01/06/2006

This year, Beta has had its most productive Cannes Market yet, thanks in most part to The Lives of Others [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Florian Henckel von Donners…
interview: Ulrich Muehe
film profile], the debut feature directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, produced by Munich-based outfit Wiedemann & Berg Filmproduktion.

This seven-time Lola award-winner, which had its international market premiere at Cannes, has already been acquired by 30 territories, including the US, Japan, Australia, France (Ocean Films), Spain (Alta Film), Scandinavia (Sandrew Metronome) and Benelux (ABC/ Cinemien). Negotiations are underway for Italy and the UK.

Mongol by Sergei Bodrov and Salvador [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Spain’s Manuel Huerga, starring Daniel Brühl, both of which screened in Un Certain Regard, also attracted buyers. Rights to Salvador are still being negotiated for several territories, including Germany, but the film has already been sold to the Benelux countries (Lumière/Benelux Film Distributors), Hungary (Best Hollywood), Japan and Brazil.

"Our strategy for Cannes was to mix German and foreign films, which impressed our regulars as well as our new clients,” explains Andreas Rothbauer (Beta Cinema). The three aforementioned titles were also the driving force for the whole line-up. As Rothbauer points out , "It was a good idea to present these titles that are still in production or post-production".

These films include Winter Journey by Hans Steinbichler, a d.i.e. production selected in competition at Karlovy Vary; Four Minutes by Chris Kraus (prod.: Kordes & Kordes); as well as The Counterfeiter, Fata Morgana, Heart of Fire and The Three Investigators and the Secret of Skeleton Island."

(Translated from French)