MOONRISE PICTURES, Madrid, has signed an exclusive world rights deal for two of FILMS IN MOTION, Berlin productions BONES OF THE WISE MEN stars Benjamin Sadler, Max Hopp and Silke Bodenbender. Film is being co-produced with SIRENA Films, CZ. LIFE THROUGH A DEAD MAN's EYES stars Matthias Habich, Herbert Knaup and Ursina Lardi. It's being co-produced with MERKUR FILM,  Oslo. Both films are part of a World War II trilogy.

American Tim Robbins has been a successful working actor, director, writer and producer in Hollywood for almost 40 years. He won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in Mystic River (D: Clint Eastwood, 2003), and a Best Actor Award at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival for his role in Robert Altman’s The Player (1992). His additional acting credits include such films as Bull Durham (D: Ron Shelton, 1988), Robert Altman’s Short Cuts (1993), The Shawshank Redemption (D: Frank Darabont, 1994), The Hudsucker Proxy (D: Joel & Ethan Coen, 1994), Isabel Coixet’s The Secret Life of Words (2005) and Fernando León de Aranoa’s A Perfect Day (2015.)

Robbins wrote and directed the 1992 political satire, Bob Roberts, and the 1999 film, Cradle Will Rock, which earned a nomination for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and won two Gran Angular Awards – Best Film and Best Director – at the Sitges Film Festival (Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya.) The death row drama, Dead Man Walking, won several prizes at the 1996 Berlin International Film Festival, including a Silver Bear for lead actor Sean Penn, and went on to earn four Academy Award nominations, with Susan Sarandon winning for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Robbins attended the Berlinale once again in 2013 as a member of the International Jury. 

In addition to his work on film, Robbins is founder of The Actors’ Gang, a theatre ensemble based in Los Angeles where he has served for over 30 years as Artistic Director. The Gang has been touring throughout the US and internationally with productions of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, George Orwell’s “1984”, “The Trial of the Catonsville Nine” and “Embedded”.

Additionally, the Actors’ Gang Prison Project works to help California prison inmates rehabilitate themselves through the arts, with acting members of the Gang, including Robbins, working with inmates in several California Prisons. To date more than 500 inmates have participated in The Prison Project, which recently received the endorsement of the California Department of Corrections and the U.S. Justice Department.

In 2014, Robbins was honored with the National Guild for Community Arts Education Leadership Award, recognizing his innovative and socially conscious work as a film and theater artist, his passionate commitment to equity and social justice, as well as his steadfast advocacy and support for arts education. The Guild noted that “The Prison Project at The Actors' Gang is an inspiring, national model for our field which demonstrates the power of arts participation to unlock human potential and creativity, heal, and transform lives.”

Filmfestivals.com team is looking forward to meeting new friends at the very nice drinks and snacks reception to be held on the Booth

Also if you get a chance please join us for our screenings in the Market.

The Scarapist Screens today 18:50 12.02.2016 at CinemaxX Studio 17

Good Films has tapped two-time Academy Award®-winning Cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski (“Bridge of Spies,” “Schindler's List”), to direct its next film “The Postcard Killings”. Based on the Swedish crime novel of 2010, the screenplay, adapted by novelist Liza Marklund and Tove Alsterdal, uncovers a sinister series of murders as couples are ruthlessly killed across Europe. Sierra Affinity will be handling international sales for the project, which are anticipated to begin at the 2016 Cannes International Film Festival.

Good Films will finance and produce “The Postcard Killings” as it continues to demonstrate the intelligent and universally relevant films the production company is committed to delivering.  The company is also behind Brad Furman’s “The Infiltrator” which stars Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo and Diane Kruger, which Broad Green will release wide on August 31st in the US and Sierra Affinity will continue to sell in Berlin. 

New York detective Jacob Kanon and Swedish art critic Dessie Larsson take a journey into darkness as they team to piece together a seemingly senseless sequence of murders. “The Postcard Killings” unravels its story through a series of clues, as picture postcards are sent to apparently random journalists by a narcissistic killer; each heralding the next horrific crime. Seen from the joint perspective of both the hunted and the hunters, the operatic narrative digs deep into the most frightening aspects of the human psyche, drawing its protagonists into a nightmare from which there may be no escape.

