13/02/2003

Ingmar Bergman’s highly anticipated comeback with Saraband has had buyers queuing at AB Svensk Filmindustri’s. The film is in the final stages of post-production.
The sequel to Bergman’s 1973 classic, Scenes From A Marriage reunites Marianne (Liv Ullmann) and her ex-husband, Johan (Erland Josephson).
Made for television and produced by Swedish broadcaster SVT with Svensk Filmindustri, ZDF, ARTE, NRK, RAI and YLE, a theatrical version is scheduled for the end of March according to SF’s VP and head of International Sales, Ann-Kristin Westerberg.
At the Berlinale, Westerberg closed deals with the following territories for Saraband: Greece (Rosebud Motion Pictures Enterprises), Brazil (Art Films) and Argentina (Cine3) and a number of US and French distributors are still in a bidding war for this title.
UK distributor Metro Tartan who is enjoying the current success of Bergman’s Persona which they re-released on 2 London screens, secured UK rights to Saraband, as well as several other SF titles like the UK/Australian coproduction Black and White by Craig Lahiff, and Norway’s Muskikk for bryllup og begravelser [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (Music for Weddings and Funerals) by Unne Straume.
At the next American Film Market, the SF sales team will continue negotiations on Saraband, a hot contender for the next Cannes Film Festival, and will open talks about Paradise a drama directed by Colin Nutley (nominated for an Oscar for Under the Sun).

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