FilmSharks Acquires Spanish Black Comedy ‘The Fortress,’ Debuts Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)

Ed Meza @edmezavar AMC Networks Intl. Latin America has acquired RTVE hit, Spanish-Portuguese thriller “Sequía,” which will be broadcast throughout the region on its Europa Europa channel. The story centers on the mystery behind two mummified corpses – apparent murder victims — that are discovered when a long submerged village emerges from the drying Campomediano reservoir along the Spanish-Portuguese border during a prolonged drought (“sequía” in Spanish). While a Spanish inspector and investigative reporter suspect the bodies may be linked to environmental protests that took place to prevent the creation of the reservoir, a Portuguese detective is secretly investigating the possibility that one of the deceased could be the heir to the Souza Cardoso fortune who disappeared years ago.

Ed Meza @edmezavar The 12th edition of Chile’s Sanfic Industria is set to kick off Aug. 20 alongside the Santiago Film Festival with new lab sections and a series focus on Chilean TV productions.   Among Sanfic Industria’s 11 sections will be the new Series Lab, which will select up to six Latin American scripted series projects. Creators and producers will receive advice from Sanfic Industria participants on the development of their works and strengthening international prospects. Industry reps will also take part in pitching sessions and one-on-one meetings for selected projects that will also be eligible for prizes and incentives. Also new is Sanfic ODS Lab, which aims to promote sustainable development goals among Latin American, Spanish and Portuguese projects. Producers, directors and scriptwriters are invited to present audiovisual projects with themes related to sustainable development and that are in an advanced state of development. Selected projects  will also receive incentives to strengthen their development and international prospects.

Mubi has picked The Settlers, the latest pic from Chilean filmmaker Felipe Gálvez for North America, the UK, Latin America, Turkey, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Benelux, and India.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Paris-based sales boutique Alpha Violet has acquired Spanish filmmaker Victor Iriarte’s directorial debut, “Foremost by Night” (“Sobre Todo de Noche”). Described as a noir story with a political background, “Foremost by Night” revolves around two women who meet for the first time, one who was forced to give up her newborn child for adoption when she was young, the other who, unable to bare children of her own, adopted a child she raised as her own. The film, which stars Ana Torrent (“There Be Dragons,” “The Other Boleyn Girl”), Lola Dueñas (“Me Too,” “Volver”) and Manuel Egozkue, was among this year’s winners at the Malaga Film Festival’s Work in Progress awards, where it secured the Latido Films distribution prize and the Aracne Digital Cinema award for post production services.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Variety has been given a sneak peek of the trailer (below) for Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days,” which world premieres in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is a deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us. It follows Hirayama, who seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past. Koji Yakusho leads the cast. In 2005, he co-starred in “Memoirs of a Geisha,” which was nominated for six Academy Awards. In the following year, he co-starred in “Babel,” a film that was honored by the Cannes Film Festival and earned Golden Globes and Academy Awards.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent “Lobo Feroz,” the latest film from “La Casa Muda” director Gustavo Hernández, has sold to getting on half the world, underscoring the market punch of high-profile genre movies from name directors. Sold by FilmSharks International, “Lobo Feroz” has closed Australia and New Zealand (Palace Film), the U.S. and Spanish-speaking Latin America (ViX) and Russia/CIS (Nashe Kino).  A Spanish-language remake of Israel’s “Big Bad Wolves,” “Lobo Feroz” has also a licensed Taiwan (AV-Jet Intl. Media), Eastern Europe (AMC for TV/SVOD) and Uruguay (Alvaro Caso-ENEC Cine).  The Palace, Nashe Kino, AV-Jet and ENEC deals all have a theatrical component, said FilmSharks’ Guido Rud. France, Italy, Japan, Korea and Germany/GAS are in discussions, he added.