Good Films Founder and Managing Director Miriam Segal said: “Janusz is one of our industry’s most respected figures, and has left his inimitable stamp on a string of modern cinema’s finest films. There can be no better choice to take the reins bringing this devastating thriller to the big screen, as we prepare the next phase of the ambitious Good Films slate.”

A frequent collaborator of Steven Spielberg, Kaminski holds two Academy Awards® for Best Cinematography: “Schindler's List” and “Saving Private Ryan”, while his recent director credits include TV Series “The Divide” and upcoming independent, “American Dream” starring Nick Stahl. His work can next be seen in Disney’s “BFG”. 

Janusz Kaminski is represented by ICM Partners.

ABOUT GOOD FILMS

Good Films, which is run in partnership by Miriam Segal (Lead Producer) and Martin Rushton-Turner (Co-Managing Director), operates as the production entity for projects developed by George Films.

Good Films’ first film, Brad Furman’s “The Infiltrator”, is confirmed for release in the US on August 31st, 2016. Good Films' next two films in production are “LAbyrinth”, based on the bestselling novel by Rolling Stone journalist Randall Sullivan, and award winning playwright Tena Stivicic’s “Invisible” with Danis Tanovic (“No Man’s Land”) attached to direct.

In final development are author and journalist Peter Godwin’s “When A Crocodile Eats The Sun”, author Siri Hustvedt’s “What I Loved” and Ellen Brown Furman’s original screenplay “No Comment”.

Exodus to Shanghai had it’s market premiere at the Deutsche Film und Fernsehakademie, 66. Berlinale on Friday, February 12.

Based on true events, Exodus to Shanghai is a love story of West loves East, Jews and Chinese united with violins, interrupted by the Nazi invasion of Austria in 1938. Even Hitler is not powerful enough to break the love. When Hitler invades Austria in 1938, Jews must make an Exodus from Vienna. Only the Chinese Consul of Vienna, Dr. Feng Shan Ho issues thousands of Jews exit Visas to Shanghai. Fannia is a beautiful Jewish violin player from New York perfecting her violinist skills in Vienna. She falls in love with Bruce, who is a gifted violinist and a martial artist. Together they are forced into an Exodus from Vienna in an exciting adventurous trip to reach Exodus to Shanghai. On the way the Gestapo tries to stop them from reaching their dreamland and to rob them of their valuables and their lives.

This is a love story of Jews and Chinese. Together they survive and eliminate the Nazis who want to stop their Exodus to Shanghai and get back Hitler’s painting of ‘Prinz’ his German shepherd and first love.

Find out more about Exodus to Shanghai http://www.micheladam.tv/shanghai/

Film Festivals was there and sat down with director Anthony Hickox to talk about the making of the film, the challenges, experience of having the film screened at the 66. Berlinale and more.

How did you come across the project?
Michel Adams is a friend of mine. I got a call from him two weeks before the shoot to come and make this movie in Romania. I said, ok, send me the script, so he sent me forty pages of his ideas put together. He said I'm ready to go, have the lead actors, wardrobe… I thought fine, so I went to Romania and found out after we greenlight the project that the prep was not in Romania but Lithuania. We literally were shooting in seven days which was just insanity. This is why I think the movie has this originality.

What was the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was really just making the movie, but it was a joyful challenge. Michel Adams and I are insane and we both have the same vision. Not many people would let me make this movie as is. I Pretty much had creative freedom.

The style of the film  reminds me of Quentin Tarantino's works. Is he a reference point for your work?
I love Tarantino, in fact he is my neighbor. That said, the film is my own version. There are two worlds, there is this phantasy world where everybody looks beautiful, kind of in the 1940's film world and then the reality, that's why I keep on doing the archives. I wanted to do my own version where there is art and expressionists too (with the Hitler's dog, which I love that part of the story). That's why every violent scene is a Jackson Pollock. I literally go with the blood and spray it all over, like Jackson Pollack. It was my freedom of expression. I also wanted to show extremists as idiots.

