US buyers in Berlin are circling Beth de Araujo’s highly-regarded Berlin Competition selection Josephine while EFM sales package Skeletons starring Brie Larson is also in the crosshairs.
Josephine attracted interest as soon as it premiered in Sundance last month and several distributors are understood to be circling the story of a girl who begins to play up after she witnesses a sexual assault in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, forcing her distraught parents to address the issue as they try to support her.
Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan and youngster Mason Reeves star, and WME Independent and CAA Media Finance jointly represent US rights.
Heading into Berlin, the industry has been hopeful a challenged US distribution sector will get a welcome shot in the arm from the arrival of fresh players like Warner Bros’ new specialty division led by ex-Neon executive Christian Parkes, Black Bear’s new domestic releasing arm headed by Ben Kramer, and Sumerian Pictures.
Meanwhile several buyers and one new player are understood to be circling Skeletons, JT Mollner’s upcoming horror led by Captain Marvel star Larson that FilmNation represents for international sales.
The company staged a presentation at The Ritz-Carlton on Thursday to promote the modern take on the creature feature, told from the perspective of a young boy who suspects that his parents are covering up his mother’s true nature. JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot is producing with Infrared and Assemble Media. Infrared is FilmNation’s production label set up to make mainstream mid-budget genre titles with franchise potential.
FilmNation also hosted a packed presentation complete with puppets and artwork for Laika’s Wildwood. FilmNation represents international rights on the animated epic fantasy that Laika head Travis Knight directs, with WME Independent and CAA Media Finance handling US rights. Laika and Fathom Entertainment will release the film in the US on October 23.
Lionsgate International also staged a buyers’ presentation and is in Berlin selling the psychological horror A Head Full Of Ghosts from Goodbye Mommy co-directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, and Colman Domingo’s Nat King Cole biopic Unforgettable. The company is expected to kick off sales talks in Cannes on The Housemaid 2, the sequel to its independent blockbuster.
Starry presentations tend to be the preserve of the Croisette – unless an A-lister happens to be in town with a festival selection. However filmmakers have been turning up in Berlin. Besides Laika’s Knight, Simon Curtis has been sitting in on meetings with Rocket Science buyers to discuss his upcoming Gerron’s Last Film starring Josh Gad.
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