EXCLUSIVE: FilmSharks has acquired world rights to the Spanish horror pic The Boogeyman: The Origin of the Myth (El Hombre Del Saco) and locked a series of key international deals out of Cannes.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Berlin-based sales agency M-Appeal has released the trailer (below) for Swiss director Maxime Rappaz’s debut feature “Let Me Go,” which will open the Cannes ACID sidebar on Wednesday. Set in a remote town in the Swiss mountains, the film features French actress Jeanne Balibar in the lead role. She plays the character of Claudine, a mother who has devoted her life to taking care of her son, sacrificing her own needs and desires. An unexpected love affair causes Claudine’s carefully controlled world to unravel, “reviving in her an intense thirst for freedom and, at the same time, a painful questioning about her future,” Rappaz says.

Jeremy Allen White is back as Carmy in The Bear season 2 and the trailer just dropped for the smash-hit FX series.

Naman Ramachandran Distributor Verve Pictures has revealed the first trailer for “Inland,” headlined by Oscar-winning thespian Mark Rylance. The film marks the debut of Fridtjof Ryder and alongside Ryland the cast includes Rory Alexander (“Pistol”), Kathryn Hunter (“Andor”), Eleanor Holliday, Alexander Lincoln (“The Fence”), Nell Williams (“The Good Liar”) and Shaun Dingwall (“Top Boy”). Described as a “modern folktale,” “Inland” explores the fractured identity of a young man after the mysterious disappearance of his mother. Guided by a father figure (Rylance) and old friends who care deeply, his journey through the dreamlike spaces of rural England brings him face to face with the loss that haunts him in ways he could never have expected.

Jordan Moreau Yes, chef! Hulu’s “The Bear” has cooked up its first trailer for Season 2, coming to Hulu on June 22. “The Bear” was a surprise hit last year for Hulu, as fans fell in love with the chaotic, yet adored, chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, played by Jeremy Allen White. Season 1 ended with Carmy and his cooks finding hundreds of dollars of hidden money left over by his late brother Mikey, and they plan to reinvent The Beef eatery into the new and improved The Bear restaurant. Here’s the Season 2 logline: “Carmy, Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) and Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) work to transform their grimy sandwich joint into a next-level spot. As they strip the restaurant down to its bones, the crew undertakes transformational journeys of their own, each forced to confront the past and reckon with who they want to be in the future. Of course, it turns out the only thing harder than running a restaurant is opening a new one, and the team must juggle the insane bureaucracy of permits and contractors with the beauty and creative agony of menu planning. The transition brings a newfound focus on hospitality as well. As the entire staff is forced to come together in new ways, pushing the boundaries of their abilities and relationships, they also learn what it means to be in service, both to diners and each other.”

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Berlin-based sales agency M-Appeal has released the first-look trailer (below) for the suspense filled drama “Power Alley,” from Brazilian director Lillah Halla, ahead of its world premiere in Cannes’ Critics’ Week sidebar. The gripping drama is set in Brazil, where abortion is illegal. Talented volleyball player Sofia (Ayomi Domenica Dias) discovers she is pregnant at a crucial moment, jeopardizing her career plans. Intent on deciding her own fate, Sophia tries everything possible to get an illegal abortion, but has to contend with an increasingly sinister fundamentalist group determined to stop her — but Sophia, her team and all those who love her, refuse to give up.

Mother's Day.Dozens of celebrities like Salma Hayek have used their social networks to pay emotional tribute to their mothers. Another star is Luis Miguel, who shared a photo remembering his mom, Marcela Basteri.Miguel's Instagram account is usually used for business, sharing accomplishments on Spotify, and tour news.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The trailer for Moroccan filmmaker Asmae El Moudir’s Cannes entry “The Mother of All Lies” debuts here (below). The documentary hybrid, about the lies that pervaded El Moudir’s childhood in Casablanca, has its premiere in Un Certain Regard on May 24. World sales are being handled by Autlook Filmsales. The film starts with El Moudir wanting to know why she has only one photograph from her childhood, and why the girl in the picture isn’t even her. To get to the truth, El Moudir and her father build a miniature set that recreates their neighborhood, and bring the whole family to the soundstage where it is built.

