Sellers Place Key Pics in Cannes Virtual Market

The Cannes Marché du Film, along with a sales initiative led by Hollywood agencies, is hosting the first major virtual market since the start of pandemic, starting on June 23. Distributors and sales agents are looking forward to it: the turn-up for the online Cannes Marché du Film is significant with more than 7,000 accredited participants as of mid-June.

“As nobody can leave their house, a virtual market is the next best thing. It’s a valid and worthwhile effort … people need something to initiate interactions. If this virtual market can help in some way to stimulate business that’s a great thing,” says Dylan Leiner at Sony Pictures Classics.

Here’s a look at some key titles for sale:

“Balestra”

Director: Nicole Dorsey

Producers: Pierre Even

A disgraced competitive fencer (Tessa Thompson) is aiming for her Olympic comeback. She receives a prototype device allowing her to extend her training into her sleeping hours but  reality begins to blur when she encounters a stranger named and gets caught in her own web of subconscious desires and unfulfilling reality.

Sales: Mister Smith Entertainment (international); Endeavor Content and CAA Media Finance (U.S.)

“Butter”

Director: Paul A. Kaufman

Producers: Paul A. Kaufman, J.Todd Harris, Christina Sibul

Lonely teenager Butter hpes to make a meaningful statement by announcing his suicide online but instead is met with cheers of acceptance and encouragement, which begins to feel a lot like popularity, and that feels good. The films is accompanied by the creation of the Butter Army, a collection of people and non-profit organizations from around the U.S. helping to bring awareness and education of anti-bullying, suicide prevention, body shaming and mental illness efforts. Partner organizations include the JED Foundation and Seize the Awkward. Pic stars Mira Sorvino, Annabeth Gish, McKaley Miller, Alex Kersting.

Sales: Arclight Films

“Cortex”

Director: Moritz Bleibtreu

Producers: Emek Kavukcuoglu, Jan Krüger, Paloma Entertainment, Port au Prince Films, Warner Bros. Germany

Prolific actor Moritz Bleibtreu makes his directorial debut with a psychological thriller about a troubled man haunted by recurring nightmares whose life goes off the rails when he can no longer distinguish between dreams and reality. Bleibtreu stars along with Nadja Uhl and Jannis Niewöhner (“Narcissus and Goldmund”).

Sales: ARRI Media Intl.

“Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds With Shane McGowan”

Director: Julien Temple

Producers: Julien Temple, Johnny Depp, Stephen Deuters, Stephen Malit

Feature doc about the Irish musician best-known as the frontman for the Pogues.

Sales: HanWay Films

“Deadly Illusions”

Director: Anna Elizabeth James

A bestselling female novelist (Kristin Davis) is suffering from writer’s block but events blur reality. Also stars Dermot Mulroney, Greer Grammer and Shanola Hampton.

Sales: Voltage Pictures

“Dear Mr. Führer,” by Christian Lerch

Producers: Robert Marciniak, Lieblingsfilm

Just before the end of World War II, Anna and her 11-year-old son Felix flee bombed-out Munich for her childhood village, where the boy is increasingly seduced by Nazi propaganda and Adolf Hitler’s die-hard fascist supporters. Xari Wimbauer, Luis Vorbach, Lisa Wagner and Philipp Hochmair star.

Sales: ARRI Media Intl.

“Enfant Terrible”

Director: Oskar Roehler

Producers: Markus Zimmer, Bavaria Filmproduktion

Part of the Cannes Official Selection lineup, “Enfant Terrible” stars Oliver Masucci as German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder in a biopic that spans the iconic filmmaker’s remarkable and turbulent film career from 1969 to 1982. Katja Riemann, Hary Prinz, Anton Rattinger and Felix Hellmann also star.

Sales: Picture Tree Intl.

“Forgotten We’ll Be” (“El Olvido Que Seremos”)

Director: Fernando Trueba

Producers: Caracol TV, Dago García Producciones

A Cannes 2020 official selection label winner in the major “faithfuls” category, pic is a true-facts inspired memoir of human right activist Hector Abad Gómez from Oscar-winning Fernando Trueba starring Javier Cámara, Daniela Abad and Aida Morales.

