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CANNES 2012 Market

Protagonist’s Sweeney among buyers' favourites

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- For its fifth Cannes, Protagonist Pictures reports major deals across its slate including pre-sales to around 14 territories on the UK thriller Sweeney.

Sales rep for Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ben Wheatley
film profile
]
, premiering tomorrow at the Directors’ Fortnight, London-based Protagonist Pictures has closed a series of major deals across its new slate of 12 titles offered in Cannes.

Nick Love’s adaptation of the TV franchise The Sweeney, starring Ray Winstone and rap star Ben Drew from Plan B, was sold to EOne for the UK and Canada, Universal for France, Benelux, Scandinavia, Brazil, Square One Entertainment Gmbh for Germany, Hoyts for Australian and New Zealand and Tiglon for Turkey. The film, produced by Vertigo Films and Embargo Films will be released in the UK on September 12.

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Two documentaries screening at the market received great responses. Bart Layton’s UK film The Imposter about French serial imposter Frédéric Bourdin, has been grabbed by Diaphana Distribution for France, NonStop Entertainment for Scandinavia, Indomina for the US, Madman for Australia/New Zealand and Front Row for the Middle East. Revolver Entertainment/Picturehouse Entertainment will release it in the UK in July. Meanwhile The Swedish/UK musical film Searching for Sugar Man (Special Jury Prize and Audience Award in Sundance), was sold to ARP for France and Front Row for Middle East. Previous deals had been inked with NonStop for Scandinavia, Studio Canal for the UK and Sony Classics for the US.

“It’s the first time we handle documentaries and we’re really pleased with the huge interest on these two films,” Protagonist’s Head of Marketing Bridget Pedgrift told cineuropa.

On the pre-sales market, Protagonist’s much-anticipated new Kevin Macdonald How I Live Now, a futuristic love story based on the award-winning novel by Meg Rosoff, was snapped by Momentum Pictures/Alliance for the UK and Canada, TF1 International for France, Zon Lusomundo for Portugal, Impuls for Switzerland and Madman for Australia/New-Zealand. The film produced by Passion Pictures and Cowboy Films Ltd. will be released in the UK on June 27.

The comedy The Double by Richard Ayoade (Submarine [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) about an insignificant man driven to a near breakdown by the appearance of his doppelganger, was sold to Mars Distribution for France, Studio Canal for the UK, Rialto Film for Switzerland, Lusomundo for Portugal and Golden Scene for Hong Kong. The project starring Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) and Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) will be ready for Cannes 2013.

The UK/Irish black comedy Calvary about a priest tormenting his community was sold to Momentum Distribution/Alliance for the UK and Canada and Transmission for Australia/New Zealand.

“For our fifth time in Cannes, we’re had a fantastic response from buyers on our current slate and the flow of people coming to our new office base at Residence Grand Hotel has been steady,” said Pedgrift.

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