A successful Berlinale for The Match Factory

by Bénédicte Prot

21/02/2012 - Cologne-based international sales agency The Match Factory did very well at the Berlinale this year, with several of its films awarded, much to the happiness of its director, Michael Weber. Barbara [trailer, film focus] won the Silver Bear for Best Director for Christian Petzold (photo) as well as the Berliner Morgenpost’s Audience Award. Just the Wind [trailer, film focus] by Bence Fliegauf won a Silver Bear/Jury Grand Prix, the Peace Prize, and the Amnesty International Prize. Tabu [trailer, film focus] by Miguel Gomes won the Alfred Bauer Award and the FIPRESCI Award, and, finally, The Wall [trailer] by Julian Pölsler, in the Panorama Special programme, won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.

Match also had its best year ever at the European Film Market. Barbara, a favourite in competition, was sold in more than 20 territories, including France (Pyramide), the United Kingdom (Soda), Spain (Golem), Italy (BIM), the Benelux (A-Film), Scandinavia (Future), Switzerland (Look Now), Japan (New Select), the United States (Adopt Films), Roumania (Independenta), Greece (Seven) and ex-Yougoslavia (Discovery).

Tabu seduced Switzerland (Look Now), Canada (Filmswelike), Greece (Seven Films), Poland (Aurora), Austria (Stadtkino), ex-Yougoslavia (MCF), and Argentina (Zeta Films). Other sales are still being negotiated. Just the Wind was sold to the Benelux (Contact), Spain (Vertigo), ex-Yougoslavia (Discovery), Greece (Ama), the Czech and Slovak Republics (Artcam), and Taïwan (Joint).

Other films also interested distributors: the film in competition Home for the Weekend [trailer] by Hans-Christian Schmid, will notably be released in France (Jour2Fete), Switzerland (Filmcoopi) and Poland (Aurora). As for Postcards from the Zoo [trailer] by Edwin, it was bought by Austria (Stadtkino), Korea (Sponge), and Taïwan (Joint). The Wall will go to the United States (Music Box Films), the United Kingdom (New Wave), the Benelux (ABC-Cinemien), and France (Bodega).

Among the films screened by Match at the market, several awakened particular interest: Et si on vivait tous ensemble? [trailer] by French director Stéphane Robelin (notably sold to Fidalgo for Norway, Golem for Spain and Tallinn films for Estonia, with negotiations ongoing for the United States), The Exchange by Eran Kolirin (sold to Seven Films for Greece), Alois Nebel [trailer] by Thomas Lunak, as well as documentaries. Meanwhile, Cannes 2011’s Un Certain Regard awardee Stopped on Track by Andreas Dresen continues to please buyers.

(Translated from French)