23/01/2014 - Denmark’s LevelK International Sales has licensed Danish director Berit Madsen’s first full-length documentary to more than 15 countries, including the US-Canada (through Apple’s iTunes)

After screening Sunday (January 19) at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Danish director Berit Madsen’s first full-length documentary, Sepideh [+see also:
trailer
film profile], was picked up for the US and Canada by Apple, for immediate launch on iTunes, including iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Apple TV. Both for sale and rental, it is the company’s first release of a film that is still on show at Sundance;

This new way of distributing films was brought about by Danish international sales boutique LevelK, the festival and iTunes – “it takes immediate advantage of the promotional value from the festival and iTunes’ local access,” said LevelK CEO Tine Klint and New York sales director Natja Rosner. Danish audiences can join iTunes and YouSee from February 3.

World-premiered at Amsterdam’s International Documentary Film Festival, Sepideh is the story of an Iranian girl who wants to become an astronaut; she spends her nights exploring the secrets of the Universe, while her family tries to keep her on the ground – they have different plans for her. But she holds on to her dream, and teams up with the world's first woman space tourist, Anousheh Ansari.

Madsen took four years and travelled seven times to Iran to shoot the film with a local crew; the Stefan Frost and Henrik Underbjerg production for Radioator Film has already been licensed to more than 15 countries, including amongst others Australia (Madman), Benelux (Cinema Delicatessen), Middle East (Moving Turtle), Slovenia (RTV), World Airline (Encore). It has been nominated for the Danish Film Critics’ Bodil Awards, which will be announced on February 1.