Nordic competition titles hot sells

by Annika Pham

18/02/2010 - While packing their bags and collecting the last signatures on their deals, top sales agents The Match Factory and TrustNordisk yesterday confirmed sales on their two respective Nordic competition titles: Submarino [trailer, film focus] and A Somewhat Gentle Man [trailer, film focus].

Thomas Vinterberg’s Danish family drama Submarino, about two brothers haunted by a tragic childhood (see review), was picked up by France (MK2), Benelux (Cinemien), Italy (Mikado), Spain (Golem), ex-Yugoslavia, Japan (Bitters End), Taiwan (Atom Cinema) and Colombia (Babilla).

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“We are very happy to work with strong international partners on this outstanding film. Some of them released films by Thomas Vinterberg in the past and we’re glad they continue their relationship with such a wonderful director,” said Match Factory Managing Director Michael Weber. Submarino will open in Denmark on March 25.

The Norwegian black comedy A Somehwat Gentle Man by Hans Petter Moland, starring Stellan Skarsgård as a former convict trying to go straight whilst dealing with aging (see review), was sold by TrustNordisk to Benelux (Wild Bunch), Poland (Vivarto) and CIS/Baltics (Maywin Media). The film will be released in Norway on March 19.

TrustNordisk also pre-sold Pernille Fischer Christensen’s Danish drama A Family [trailer] to Poland (Vivarto) and Benelux (Wild Bunch), ahead of the film’s presentation tonight in official competition.

Other deals were signed on Lars von Trier’s upcoming film Melancholia, pre-sold to Russia (Central Partnership) and Poland (Gutek Film). The Danish/German/French/Swedish co-production is set to start shooting in June.

Susanne Bier’s new Danish drama The Revenge, currently in post-production, was pre-sold to Spain (Golem) and Poland (Vivarto).