Sales: Film Factory Entertainment

“Last Words”

Director: Jonathan Nossiter

Producers: Donatella Palermo/Stemal Entertainment

Timely drama about the last filmmaker on earth in 2085 when crops don’t grow and children are no longer being born, starring Nick Nolte, Charlotte Rampling, Alba Rohrwacher and Stellan Skarsgard.

Sales: The Party Film Sales

“The Little People”

Director: Jon Wright

Producers: Piers Tempest, Jo Bamford, Cornerstone Films, Peter Touche, Janine Modder

Londoners Maya and Jamie escape their urban nightmare to the tranquility of rural Ireland only to discover malevolent, murderous goblins lurking near their garden.

Sales: Cornerstone Films

“Nadia, Butterfly”

Director: Pascal Plante

Producer: Dominique Dussault

Nadia, a professional swimmer in her twenties, faces the challenges of her imminent retirement. Film features Katerine Savard (two-time Olympian and bronze Olympic medalist at Rio 2016),  Ariane Mainville (internationally ranked swimmer),  Hilary Caldwell (two-time Olympian and bronze Olympic medalist at Rio 2016) and Pierre-Yves Cardinal. 2020 Cannes Label.

Sales: Wazabi Films

“Naked Singularity” (pictures above)

Director: Chase Palmer

Producers: Tony Ganz, Kevin J. Walsh, Ryan Stowell, P. Jennifer Dana, Ross Jacobson

The movie, which stars John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Ed Skrein, Bill Skarsgård, Linda Lavin and Tim Blake Nelson, is based on Sergio De La Pava’s award-winning debut novel, which centers on a rising star in the New York public defenders’ office who starts to question the criminal justice system after losing a case that results in his suspension.
Sales: Anton (international); Anton and Endeavour Content (U.S.)

“The People Upstairs”

Director: Cesc Gay

Producer: Imposible Films

Following on Cesc Gay’s international breakout hit “Truman,” and adapting his own stage play, drama is a four-hander chamber piece dissecting the dynamics and failings of the modern-day couple, starring Javier Camara, Belen Cuesta, Alberto San Juan and Griselda Siciliani.

Sales: Filmax

“Punta Sacra”

Director: Francesca Mazzoleni

Producer: Morel Film

Doc about a shanty town near Rome won the recent Visions du Réel fest. Market premiere.

Sales: True Colours

“Replay”

Director: Jimmy Loweree

Producers: Ethan Erwin and Hal Sadoff of Dark Castle Entertainment, Olivia Munn.

Using illegal tech and a desperate plan, Erin Staffer (Olivia Munn) does everything in her power to change the past and save her dead husband. Pic will be featured on the CAA/WME/UTA Virtual Cannes ’20 platform.

Sales: CAA Media Finance (U.S.); The Exchange (international)

“Rust”

Director: Joel Souza

Producers: Alec Baldwin, Anjul Nigam, Anna Granucci

Sales: Highland Film Group (international); CAA Media Finance (domestic)

Western outlaw Harland Rust rescues his estranged 13-year-old grandson from a hanging and the fugitives must outrun the law. Alec Baldwin stars.

“The Sea Beyond” (“Un Mundo Normal”)

Director: Achero Mañas

Producers: Tornasol Media

A father-daughter road trip brings belated mutual comprehension and reconciliation starring Ernesto Alterio, Gaya Amyach, Maguí Mira and Pau Durá.

Sales: Latido

“Security”

Director: Peter Chelsom

Producers: Marco Cohen/Indiana Production, Vision Distribution

A deft detective probes a sexual assault case in a posh Tuscan seaside resort. Drama stars Marco D’Amore, Maya Sansa, Silvio Muccino

Sales: Vision Distribution

“To Leslie”

Director: Moritz Bleibtreu

Producers: Emek Kavukcuoglu, Jan Krüger, Paloma Entertainment, Port au Prince Films, Warner Bros. Germany

Prolific actor Moritz Bleibtreu makes his directorial debut with a psychological thriller about a troubled man haunted by recurring nightmares whose life goes off the rails when he can no longer distinguish between dreams and reality. Bleibtreu stars along with Nadja Uhl and Jannis Niewöhner (“Narcissus and Goldmund”).

Sales: ARRI Media Intl.