18/10/2005

Paul Verhoeven’s epic WW2 drama Black Book is among the 11 titles that Content Film International(CFI) will be offering to international buyers at the upcoming American Film Market (2-9 November). The ambitious €13m Dutch/German/UK co-production which marks the return of Hollywood blockbuster specialist Verhoeven on Dutch soil in more than 20 years is currently filming between the Netherlands and Germany with domestic delivery date through A-Film set for autumn 2006.
Co-written by Verhoeven with long-time Dutch collaborator Gerard Soeteman, the film set during WWII tells the story of a young Jewish girl who tries to find out who betrayed her family. In the lead roles are Dutch actors Carice van Houten, Thom Hoffman and Halina Reijn. The film co-produced by Fu Works, Hector Films, Motel Films in the Netherlands, Egoli Tossell Film, Studio Babelsberg and VIP Medienfonds in Germany and Clockwork Pictures in the UK, has already been pre-bought by several European distributors including Pathé (for France and Switzerland), Alternative Films (Belgium), Odeon in Greece, Tartan Films in the UK and DND in Italy.

Two other European titles in pre-production will be discussed by CFI: A Thousand Days by US actor-turned director Keith Gordon (The Singing Detective) is a romantic drama about an ageing writer who re-visits emotional memories of a relationship that both inspired his work and almost ended his marriage to the woman he loves. The film is produced by Nigel Thomas (executive producer on Ken Loach’s latest The Wind That Shakes The Barley), Lauri Apelian and Jim Burke.
Pablo, The Little Red Fox is an animated film based on the Bafta award winning TV show of the same name telling the adventures of a young and brave fox with a slight confidence problem. The UK/French co-production is produced by Millimages' Rock Lener and Jonathan Peel.

In post-production is the UK comedy drama Driving Lessons, the feature film debut of established scriptwriter Jeremy Brock (Charlotte Gray, Mrs Brown). The film starring Julie Walters, Rupert Grint (Harry Potter star) and Laura Linney is a coming of age story about a teenager trying to escape from the influence of his domineering mother whose world changes when he meets a retired actress.

Three-years old Content Film International headed by Jamie Carmichael will also screen in Santa Monica the UK/German family adventure film Mee-Shee: The Water Giant directed by John Henderson (Lock Ness) and produced by Rainer Mockert and Barry Authors; the US comedy drama Transamerica written and directed by Duncan Tucker which was awarded Best screenplay at the last Deauville Film Festival; and Gael Garcia Bernal’s vehicle The King which screened at Un Certain Regard in Cannes 2005.