The Festival Beat N°1114

Pictured Left To Right:  Spencer Pollard, John Gore, Adam Sergeant John Gore Media Ltd, founded by Media Entrepreneur John Gore, today announced that it has acquired KFilm Ltd, the parent company of UK distribution businesses Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment, Platform Entertainment and Icon Film Distribution, plus International Sales business, Kaleidoscope Film Distribution. The deal was negotiated by John Gore’s team, with KFilm CEO, Spencer Pollard, and KFilm CO...

 

 

Pet Friendly Romantic Comedy Stars Gregg Sulkin, Halston Sage, Emeraude Toubia, Jaime Pressly and Annie Gonzalez     Los Angeles, CA (November 4, 2024) – Set to launch sales at the upcoming American Film Market, Highland Film Group is handling international rights to the charming romantic comedy The Pet-Nup on behalf of producers Javier Chapa and Phillip Braun (The Long Game, Rosario) of Mucho Mas Media.   With production set to begin in early 2025 in Arkansas, the fil...

 

 

Highland Film Group Launching International Sales at the American Film Market, CAA Media Finance repping Domestic Rights Daisy Ridley (the Star Wars franchise, Young Woman and the Sea, Magpie) is set to star in the action-thriller Dedication for director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, GoldenEye), it was announced today. The screenplay is written by Dan Gordon (Lawrence Kasdan’s Wyatt Earp, Norman Jewi...

 

 

Highland Film Group Launching Worldwide Sales at the American Film Market on behalf of Aanaxion Studio Milla Jovovich (the billion-dollar Resident Evil franchise) is set to star in the action-thriller Protector, it was announced today. The film is directed by Adrian Grünberg (Rambo: Last Blood, Get the Gringo) and is written by Bong-Seeb Mun.   Protector is produced by Kenneth Kim, Bang-Ok Joo, Bong-Seeb Mun for Aanaxion Studio, Ceasar Richbow and Arianne Fraser and D...

 

 

Principal photography starts today on the feature drama H Is For Hawk, it was announced today by Protagonist Pictures’ CCO George Hamilton. The film stars two-time Emmy and Golden Globe winner Claire Foy (“The Crown,” 2024 BAFTA nominee for All of Us Strangers, Women Talking) and BAFTA and Academy Award nominee Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin, In Bruges, Paddington 2)   Protagonist Pictures already secured a slew of international deals, including Lionsgate, wh...

 

 

  New documentary from Sypher Studios, directed by John B. Benitz and narrated by Annette Bening, featuring a star-studded cast including Laura Dern, Michael C. Hall, Paul Walter Hauser, Common, DeWanda Wise, Gary Cole, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. delves into the heart of humanity via a global journey through wars via personal correspondences spanning two and half centuries   The official trailer release - First Look Footage Ever Click here for key art and other press assets...

 

 

That's a wrap on AFM day 3! Join us tomorrow for another full day of panels and speakers across two stages (Main Stage and View Stage). We have just added a new topic at 9:30AM entitled, The Writer’s Life on the Main Stage. Other not to miss sessions are Black Culture at the Epicenter of Hollywood at 11:00AM (View Stage), Finance II at 11:00AM (Main Stage), The Untold Re...

 

 

Day 3 of the AFM, will bring another full day of incredible panels and speakers across two stages (Main Stage and View Stage), including "The Innovators" at 11am featuring one-on-one conversations with AGC's Stuart Ford and Anton’s Sebastien Raybaud (Main Stage). There's also a full day of AFM Screenings at The Brenden Theatre. See the Screening Schedule. Looking for Breakfast and/or Lunch spots - see all the restaurant options at the Palms. The Buyers & IFTA Memb...

 

 

Day 2 of the Market will be in full swing tomorrow with an incredible lineup of panels and conversations across two stages (Main Stage and View Stage) for The AFM Sessions. Looking for Breakfast and/or Lunch spots - see all the restaurant options at the Palms. The Buyers & IFTA Members Lounge at Greene Street will now open at 8AM. Looking forward to an exciting day of screenings, sessions, networking & business.       ...

 

 

Welcome to the 45th American Film Market® and the first in Las Vegas! The Market opens tomorrow with participants from 80 countries confirmed. AFM Exhibitor Space is sold out with production and sales companies from around the world here. There are over 200 Screenings happening at the Brenden Theatres, Film Commissions from the US and globally participating in LocationExpo, and a full lineup of panels and presentations as part of The AFM Sessions taking place across two stages! Che...

 

 

Film Mode Entertainment and Sparke Films Announce the AFM Market Premiere Screening, a Full House of Distribution News and Audience Choice Awards for Horror Film, SCURRY Starring Jamie Costa (Kenobi: A Star Wars Story, Bring Him To Me) and Emalia (Paper Dolls)   Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment and Luke Sparke’s Sparke Films announce the AFM market premiere screening and a full house of sales and distribution news with multiple awards for the horror film, Scurry. Th...

 

 

Leading sales, finance and production company Protagonist Pictures is launching worldwide sales and reveals a first look image for Glenrothan, the feature directorial debut from Emmy and Golden Globe winner Brian Cox, best known for playing the ruthless family patriarch Logan Roy in HBO’s hit “Succession.”  The company will also screen exclusive footage for buyers at the upcoming American Film Market. The announcement came today from Protagonist’s CEO, Dave Bishop....

