EXCLUSIVE: Festival winners sell to Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.
Art-house stalwart The Match Factory has secured a slew of deals on its Berlinale and EFM slate, including on the three films which won awards for the company at the festival.
Aki Kaurismäki’s The Other Side Of Hope, winner of the Silver Bear for best director, sold out in Europe during the EFM and has additionally been snapped up for Japan (Eurospace), Brazil (Imovision), CIS (Russian Report) Hong Kong (Edko), Mexico (Mantarraya) Turkey (Filmarti) and China (Time-in-Portrait).
Deals for other key markets are understood to be in the works while deals for the digitally remastered Kaurismäki Classics collection have been closed for China (Time-in-Portrait) and Hong Kong (Edko).
German comedy Bye Bye Germany, the Berlinale special title starring Moritz Bleibtreu, went to Australia/NZ (Jiff), Brazil (Mares), Bulgaria (Bulgarian Film Vision), China (Time-in-Portait), CIS (Russian Report), Greece (Feelgood), Turkey (Filmarti), Hong Kong (Edko), Hungary (Cirko), Israel (Lev Films), Italy (Teodora), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment) and Spain (Festival Films).
X-Verleih will release the film in Germany.
Austrian crime-comedy Wild Mouse, the debut from Austrian cabaret artist Josef Hader which played in competition, has secured distribution in France (ARP), Scandinavia (Scanbox), China (Time-in-Portait), Greece (Feelgood), Hong Kong (Edko), Hungary (Cirko), Poland (Aurora), Turkey (Siyah Beyaz), Baltics (A-One Films), Taiwan (Cineplex) and Bulgaria (Bulgarian Film Vision).
Majestic will release the Austrian box office hit in Germany.
Buyers sign Manifesto
Sundance hit Manifesto, starring Cate Blanchett in 13 different roles, has secured further sales in addition to the deals previously announced by Screen, with Benelux (Contact), South Korea (Challan), Taiwan (Moviecloud), Mexico (Mantarraya), Hong Kong (Edko), Poland (Gutek), Greece (Danaos), China (Time-in-Portait), Bulgaria (Bulgarian Film Vision), Brazil (Mares) and Turkey (Fabula).
The Nile Hilton Incident by Tarik Saleh, the world cinema grand jury prize winner from Sundance, was acquired for France (Memento), Italy (Movies Inspired), Benelux (Cherry Pickers), Turkey (Filmarti) and Greece (Seven).
Scanbox will distribute in the Nordic countries, while other key deals are understood to be close on the political thriller set against the backdrop of the 2011 Egypt revolution.
Helene Hegemann’s Sundance-winning feature debut Axolotl Overkill, adapted from the cult novel she wrote at the age of 16, will be distributed in Czech Republic by Aerofilm. Constantin Film will release in Germany and as previously reported FilmRise will handle in US/Canada.
Silver Bear winner
German drama Bright Nights by Thomas Arslan, winner of the Silver Bear for best actor (Georg Friedrich) has secured distribution in China (Time-in-Portait). PIFFL will release in Germany.
The Berlinale Panorama winner of the CICAE award Centaur by Aktan Arym Kubat has been sold to China (Time-in-Portrait), Denmark (Øst for Paradis) and Turkey (Filmarti). Neue Visionen handles in Germany.
Meanwhile, Rotterdam premieres The Burglar, by Hagar Ben Asher, will be distributed in China (Time-in-Portait) and Ex-Yugoslavia (FMFS), and Super Dark Times has gone to Turkey (Fabula) and Bulgaria (Bulgarian Film Vision).
Sold to over 120 territories and nominated for the foreign language Oscar, Toni Erdmann has closed in one of the last available territories, South Africa (Ster Kinekor).
Titles from 2016 that continue to find homes include Paula, which has gone to Hong Kong (Edko) and Spain (Caramel), and Rosemari, which has been picked up for Bulgaria (Bulgarian Film Vision) and China (Time-in-Portait).
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