20/05/2007

For the first time at Cannes with Goalpost Film, the new company he set up last year with Nicki Parfitt, sales executive Tristan Whalley is pushing the sales of Sundance hit Clubland, already acquired by several territories.

A sexual coming-of-age comedy about an inexperienced 20-year old (Khan Chittenden), his raucous comedienne mother (Brenda Blethyn) and his assertive new girlfriend (Emma Booth), the Australian film was directed by Cherie Nowlan and produced by RB Films.

Warner Independent, which bought US, UK, Australian and German rights, is planning a US release on July 4 and a UK launch next autumn. Wild Bunch acquired the film for France, Lucky Red for Italy, Rosebud for Greece, A Film for Benelux and Scanbox for Scandinavia.

“Clubland was five years in the making,” said Whalley, who started Goalpost after several years at Portman Film and Television, where he handled the previous Brenda Blethyn hit Saving Grace. “We handle four to five titles per year under $10m, mostly English-language films, looking after all aspects of a film, from co-financing and sales to marketing,” he said.

Currently in post-production is The Escapist by first time filmmaker Rupert Wyatt, starring Brian Cox and Joseph Fiennes. Whalley describes it as a “high octane prison escape thriller”. The UK/Irish co-production between Parallel Films and Picture Farm will be released in the UK by Vertigo.

Other projects in pre-production include the Australian film Elise by James Bogle, starring Natalie Imbruglia, set to start shooting in September; Happy Ever After, directed by US filmmaker Richard Bowen and set in China; and Matt Lipsey’s directorial debut The Climb.