08/02/2007

HanWay Films’ sales quintet, led by Tim Haslam, is welcoming, as of today at their Martin-Gropius-Bau stand, international buyers who will no doubt discuss the new films by Michael Winterbottom (Genova) and Phillip Noyce (Dirt Music) and the Ewan McGregor vehicle Franklyn by first-time director Gerald McMorrow, all three in development.

However, a brand new pick-up should also attract a lot of interest: Brideshead Revisited, based on Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel, to be directed by Julian Jarrold (Kinky Boots).

The project will be brought to the screen by award-winning scriptwriters Andrew Davies (Bridget Jones’ Diary) and Jeremy Brock (The Last King of Scotland [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

Brideshead Revisited is an evocative story of forbidden love and the loss of innocence set in the pre-WWII era, when privileged aristocracy fell into decline. UK producer Robert Bernstein –who developed the screenplay with Douglas Rae through Ecosse Films – says about the project: “With its theme of love across a religious divide, Brideshead is very relevant to our time. We are delighted to be with the team at HanWay once again.”

Filming will take place this year in Oxford and Venice.

Two HanWay Films will be screening at the European Film Market: Julien Temple’s documentary Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten [+see also:
trailer
film profile] as well as the German CGI animated film Impy’s Island by Reinhard Kloos and Holger Tappe.

On the festival side, the sales company is representing Canadian actress-turned-director Sarah Polley’s directorial debut Away From Her, screening in the Panorama and competing for the First Feature Bear.

The drama about an aging couple whose relationship is tested as the woman (Julie Christie) develops Alzheimer's disease was a huge hit at last year’s Toronto Film Festival and has now been sold to some 30 territories, including France (La Fabrique), Spain (Notro Films), the UK (Metrodome), Scandinavia (Svensk) and Benelux (A-Film).