07/09/2007

Young Hungarian director György Pálfi’s second feature, Taxidermia [+see also:
trailer
film profile], has been selected to represent Hungary as one of the potential nominees for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2008 Academy Awards, which will be awarded on February 24 after the selection is narrowed down to five final contenders on January 22.

Acclaimed last year in the Cannes Un Certain Regard sidebar, Taxidermia (see article), which was scripted by the director and Zsofia Ruttkay, has already picked up a string of awards from Chicago to Brussels. Fuelling strong interest from critics and film lovers alike, Pálfi’s highly original talent was first to be seen in his feature debut Hukkle, crowned European Discovery of the Year at the 2002 European Film Awards and awarded a Special Mention for Best Young Director at San Sebastian.

The €2m budget Taxidermia was produced by Hungary’s EuroFilm Studio (50%) with France’s Memento Films (25%) and Austria’s Amour Fou Filmproduktion (25%). Backing came from the Eurimages fund (€200,000) and the film also received co-production and pre-sales support from Arte France Cinéma, funding from the Motion Picture Public Foundation of Hungary, Duna TV, Vienna Film Fund, ORF, Austrian Film Institute and Sundance workshops for script development.

Sold internationally by Dutch outfit Fortissimo Films, the feature has been released in France (Memento Films Distribution), the UK (Tartan Films), Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Hungary, Spain, Austria and Belgium. It will soon be distributed in the US, the Middle East and Asia.

Pálfi is currently putting the finishing touches to the post-production of Paradise, a playful film set in a crèche, while also preparing Skeletal Brigade (see article). The ambitious project was presented at Cannes in May at the European Producers Club Co-production Forum.

(Translated from French)