Luxbox Sells French Distribution Rights of Portuguese Master Manoel de Oliveira’s Oeuvre to Capricci Films (EXCLUSIVE)

Tuesday, Nov. 7, marks the 20th anniversary of the modern classic Christmas movie “Elf.” The movie stars Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf — a human who is mistakenly raised among elves at the North Pole — as he takes a journey to NYC to meet his biological father, grumpy book publisher Walter (James Caan). Along the way, Buddy, who has a childlike innocence, learns lessons, like the fact that other people think it’s weird to eat spaghetti with maple syrup on it, or the fact that other people think that it’s not an acceptable way to answer a phone with the opening, “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?” He also falls in love with department store worker Jovie (Zooey Deschanel), and he gets into a fight with a pre-“Game of Thrones” fame Peter Dinklage.

EXCLUSIVE: XYZ Films has taken global distribution rights, excluding Canada, on the eco-thriller The Well, the first narrative feature by Academy Award-nominated documentary director Hubert Davis. 

Kino Lorber has launched a new subscription streaming outlet, Kino Film Collection.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor “Diabolik – Who Are You,” which has its market premiere this week at AFM, following its world premiere at the Rome Film Festival, is the third in a series of adaptations of an Italian comic-book franchise. The books, written by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani, have sold more than 150 million copies. Kino Lorber has picked up U.S.

Christopher Vourlias Fifth Season has nabbed global distribution rights to the Greek teen drama series “Milky Way,” an eight-part coming-of-age story centered on an unwanted pregnancy that’s written and directed by Vasilis Kekatos, who won the Palme d’Or and the Queer Palm at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival for his short film “The Distance Between Us and the Sky.” Produced by Foss Productions in association with Play2Place and in co-production with Greek broadcaster Mega TV, “Milky Way” was the first Greek series ever to compete at Series Mania, where the edgy drama invited comparisons to HBO’s “Euphoria.” The show, which is set to launch in Greece Nov. 2 on Mega and Vodafone TV On Demand, will premiere its third episode Nov. 10 at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival.

EXCLUSIVE: James McAvoy (X-Men franchise), Lucas Bravo (Emily In Paris), Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale) and Almudena Amor (The Good Boss) have been set for thriller Turn Up The Sun! which has begun production in the UK under an Equity PACT agreement.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks has secured the world sales and remake rights to 2000 classic “Nine Queens” (“Nueve Reinas”), newly remastered into 4K Ultra HD. Hailed by Variety as “a seductively structured and superbly acted suspenser that breathtakingly piles swindle upon scam without giving away the game until the very end,” it was written and directed by the late Fabian Bielinsky and became the biggest box office hit in his native Argentina in at least 10 years.

K.J. Yossman Kaleidoscope Film Distribution have snapped up Scottish thriller “Kill” for the U.K. market and are set to launch international sales at AFM.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Boutique sales agent, House of Film has acquired worldwide rights, excluding Asia, to represent the Malaysian mythical horror film “Curse of the Totem” (aka “Sumpahan Jerunei”) from Produksi Seni Duapuluh-Duapuluh SDN BHD. Based on the 13th Century Borneo sacrificial rituals, “Curse of the Totem” tells the story of Dr.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films have acquired U.S. rights to “Bring Him to Me,” a mob thriller starring Barry Pepper (“Saving Private Ryan”) and Sam Neill (“Jurassic Park”). The film will open in select theaters and on digital on Jan.

The Howard Stern Show” Tuesday that his alcoholism had once been so bad, that he completely forgot he was cast in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.” Even more, he doesn’t recall being on set. According to the now-sober Stamos, he was hanging with cast mates Rita Wilson and Nia Vardalos in 2015 after being arrested for a DUI when they reminded him that he was expected to be filming in Toronto.

Christopher Vourlias XYZ Films has acquired North American sales rights to the horror-thriller “Deus Irae,” the debut feature of Argentine filmmaker Pedro Cristiani, and will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming AFM. Variety has been given exclusive access to the film’s bone-chilling trailer (see below).

Federation Studios has launched an international theatrical film sales division with Sabine Chemaly.

Regarding movie runtimes, Alexander Payne apparently likes short and lean and “sharklike” in their efficiency. IndieWire reports that the director of “The Holdovers” had some choice words about inflated runtimes of recent film releases at the Middleburg Film Festival last weekend.

Naman Ramachandran Abramorama has acquired North American theatrical rights for Leslie Shampaine and Pip Gilmour‘s feature documentary “Call Me Dancer.” The deal was revealed on the sidelines of TIFFCOM, the film market attached to the Tokyo International Film Festival. The film follows Manish Chauhan, a young and talented street dancer from Mumbai who struggles against his parents’ insistence that he follow a traditional path.

EXCLUSIVE: Boutique distributor Juno Films has acquired North American and UK rights to Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Traveled, a portrait of the iconic Norwegian actress and filmmaker from director Dheeraj Akolkar (Liv & Ingmar). World premiering in the Classics section of the 76th Festival de Cannes, the doc will make its North American debut at DOC NYC ahead of a spring 2024 launch in theaters.

There’s an update in Danny Masterson’s divorce case.

Danny Masterson is granting his estranged wife Bijou Phillips full custody of their nine-year-old daughter as he serves his prison sentence.

30-year prison sentence for rape.According to documents obtained by TMZ, the “That 70’s Show” alum, 47, wants Phillips to have both legal and physical custody of their daughter, Fianna, 9.Masterson requested visitation, which would have to be supervised by prison officials if granted. The Post reached out to a rep for Masterson for comment. Phillips stood by Masterson’s side during his court hearings.

Caroline Brew editor Gravitas Ventures, an Anthem Sports & Entertainment company, has acquired the U.S. rights to Connie Cocchia’s coming-of-age drama “When Time Got Louder.” The film will be released on Nov. 17 in select theaters and on VOD.