouch Film Festival and Tempo Doc Fest.
San Sebastian Award-Winner Celia Rico Talks Málaga Competition Title ‘Little Loves’: ‘I Want to Show Mothers and Daughters With Nuance’
Holly Jones Simmering inner turmoil, regret and a relationship on the mend feature as themes in “Little Loves” (“Los Pequeños Amores”), Spanish filmmaker Celia Rico‘s anticipated second feature, which premiered in competition this week at the Málaga Film Festival. Rico’s 2018 feature debut, “Journey to a Mother’s Room,” won the Youth Jury Award at San Sebastian Film Festival, and received a Special Mention in the New Directors competition.
Scots star James McAvoy suffered knee injury during racy sex scene in latest movie
Scottish actor James McAvoy admitted he injured himself on his latest movie set whilst filming a steamy sex scene. The 44-year-old said he "smashed" his knee during an intimate group sex clip when a co-star grabbed him.
Ariel Rotter, Benito Zambrano, Kike Maillo Grace Málaga’s Out of Competition Strand
Callum McLennan Featuring famed directors such as Argentina’s Ariel Rotter and Spain’s Benito Zambrano, who have not only played but won at Berlin and San Sebastian respectively, Malaga’s 19-pic out of competition strand is a testament to the buyer-driven pulling power of Malaga , thanks to its significant market. Multiple other name auteurs pack out the selection, which also includes a far stronger line is broad audience comedies than most festivals would risk.
Inside BBC Gardeners' World star Monty Don's health battles - near-death experience to mental health struggles
Monty Don recently returned to our television screens with the launch of his latest show, Monty Don's Spanish Gardens, a new gardening programme that's taken him all the way to the Mediterranean. According to the synopsis, the BBC Two series sees the 68 year old horticulturist discover gardens "across the country's diverse landscape" and explore its "rich and varied history and culture." Monty, who recently shut down rumours that he'd be stepping down from his beloved BBC Gardeners' World, has also been very open about his health battles over the years - both physical and mental.
Berlinale Competition Titles ‘Dying’ and ‘Architecton’ Score Multiple Deals With the Match Factory
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Match Factory has revealed multiple distribution deals for two Berlinale competition titles: German director Matthias Glasner‘s “Dying,” which won the festival’s Silver Bear for best screenplay, and Russian director Victor Kossakovsky‘s documentary “Architecton.” “Dying,” which stars Lars Eidinger, Lilith Stangenberg and Corinna Harfouch, also picked up the Guild of German Arthouse Cinemas and the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award. Variety‘s review describes the film as “a profoundly affecting exploration of life and loss.” The Match Factory closed deals for the film in France (Bodega Film), Italy (Satine Film), Benelux (September Film Distribution), Norway (Selmer Media), Poland (Aurora), CIS (Provzglyad), Ex-Yugoslavia (MCF MegaCom Film), Hungary (Cirko Films), Greece (Cinobo), Romania (Freealize), Taiwan (Andrews Film) and South Korea (Pancinema).
The Match Factory Locks Multiple Deals On Berlin Competition Titles ‘Dying’ And ‘Architecton’
The Match Factory has locked multi-territory deals on Berlinale titles Architecton by Victor Kossakovsky and Dying by Matthias Glasner, which picked up the festival’s Silver Bear for Best Screenplay.
Berlin Competition Title ‘La Cocina,’ Starring Rooney Mara, Sells Nearly Worldwide for HanWay (EXCLUSIVE)
Alex Ritman “La Cocina,” the Rooney Mara-starring drama that recently bowed in competition at the Berlinale, has been acquired for most international territories. HanWay Films has closed sales for France (Originals Factory), Australia and New Zealand (Vendetta), Spain (Avalon), Italy (Teodora Film), Benelux (Cherry Pickers), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Scandinavia (Mis.
In Berlinale Film ‘Paradises of Diane,’ a Woman Abandons Her Baby but Finds Herself: ‘We Don’t Want to Judge Her’
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor “Paradises of Diane,” which premiered in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival, came out of an exploration of the “dark side of maternity” and the role of the mother in society, director Carmen Jaquier tells Variety. The film, which was directed with Jan Gassmann, starts with Diane abandoning her new-born baby at a maternity clinic in Zurich, and heading to the seedy Spanish seaside resort Benidorm, without telling anyone.
Ray Yeung’s LGBT Bereavement Tale ‘All Shall Be Well’ Sells to Several Territories Following Berlinale Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Hong Kong director Ray Yeung ‘s “All Shall Be Well” has sold in several key markets following its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. Represented in international markets by Films Boutique, “All Shall Be Well” is playing in the Panorama section at the Berlinale and is eligible for the Teddy Award.
‘Black Tea,’ Abderrahmane Sissako‘s African-Chinese Romance From Gaumont, Sells Wide Ahead of Berlinale Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Black Tea,” Abderrahmane Sissako‘s lushly lensed romance drama set in China, has been bought by major distributors in key territories ahead of its world premiere in competition at the Berlin Film Festival. Gaumont, which co-produced the film, has sold it to Caramel (Spain), Academy two (Italy), Pandora Films (Germany, Austria), Cineart (Benelux), Films4you (Portugal), Provzglyad (CIS), Mozinet (Hungary), Another World Entertainment (Norway), Film Bazar (Denmark), MCF Megacom (Former Yugoslavia, Albania), Filmstop (Latvia, Estonia), MB Taip Toliau (Lithuania), Imovision (Brazil), AV Jet (Taiwan), Falcon (Indonesia), Pathé BC (Sub-Saharan Africa, Maghreb) and New Cinema (Israel).
How Locarno Winner Nele Wohlatz Explores Migrants’ Loss of a Sense of Belonging in Berlinale Film ‘Sleep With Your Eyes Open’
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor German filmmaker Nele Wohlatz‘s “Sleep With Your Eyes Open,” which had its world premiere on Saturday in the Encounters section of the Berlin Film Festival, tells a story about the search for a sense of belonging in a foreign country. It starts with Kai, a young Taiwanese woman with a broken heart, arriving at a Brazilian beach resort for a holiday. Here, her life crosses paths with a group of Chinese migrants living in a luxury tower block, and in particular a young woman called Xiaoxin, who accepts her fate, and Fu Ang, who is working in an umbrella store when we meet him but harbors ambitions to become wealthy.
‘Money Heist’ Spinoff ‘Berlin’ Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix
Joe Otterson TV Reporter The “Money Heist” spinoff series “Berlin” has been renewed for Season 2 at Netflix. The second season will once again see Pedro Alonso returning as the title character, along with fellow cast members Michelle Jenner as Keila, Tristán Ulloa as Damián, Begoña Vargas as Cameron, Julio Peña Fernández as Roi, and Joel Sánchez as Bruce. The Spanish-language series serves as a prequel to the events of “Money Heist” (a.k.a “La casa de papel”).
Atresmedia TV, Zeta Studios, ‘Age of Ange’ Author Nando López Tease Teen Drama ‘Red Flags’ in Berlin
Holly Jones Simmering teen angst meets social awareness in “Red Flags,” an Atresplayer Original created by award-winning author and playwright Nando López, whose novel “The Age of Anger” was previously adapted for television by Lucía Carballal (“Locked Up”) and backed by The Mediapro Studio (“The Head”) and Atresmedia TV (“Money Heist”). The project features within the second annual Next From Spain Sessions part of the Berlin Film Festival’s Berlinale Series Market, providing a first look at anticipated Spanish-language programming from industry heavy hitters that include the series producers Atresmedia TV and Zeta Studios.