NonStop announces six new acquisitions
by Annika Pham
The Scandinavian distribution company NonStop Entertainment added six new titles to its 2008-2009 line-up following the last Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals, including UK films Somers Town by Shane Meadows and Donkey Punch [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Olly Blackburn.
Shane Meadows’ previous film, This Is England [+see also:
trailer
film profile], was one of NonStop’s biggest hits in Sweden last year, with a $1.3m gross. “Shane Meadows is an extremely talented director and his style is very suitable for the Scandinavian market”, said Ignas Scheynius, CEO at NonStop.
Somers Town, which screened in the Berlinale Generation+ section earlier this month, was bought from The Works for Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.
Three recent Sundance hits were added to NonStop’s catalogue. Frozen River, the directorial debut of US director Courtney Hunt, which won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, was bought from Paris-based Rezo Films for the five Nordic and three Baltic countries.
The thriller Donkey Punch by upcoming British director Blackburn was acquired from Lumina Films for the same eight North European territories, while the revenge thriller Red by Norway’s Trygve Allister Diesen was acquired from Bleiberg Entertainment for Scandinavia.
Honeydrippers by iconoclastic US filmmaker John Sayles was acquired from Rezo Films. The musical drama set in 1950 and starring Danny Glover won an award for Best Screenplay at the last San Sebastian Film Festival. The film was acquired for the five Nordic territories.
Finally, the South Korean hit Seven Days sold by Wild Bunch was acquired for Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland. The film will have its international premiere at Cannes 2008.
Upcoming releases for NonStop’s Swedish distribution arm include the Irish film Once [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which just won an Oscar for Best Original Song (March 21), and the Italian film by Daniele Luchetti, My Brother Is an Only Child [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Daniele Luchetti
interview: Riccardo Tozzi
film profile] (March 28).
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