UGC-TF1 International alliance debuts at AFM

by Fabien Lemercier

29/10/2009 - Official partners since the start of October, UGC and TF1 International (who now have a 34% share in each other’s capital) will make their first appearance as a joint force on the market scene next week at the American Film Market (November 4-11). Placed under the TF1 International banner, the new line-up is certainly attractive and Nicolas Eschbach’s team intends to strike some good deals at Santa Monica.

Market screenings include Tony Gatlif’s Freedom [trailer], which won the Grand Prize of the Americas and the Audience Award at the latest Montreal Film Festival (see news - to be released in France on February 24, 2010); Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs [trailer]; and James Huth’s Lucky Luke [trailer].

Promo-reels will be shown for the following new films: Romain Gavras’ The Lords, starring Vincent Cassel (see news ); and Yan Gozlan’s Captifs (“Captives”), featuring Zoé Félix as an aid worker kidnapped in Kosovo.

On the post-production side, TF1 International has numerous assets, including Fabrice Genestal’s Trader Games (see news), starring Gilles Lellouche, Michael Madsen, Vahina Giocante and Charles Berling; Jacques Malaterre’s Ao: The Last Neanderthal (see news - to be released in France on March 31, 2010); Joann Sfar and Antoine Delesvaux’s animated film The Rabbi’s Cat (release date: June 16, 2010); German director Oskar Roehler’s Jew Suss: Rise and Fall (see news); and Safy Nebbou’s Dumas (see news - to be released on February 10), starring Gérard Depardieu and Benoît Poelvoorde.

Other titles in post-production are Alfred Lot’s A Spot of Bother (see news - to be released on January 13); Anne Le Ny’s My Father’s Guests (see news - to be launched in theatres on April 14); Yasmine Reza’s Introducing Fernand (see news - to be released on March 10), starring André Dussollier, Emmanuel Seigner, Carmen Maura and Bouli Lanners; and Alexandre Charlot and Franck Magnier’s Imogène (see news), featuring Catherine Frot as a reluctant spy.

Finally, besides numerous completed films such as Eleonore Faucher’s Sisters (see news - release date: December 16, 2009), TF1 International will also sell Alain Corneau’s thriller Love Crime (formerly known as Une Femme Parfaite - see news), which is currently shooting and stars Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier.

The UGC-TF1 International alliance puts UGC Distribution in charge of French theatrical distribution (with help from part of the team at TFM Distribution).

(Translated from French)