Deadline AFM

Mousetrap Films’ distribution platform Film Festival Flix has acquired North American rights to Eric Kissack’s Missed Connections, Ulrika Bengts’ coming-of-age tale Iris, and … Read More »

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Red Bull Media House is partnering with AMC Entertainment on the re-release of The Art of FLIGHT 3D. The film will be shown in select AMC theaters in U.S. markets including New York, Boston, … Read More »

The American Film Market saw 5% more buying companies in attendance this year and 6% more buyers, organizers at the Independent Film & Television Alliance said today. The market, which has more than 7,749 people to date attend the Santa Monica confab, wraps Wednesday.

A total of 753 buying companies from more than 60 countries were present. Regions with more buyers at the market included Asia (up 14%) and Latin/South America (up 17%). Korea (26%) and Japan (23%) had the largest increase among countries. Attendance among exhibitor-affiliated participants (executives, producers, talent and guests) reached 3,069. “The healthy growth in new buying companies is the most important metric for us,” AFM managing director Jonathan Wolf said. “It shows that the global marketplace for independent film is continuing to expand.”…

Stealth Media Group has announced $25 million in senior and gap production financing on four films with Michael Mendelsohn’s Union Patriot Capital and Patriot Pictures. The deal has closed financing on the $18 million Nicolas Cage actioner Marble City and will support financing on a slate of action films including SMG’s SAS: The Originals, a $25 million budgeted pic about the formation of the UK Special Forces, and the real life Brit Godfather gangster film The Fixer….

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Freestyle Releasing plans a North American theatrical release followed by a DVD/VOD rollout for the new sketch comedy film InAPPropriate Comedy. It’s directed by Vince Offer and written by Offer, Ari Shaffir and Ken Pringle … Read More »

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Mister Smith Entertainment reports that Imagine, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Renner and Julianne Moore has been sold to distributors in several territories. Those include eOne for the UK and Benelux; Roadshow Films for Australia … Read More »

uMedia sales division uConnect chief Peter Rogers has named Oi Leng Lui sales manager and Peta Brown head of marketing. Lui joins from sales and acquisitions at AV Pictures and before that worked in distribution at Cathay Organization in Singapore. Browne … Read More »

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Sales and finance company Sierra/Affinity has picked up international sales rights in certain territories for Paramount’s Denzel Washington-starrer Flight and the upcoming Michael Bay-directed Pain And Gain, the companies announced today at the American Film Market. Sierra/Affinity is handing select territories for Flight, which opens domestically today, The company also will sell to Spain and the CIS region for the crime thriller Pain And Gain, which opens in the U.S. on April 26. Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Ed Harris star….

Image Entertainment has acquired U.S. rights to the sci-fi thriller Stranded starring Christian Slater. Roger Christian directed the pic produced by Minds Eye Entertainment in association with Moving Pictures Media. Kevin DeWalt, Mark Montague and Isabella Battiston produced the movie, about four astronauts on a moonbase who are struck by meteors with spores that can replicate, and soon a presence on board begins to target them. Brendan Fehr, Amy Matysio and Michael Therriault co-star….

Digital Media has acquired digital and TV rights to Samsara, the documentary from Baraka filmmakers Mark Magidson and Ron Fricke. The film has grossed more than $2 million at the domestic box office since its opening August 31 via Oscilloscope Pictures, making it the distributor’s most successful release to date. Filmed over a period of almost five years in 25 countries, the dialogue-free docu looks at sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites, and natural wonders. Freestyle will release the film on VOD beginning January 8….

Relativity Media has closed a new foreign output deal with leading Thailand distributor Sahamongkol Film International to oversee the distribution of Relativity’s feature films in Thailand through 2015. The slate includes the upcoming Movie 43, Safe Haven, 21 and Over, Malavita and Turkeys. It also renewed output deals with distributors from Turkey, Middle East and Eastern Europe…. Read More »

Stellan Skarsgard has been added to the cast of Hector And The Search For Happiness. The Avengers and Girl With The Dragon Tattoo actor will play a rich jaded … Read More »

Panorama Media and Samuel Hadida announced that they will produce an action-adventure film inspired by the World War II-set video game franchise. Pulp Fiction writer Roger Avery will write and direct the pic, described as in the vein of Captain America and Inglorious Basterds, about a young U.S. Army Captain and a British Special Agent on a top-secret mission to Castle Wolfenstein where Hitler will be for the unveiling of a new secret weapon. After reaching the castle, the heroes are confronted with Himmler’s SS Paranormal Division and must fight not only for their survival but for a mission that could alter the course of the war. “I’ve been playing the Wolfenstein games since I was a kid, and feel that their outlandish sensibility has deeply influenced my own writing and directing throughout my career”, said Avary. “I have always thought Wolfenstein, transformed and opened for the screen to wider audiences not familiar with the games, would be a major cinematic experience, which is why I introduced it to Samuel”.

Hadida, whose list of credits include the Avary-produced and -directed Killing Zoe and The Rules Of Attraction, will produce through his Davis Films Productions. Global sales will be handled by Panorama’s Marc Butan and Kimberly Fox. Talks with U.S. distributors are underway, and Panorama is licensing distribution rights at AFM. Read More »