Germany’s Deckert Distribution, a world sales agent on two-time Oscar nominee “Honeyland,” has confirmed first deals on “The Bubble,” “Bellum – Daemon of War” and “Les Enfants terribles,” three world premiere standouts in International Competition at Nyon Switzerland’s Visions du Réel.
“Les Enfants terribles” shared the prestige Swiss doc fest’s Special Jury Prize, announced at a prize ceremony on Saturday night.
The deals, with more in negotiation, prove the commercial fire power of the biggest new world premieres at Visions du Réel. Added to sales on Venice pre-opening film “Molecules,” the accords also confirm the strength of Leipzig-based Deckert’ Distribution’s current sales slate which includes six features at Visions du Réel and three at CPH:DOX. Sales details:
“The Bubble,” (Valerie Blankenbyl, Switzerland, Austria)
A measured portrait of the world’s biggest retirement community, Florida’s The Villages, “The Bubble” has confirmed its potential as one of the festival’s biggest commercial plays, closing first deals with Japan’s NHK, Swedish public broadcaster UR and Norway’s youth-targeting web TV, VGTV.
Produced by Catpics, Golden Girls Filmproducktion, Swiss public network SRF and Austrian state TV ORF, “The Bubble” will be released in Austria by Filmladen. A theatrical release in Switzerland will take place right after Visions du Réel.
“Multiple more expressions of interest, from TV and theatrical buyers, are now under discussion. Very enjoyable, but still raising important questions and issues, ‘The Bubble’ is proving to be a buyers’ favorite,” said Deckert Distribution’s Liselot Verbrugge, who runs its sales & acquisitions operation.
“Bellum – The Daemon of War,” (David Herdies, George Götmark, Sweden, Denmark)
Cutting between three stories – of Nevada PTSD combat victim Bill Lyon, Kabul-based American war photographer Paula Bronstein, and Swedish engineer Fredrik Bruhn, who’s developing hush-hush A.I. for the U.S. defense industry – “Bellum – The Daemon of War” weaves a devastating portrait of the impact of war and its future potential.
Lead produced by Sweden’s Momento Film (“Hamada”), a top player on Scandinavia’s doc scene, it will be distributed in Sweden by Folkets Bio and in Denmark by DoxBio.
Made in Copenhagen, Nordic state networks SVT, DR, NRK, and regional fund Film i Vast complete a powerful producer package. “‘Bellum’ is indeed very interesting. After the premiere in Nyon this week, it raised a lot of interesting discussions, it’s really a conversation starter,” said Verbrugge, who added that, although Deckert has just started offering it to buyers, “several have let it know that they are interested and first talks are taking place.”
“Les Enfants terribles,” (Ahmet Necdet Cupur, France, Turkey, Germany)
A searing record of a generation chasm in modern Turkey, “Les Enfants terribles” sees the director called home to Keskincik, the Turkish family village, to back up his younger sister Zeynep in her desire to move to nearby big city Antakya and brother Mahmut, who wants to divorce his child-marriage wife. What he witnesses – and films for his first feature – are brutal arguments between the parents and children who are worlds apart.
“You should be grateful I’m still letting you talk to me,” her father tells Zeynap. When she invokes her right to an independent life, her mother invokes God who “created me to stay at home.”
Made by France’s TS Productions, Germany’s Jyoti Film and Turkey’s Liman Film with the support of the Sundance Documentary Film Program, “Les Enfants terribles” is a “beautiful, claustrophobic and highly moving family story that gets under your skin,” said Verbrugge. France Télévisions and Al Jazeera Documentary Channel have boarded as anchor broadcasters. Verbrugge is now waiting answers on first key distribution deals.
“Molecules,” (Andrea Segre, Italy)
Directed by Andrea Segre and the pre-opening film at last year’s Venice Festival, “Molecules” marks an unanticipated fruit of lockdown.
In Venice to shoot a film about its two main threats – mass tourism and rising tide levels – Segre is trapped by COVID-19 lockdown. As the city empties, its fragility, wonders and inhabitants open up to Segre as he does to his memories of his dead father, Ulderico Segre, whose hometown was Venice. Mixing interviews and discovered Super-8 footage shot by Ulderico which his son never knew existed, Segre is able to reencounter the city and move closer to his own father, whom he hardly knew in life, as they effectively shoot together “Molecules.”
Quietly affecting, and now bound for HotDocs, “Molecules” this week closed a theatrical deal for Germany, Austria and Switzerland with distributor Film Kino Text.
“This is great for a film that had its theatrical run in Italy right before the lockdown, and now will be back in cinemas again,” Verbrugge said. “As the distributor described it, it’s a perfect ‘after Corona’-movie because the film gives time and space to think about what happens with us in this time,” she added.
Produced by Zalab Film and Rai Cinema, “Molecules” has also clinched first TV sales with SRF for Switzerland and Sky Arts in New Zealand.
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