John Rabe arrives in the UK, Soul Kitchen warms up Spain

France:

Les Invites De Mon Père was released on Wednesday in France and scored 2671 admissions in its first showing in Paris on that day. The film ranked number two behind How To Train Your Dragon. A UGC Distribution release, the comedy is directed by Anne Ly Ny and stars Fabrice Luchini, Karin Viard and Michel Aumont in the story about an elderly man who marries a much younger woman and the reactions this causes among his children.

Tete De Turc ranked third among Wednesday releases in its first showing in Paris with 1191 admissions. The Warner Bros. release comes from director Pascal Elbe. Roschdy Zem, Samir Makhlouf and Elbe star in the police drama about how one simple act causes a ripple effect of consequences.

Quinta Distribution’s Manolete stars Adrien Brody and Penelope Cruz. Its first showing in Paris brought in 278 moviegoers on Wednesday. The romance drama set in 1940s Spain focuses on the country’s most famous matador and the woman who shakes up his life. Menno Meyjes directed the Spanish, British, French production.

Germany:

Turkey’s first US-style rom-com Romantik Komedi is released in German cinemas this week. The film, directed by Ketche, it is opening through Maxximum Film und Kunst. It will be also be released in Austria, Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands.

Lancelot Von Naso’s debut feature Ceasefire (Waffenstillstand), the first German-language film about the Iraq war, also opens this week. It was inspired by the 2004 siege of rebel stronghold Fallujah by American forces. Beta Film is handling international sales and 3L Filmverleih is opening the film at cinemas in Berlin, Biberach, Freiburg, Rheine and Stuttgart.

Jessica Hausner’s Lourdes, premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival, stars Sylvie Testud as a woman miraculously healed during a visit to the French town of Lourdes. It is released in 18 towns throughout Germany by NFP marketing & distribution. The Co-Production Office is handling international sales.

UK:

Florian Gallenberger’s John Rabe reaches the UK on Friday April 2, re-titled as City Of War: The Story Of John Rabe. The historical drama follows the German businessman John Rabe, who was partly responsible for saving an estimated 200,000 people during the Nanjing massacre. Metrodome has the film playing at the Empire cinema in Leicester Square, London.

The Twilight Saga’s Robert Pattinson stars opposite Emilie de Ravin in Allen Coulter’s Remember Me, also released on Friday. E1 Films UK are distributing nationwide. The film tells the story of troubled Tyler (Pattinson) and his new girlfriend (Emilie De Ravin) both of whom are trying to get over traumatic events. The romantic drama has already taken $18m in the US.

Multi-award-wining Australian production Samson & Delilah receives a UK launch through Trinity Film Entertainment. The distributor has the film at cinema in keys cities across the territory. Warwick Thornton’s debut feature is a fierce frontline report on contemporary life in the Central Australian desert.

Spain: 

Coulter’s Remember Me is also being released in Spain through Aurum ahead of the Easter weekend. The film, which also stars Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper, will go out on 233 prints.

Fatih Akin’s Soul Kitchen, which picked up the special jury prize at last year’s Venice, hits Spanish screens on 40 copies. The film centres on German-Greek chef and restaurant-owner Zinos (played by co-scriptwriter Adam Bousdoukos), who hires an intense gypsy cook with nouvelle cuisine tendencies with amusing consequences.The film has already taken a healthy $10m in Germany.

Dennis Lee’s semi-autobiographical drama Fireflies In The Garden arrives in Spain through DeaPlaneta. The film explores a family’s deep rooted troubles following the death of the mother. Despite an impressive cast including Julia Roberts, Willem Defoe, it has so far failed to make a dent at the box office.