Wild Bunch ready to whip up storm at Cannes (1)

by Fabien Lemercier

15/05/2007 - French international sales outfit Wild Bunch is as usual revved up for the Film Market at the Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off tomorrow.

Vincent Maraval’s team (see interview) has a contingent of six films selected, including the surprise entry 4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days [trailer, film focus] by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu in official competition.

Further titles include Midnight Screening Go Go Tales by Abel Ferrara, Barbet Schroeder’s documentary L'avocat de la terreur, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi’s Le rêve de la nuit d’avant [trailer] and Colombian director Carmen Castillo’s Santa Fe Street in Un Certain Regard, as well as Critics’ Week Special Screening The Orphanage [trailer] by Spain’s Juan Antonio Bayona (see news).

Wild Bunch will also start sales on two new projects, Ne te retourne pas (lit. “Don’t Go Back”) by Marina de Van (In My Skin [trailer]), the strange story of a woman who physically transforms herself into another woman. The star-studded cast features Sophie Marceau, Monica Bellucci and fellow Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino. Produced by Ex Nihilo in association with Samsa Films and Urania Pictures, the film is expected to begin its shoot at the end of 2007.

Another new title in the WB line-up is the dreamlike Mr Nobody by Belgian director Jaco van Dormael, back nine years after The Eighth Day (Best Actor at Cannes). Starring Jared Leto and Sarah Polley, the €32m production scripted by Philippe Godeau for Somebody Production with Integral Film, Lago film, Toro&Co Films and Christal Films will start filming in June.

Other attractive European titles Neds by Scotland’s Peter Mullan, who is behind the camera for a second time after The Magdalene Sisters [trailer] (a Wild Bunch production, filming to start in September) and Hand of the Headless Man [trailer] by young Belgian director Guillaume Malandrin (see interview), starring fellow Belgian star Cécile de France and Germany’s Ulrich Tukur (The Lives of Others [trailer, film focus]), which will be presented on promo reel.

Buyers will also be able to know more about the project Largo Winch by Jérôme Salle (Anthony Zimmer), an adaptation of the comic strip by Jean-Claude Van Hamme and Philippe Francq recounting the ups-and-downs of a young billionaire in the ruthless world of international finance.

The €24m Pan Européenne production will star Tomer Sisley (Crime Insiders) and is expected to begin filming at the end of August on location in Macao, Hong Kong and Paris.

(Translated from French)