Having begun last Wednesday on the 14th of May and continuing until this Sunday the 25th of May, this year’s Cannes Film Festival has already seen several international distribution deals for film titles from around the globe. The annual Marché du film is one of the most important markets for the film industry, allowing for the establishment of such deals and significant contacts. Irish film has always had a presence in the market and the number of international deals established in the past week has made the industry felt more than ever in the field of global film distribution.
‘Room’, based on the best-selling novel by Emma Donoghue (who is also writing the adapted screenplay for the film), has been acquired by A24 Films. The firm pre-bought the US rights to the drama, which will star Brie Larson as a mother who has to protect her son from the truth – the room they live in is where they are being held captive by a man who kidnapped her when she was a teenager.
The film will be directed by Lenny Abrahamson, whose comedy ‘Frank’ is out in cinemas now, produced by Ed Guiney and executive produced by Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures. The Irish Film Board is developing with Film4. Shooting will commence in autumn.
UTA Independent Film Group handled the US deal with A24, whose other deals at Cannes include securing the US rights to ‘The Captive’, starring Ryan Reynolds, and ‘Son of a Gun’, starring Ewan McGregor. FilmNation is representing international rights for ‘Room’ at Cannes.
Meanwhile, Ivan Kavanagh’s Irish horror ‘The Canal’ has recorded deals with Benelux, Singapore, Malaysia and China. Jinga Films was responsible for closing the deals for the psychological horror, which will receive its market premiere today. The film premiered at Tribeca and had already secured deals for US distribution with The Orchard (under its Shock Till You Drop label) and for distribution in the Middle East with Falcon Films.
Another Irish film to get distribution is feature film ‘Gold’, with North American rights picked up by indie distributor Synergetic. Directed and written by Niall Heery who co-wrote with his brother Brendan Heery, the film stars David Wilmot, James Nesbitt, Kerry Condon and Maisie Williams in a family comedy.
It was produced by Tristan Orpen Lynch and Aoife O’Sullivan through Irish production company Subotica, and executive produced by Nigel Thomas. The film was made in association with Gloucester Place Films.
It has also emerged that Irish-American co-production ‘Young Ones’, starring Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning and Kodi Smit-McPhee, has sold to the USA, Canada, France and the UK. The dystopian sci-fi feature sees a teenage boy fight to ensure his family’s protection and survival. The film was directed and written by Jake Patrow and, again, produced by Tristan Lynch of Subotica and Muchael Auret.
The film was co-financed by Subotica alongside Spier Films and Saint Shadow in association with BiFrost Pictures, Quickfire Films, Six Sales and The Exchange. Elevation will take the feature to Canada, Potemkine films to France, Signature to the UK, and Screen Media Films will release in the US.
Another feature of interest to the Irish film industry is ‘High Rise’, filming in Belfast this July. Production company HanWay Films finalised deals with StudioCanal for distribution in the UK and with new distribution company The Jokers for France. The anticipated thriller from Ben Wheatley (‘Sightseers’, ‘Kill List’) is based on J.G. Ballard’s novel and stars Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller and Jeremy Irons. See more about the Northern Ireland Screen-funded film here.
Lastly, also of Irish interest, ‘Leviathan’ has been acquired by UK arthouse distributor Curzon in a deal negotiated with Pyramide International. The Russian film, which will compete in this year’s Official Competition, recently wrapped post-production with work from colourist Dave Hughes of Dublin-based Windmill Lane Pictures and DOP Mikhail Krichman (read the full story here).
