14/02/2011

Hot off its successful launch at Sundance, Paddy Considine’s directorial debut Tyrannosaur [+see also:
trailer
film profile] has been sold by Protagonist Pictures to half a dozen territories in Berlin, including the US (Strand Releasing), and the UK (Optimum Releasing).

The compelling drama, which won World Cinema Best Direction and World Cinema Best Acting honours at Sundance, was also picked up for distribution by D Films (Canada), NonStop Entertainment (Scandinavia), Wild Bunch (Benelux), Madman (Australia and New Zealand) and Front Row Filmed Entertainment (Middle East).

A deal with France will most certainly be closed by the end of the European Film Market, said Protagonist’s Head of Marketing Bridget Pedgrift from her booth at the Martin Gropius Bau.

Olivia Colman plays a Christian charity worker who offers redemption to a man (Peter Mullan) plagued by violence and rage that is driving him to self-destruction. The Warp X production will open in the autumn in the UK.

Another Warp X title is screening in the Forum tomorrow: Richard Ayoade’s coming-of-age comedy-drama Submarine [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. The film has already been sold to several territories following its world premiere at Toronto, such as France (Mars), Benelux (Wild Bunch), Poland (Gutek), Switzerland (Rialto), Scandinavia (Non Stop Entertainment) and North America (The Weinstein Company). Optimum will open it on March 17 in the UK.

In Berlin, Protagonist is also showing promos of Terence Davies’ The Deep Blue Sea, which will hopefully be ready for Cannes, and the 3D children’s film Horrid Henry: The Movie by Nick Moore.

Pre-sales are going well on the sequel to the successful dance film Streetdance 3D [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. Most distributors attached to the first film have signed on for the second one as well. Eagle Pictures will release the first Streetdance in Italy in March and has picked up rights for the sequel.

The Uma Thurman and Robert Pattinson vehicle Bel Ami, adapted from Guy de Maupassant’s short story, will be ready for Cannes or Venice. Rights have already been sold to Studio Canal Plus for France and Germany. Optimum has UK rights.

Ben Weatley’s thriller Kill List will be launched at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas in March as a surprise screening.

Pedgrift said Protagonist is having back-to-back meetings in Berlin, although some territories such as Spain and Japan are harder to close.