 

 

Margaret Qualley (The Substance, Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Netflix’s The Maid) is set to star in psychological horror thriller film Victorian Psycho. Zachary Wigon (Neon’s Sanctuary) directs from a script by the acclaimed and best-selling author Virginia Feito (Mrs. March), based on her upcoming novel of the same name. This marks the second collaboration between Wigon and Qualley, following Wigon's film Sanctuary, which premiered at TIFF...

 

 

Academy Award-winner Jessica Chastain (Eyes of Tammy Faye, Zero Dark Thirty, Interstellar), Academy Award-winner Brendan Fraser (The Whale, Killers of the Flower Moon), and Academy Award-nominee Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad,” Trumbo) have joined Academy Award-winner Al Pacino (The Irishman, Scarface) in the mystery thriller Assassination. The film is directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy) from a script by David Mamet, with Levinson and Sam Brome...

 

 

 

Producer and global sales executive Pia Patatian today announced the launch of Concord Studios, an independent production, sales and financing company focused on original and high-quality director driven films for a theatrical audience. Based in Los Angeles, the company will launch 12-15 feature films per year for the global marketplace, with the majority of projects earmarked for a theatrical release. Patatian will serve as President of Concord Studios, which is financed by private equity. &...

 

 

Cameras have started rolling on Bharat Nalluri’s highly anticipated FLAVIA, it was announced today by Protagonist Pictures’ CEO Dave Bishop. The company reveals an exclusive first look for the family mystery adventure, ahead of AFM where Protagonist Pictures is continuing international sales on the film. CAA Media Finance are handling US rights and arranged financing for the film.     Based on the New York Times bestselling series of books by Alan Bradley, Flavia is ...

 

   

This Halloween, Studio 100 International is thrilled to announce its collaboration with Lunch Films to develop the enchanting new animated family feature, “Halloween vs Day of the Dead”. This alliance unites the creative talents of Mexican independent animation studio Lunch Films and Munich-based Studio 100 International, a leading independent studio renowned for children’s and family entertainment. Combining their expertise, the two companies are set to transport audiences int...

 

 

Acclaimed filmmaker Jay Duplass (“Wild, Wild Country,” “Transparent,” “The Mindy Project”) is directing See You When I See You, starring Cooper Raiff (Cha Cha Real Smooth), David Duchovny (“Californication,” Reverse the Curse), Hope Davis (“Succession,” “Your Honor,” Asteroid City), Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, “Dopesick”), Lucy Boynton (Bohemian Rhapsody, “The Politician”), and Ariela Barer (How To Blow...

 

 

Alongside the sales and licensing activity, LocationExpo and Screenings, The AFM Sessions presented by Wrapbook & Film Hawaii, will present 100 leaders, experts and influencers on 30 panels and presentations across two stages. A key attraction of this year’s Sessions, “The Innovators” will welcome two of the independent industry’s most prominent figures, Stuart Ford, Chairman & CEO, AGC Studios, and Sébastien Raybaud, Founder & CEO, Anton, to ...

 

 

Highland Film Group has come on board to handle international distribution rights to the horror thriller Witchboard, it was announced today. The re-imagining of the 1986 horror classic stars Jamie Campbell Bower (“Stranger Things,” The Twilight Saga), Madison Iseman (The Jumanji film series, Warner Bros.’ Annabelle Comes Home), Aaron Dominguez (Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building”), Mel Jarnson (Warner Bros.’ Mortal Kombat), Charlie Tahan (Netflix&rsquo...

 

 

Once again, The AFM Sessions will present four full days of programming exploring today’s global industry and where we are headed.  Forecasts for the future, marketplace intelligence, advice on how to best navigate our industry, and conversations on the most current topics and technologies across Financing, Production, Distribution, Streaming, Diversity, and more will be shared through the lens of 100+ Speakers from all facets of the business. This year, The AFM Session...

The second edition of Frame Within a Frame, a tailor-made programme for talented cinematographers, welcomes eight young professionals across the world in Tallinn in November. During the four days, attendees can learn from acknowledged cinematographers Roberto Schaefer and Ville Penttilä and show their works to industry professionals.  The talented cinematographers joining the Frame Within a Frame 2024 are Ariel Navarro (Cuba), Ema Diehelová (Slov...

 

 

The second edition of Frame Within a Frame, a tailor-made programme for talented cinematographers, welcomes eight young professionals across the world in Tallinn in November. During the four days, attendees can learn from acknowledged cinematographers Roberto Schaefer and Ville Penttilä and show their works to industry professionals.  The talented cinematographers joining the Frame Within a Frame 2024 are Ariel Navarro (Cuba), Ema Diehelová (Slov...

 

 

TV Beats Forum, the drama series strand of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, will launch the Honorary TV Beats Producer Award, which will be presented in 2024 to Ukrainian independent producer Kateryna Vyshnevska.  “This award is meant to spotlight a prominent and inspiring figure from our region, covering the Nordics, Baltics and Central Eastern Europe, who has made a significant impact in the field of TV Drama production. Kateryna Vyshnevska’s role in building and growin...