26/05/2007

French international sales outfit Pyramide took advantage of the bright lights of official competition to make excellent sales at the Cannes Film Festival Market with Catherine Breillat’s An Old Mistress [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see article).

Eric Lagesse told Cineuropa that the film was sold to the UK (Artificial Eye), Portugal (Atalanta), Benelux (A-Films), Switzerland (JMH), Italy, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Central America and Mexico. Negotiations are underway with almost all other territories.

Critics’ Week also brought good news for Pyramide, who is handling sales on two prize-winning features. This year’s sidebar Grand Prize winner, Lucía Puenzo’s XXY [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – a joint production between Argentina, Spain and France – has been sold to Switzerland, Italy (Teodora), Mexico and Argentina. Negotiations are well advanced for the UK and the Benelux countries.

French majority production Jellyfish [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Israel’s Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen was bought for Germany (Arsenal Filmverleih) and Switzerland. Deals are almost finalised for the Benelux. The outfit is currently examining US offers.

Berlinale Market hit Irina Palm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Sam Garbarski
interview: Sébastien Delloye
film profile] by Sam Garbarski (see Focus) was sold to the last few countries that still had not acquired it, Japan and Portugal, leaving the UK as the only remaining territory to secure a deal.

When questioned by Cineuropa about the growing trend of a two-speed market with on one hand the frenzy for projects with big-name casts and on the other difficulties for a more modest auteur cinema, Lagesse replied: "We are heading towards a two-speed market, not only in terms of sales but also in distribution and admissions. The big groups are monopolising films with big-name casts while independent distributors are under pressure. Having said that there will always be miracles like this year’s Cannes titles Caramel [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Cristian Mungiu
interview: Oleg Mutu
film profile].

After an exceptional Berlinale, we had a good market at Cannes. Our job also involves discovering directors, putting them on the market, for example Kaurismaki and Assayas’ first films didn’t sell. So it’s important not to neglect this work in the long term.”

(Translated from French)