Naman Ramachandran U.K. streamer ITVX has acquired “The Effects of Lying,” a comedic drama with South Asian representation, from independent production company Bonaparte Films. It is directed by Isher Sahota, known for his work on “Grace” and “McDonald & Dodds” and produced by Jon Tarcy, whose previous work includes “Life in Black.” Written by James Hey (“Doctors”), the plot revolves around Naveen, a dutiful husband and loving father played by Ace Bhatti (“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Line of Duty”). His life is turned upside down when a series of shocking events occur in just one day, exposing decades of festering secrets. Laila Rouass (“Holby City,” “Spooks”), Lauren Patel (“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie”), Navin Chowdry (“The End of the F***ing World”), Shaheen Khan (“What’s Love Got to Do with It?”) and Mark Williams (the Harry Potter franchise).

BreAnna Bell The CW reveals Canadian sitcom “Run the Burbs” will make its US debut as the network unveils its Summer 2023 programming lineup. The network has renewed both newcomers “Family Law” and the comedy “Bump” for second seasons. Starring Jewel Staite and Victor Garber, the legal drama follows lawyer and recovering alcoholic Abigail Bianchi, as she struggles to put her career and family back together after hitting rock bottom. As a condition of her probation, Abby is forced to work at her estranged father’s law firm which results in a dysfunctional family law firm operating to help other families with their own dysfunctions. “Bump” is an Australian comedy-drama series about Olympia Chalmers-Davis, an overachieving 17-year-old student who has a surprise baby and the complications that ensue for the two families involved.

's landmark 20th season: the network's first-ever all-star season!Christian Siriano, an all-star in his own right, returns as a mentor, while Nina Garcia, Brandon Maxwell and Elaine Welteroth are all back as judges, all ready to critique the couture of 14 fan-favorite designers from across the series' 19 seasons. It's a chance at redemption, as this cast features no returning winners. Each 90-minute episode will feature challenges that test the designers' artistry and push their limits, including an unconventional challenge that takes everyone by surprise.

Angelique Jackson The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) has announced the lineup for this year’s Talks Series, headlined by 2023 festival ambassador Lena Waithe. The 27th edition of the festival will be held June 14-18 in Miami Beach, followed by a virtual program June 19-25 on ABFF Play. On Thursday, June 15, the Emmy-winning writer, producer and actor will sit for an intimate one-on-one conversation, billed as “The Lena Waithe Effect,” where she’ll recount her journey in the entertainment industry. In addition to Waithe, the series of conversations and panels also features: “That’s Our Business,” a candid conversation with Tabitha Brown and her husband Chance Brown; a panel discussion with TV One Networks’ Kirk and Tammy Franklin (“The One”) and LisaRaye McCoy (“Asking for a Friend”); a look behind-the-scenes of Bounce TV’s “Act Your Age” starring Kym Whitley and Yvette Nicole Brown; a celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with the Xfinity Original Series “Hip House”; and the WBD Access Music Supervisor Panel featuring Morgan Rhodes (“The Color Purple”) and Carolyn Owens (“Cherish the Day”).

Brent Lang Executive Editor Poppy Delevingne will star in “The Gun on Second Street,” a new drama from writer, producer, and director Rohit Karn Batra.  The film is described as “an allegory of the gun crisis in the United States.” Its plot follows two Pittsburgh police partners and best friends who are called to an uneventful domestic violence dispute on Second Street. This quickly escalates to a violent confrontation as Officer TJ Meadows III accidentally shoots and kills his partner, Officer Kevin Cooper, with his backup gun. Years later, no longer a cop and still traumatized, he moves back to Pittsburgh and finds his way to his partner’s widow, Kacie (Delevingne). They slowly fall in love as Kacie confronts the history she’s been avoiding, including telling her 15-year-old son, Ralph, TJ’s back-story.

EXCLUSIVE: Hulu Originals has acquired “We Live Here: The Midwest” from documentary filmmakers David Miller and Melinda Maerker.