15/11/2005

Positive results in the bag for StudioCanal as they return from the AFM, which closed last week in Los Angeles. According to John Kochman, responsible for international sales, the best results were for Fauteuil d'orchestre by Danièle Thompson with Cécile de France, Valérie Lemercier, Albert Dupontel and José Garcia for which the promo reel generated numerous sales and negotiations underway. The film will be released on February 15th in French cinemas and will be screened at the next Berlin market. Also, French features in post-production, sold by promo reel, succeeded in interesting the buyers. Ahead was La Californie (read the article) by Jacques Fieschi, with Nathalie Baye, Ludivine Sagnier and Roschdy Zem. Also receiving a good buzz was Le Passager de l'été (see news) by Florence Moncorgé-Gabin with Catherine Frot, Mathilde Seigner, Laura Smet, Grégori Derangère, François Berléand and Samuel Le Bihan, and also Du jour au lendemain by Philippe Le Guay with Benoît Poelvoorde (read the article). Finally, StudioCanal secured sales for Gabrielle [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Patrice Chéreau, bought by Vertigo Films from Spain and Wellspring from the US, for example.

"AFM remains vital and is our second biggest market after Cannes" John Kochman explained, "even if it is a real challenge for non-Anglophone European films. Los Angeles favours international projects and completed international films, rather than projections of completed European films. Timing-wise, they would have better opportunities at Toronto, Berlin, or Sundance". Studio Canal, who hold international trump cards such as the next films from David Lynch (Inland Empire) and Wong Kar-Wai (Lady from Shangai) begins pre-selling in 2006, beginning in Berlin, for Babylone A-D by Mathieu Kassovitz which is currently being cast.

(Translated from French)