As a filmmaker what are your influences?
Mel Brooks, as you can see. Hitchcock, Spielberg of course, which is why I shot it like I did. The whole movie is shot in 25mm lens, short depth of field, and very wide where you see the whole room even in a close-up, which is a DP's nightmare, but not any more. Because, nowadays you put the back light right there and just CGI it out. It was the first digital movie I ever shot.

How did you come across the actors and direct them?
I didn't cast the original. It was under another director before, whom wanted to make a totally different movie, a very serious drama, which Michel didn't want. So when he called me he said I need Tarantino. Well,  I can do Tarantino. I had the five lead actors already cast and brought in David Lipper. He is my best friend and acting coach whom studied with Ivana Chubbuck. None of the actors had acted before, a part from the German actor Markus and Maia. When the whole cast sat down for the reading, they were really nice but one is French, another Israeli, another Australian and I noticed they couldn't read. So I called my friend David Lipper to bring him in, he played the second lead German and coached everybody at night. He did an amazing job. The first few days were tough and then they all started to go with it. Usually, I have one star who's a nightmare and everybody else is terrible, but in this case it was all balanced, everybody was in the same boat. It turned out really well.

What about your background? When did you start being interested in filmmaking?
I'm from England, my mother is a famous film editor, my dad a film director and grandfather is also a filmmaker. I had no choice. If my father was a butcher I would be cutting meat. I look back at pictures of me, when I was eight years old and had a camera in my hand. I started as a child actor and was terrible. When I saw a guy running around on set I thought I want to be that guy, he's always busy and I'm sitting around doing nothing. Besides, he's telling people what to do, so then I decided I wanted to be that guy.

How does it feel to be at the Berlinale with the film?
It's interesting, my worst film experience in my life was Prince Valente, which was shot in Berlin in the 90’s. So I had a bad feeling when I landed. But the city does seem to have changed. It's funny because my movies aren’t particularly festival friendly. This is the first one that made it here, in Woodstock, New York.. It's gotten to all these festivals.  That's a new experience.

The film is based on a true story can you tell us more about that?
Yes, the true story is amazing and there have been amazing people, like Dr. Feng Shan Ho. The Chinese tried to bury the story. He went against the government to do what he did. The story is about this Ambassador that saw what Hitler was going to do and saw what was going to happen to the Jews and he started to get these people their visas, 24 hours a day it required a lot of steps, you needed the stamps, getting approvals, so he started to do it and issued nearly 10,000 visas for Jews to leave Shanghai.  

—
Interview conducted by L. Fietz


 

After the successful screening of Exodus to Shanghai at the 66. Berlinale,  the cast attended  the FashonTV After Party at THE PEARL in Berlin.

German actor Markus von Lingen, plays Hermann Deutsch, a sadistic evil mastermind elected as the leader of Führer Museum project to recuperate all paintings, especially that of ‘Prinz’ painted by Hitler himself of his first German shepherd and true love. With his companion Kurt, he terrorizes anyone he meets, finding pleasure in inflicting pain and mental torture. He attempts to not only seduce Fannia, disregarding his moral beliefs, but develops a indisputable hatred for Dr. Ho and the Morgenstern’s. He chases down anyone to the death, to carry out his tasks and encounter personal euphoria.

Film Festivals interviewed the talented actor and talked about what intrigued him to be part of the project, the challenges of the role, the character development process and more.

What made you decide to be part of this project?
I got the role from my English agent and what I really liked about it, is that the role is not this generic Nazi role, which every German actor gets to play once in a while, when you have a few sentences. In this film it's actually a real character, a real person, who has a development throughout the story, who has problems and it's not about him being a Nazi, it could be any regime. For me it was an interesting person to play.

How did you prepare for the role?
I prepared getting into the history, looking at film footage, trying to get as much information as possible about how it would be like living, working, making your career and so on.

When developing this character did you try to find a human aspect in Hermann?
Yes, absolutely. I tried to find out how would a person react under the circumstances.

You have been working as an actor for sometime. How was it to act with the other cast, since many of them were non-actors?
They were coached very well by a friend from Los Angeles, David Lipper and I thought they were pretty much up to speed. I got a lot from them, they were really good.

What was your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge was that a lot of things weren't prepared. The director came up with a lot of new stuff, and I was terrified about these changes. Some days he would say tomorrow we are going to do this and this scene, that weren't even written so we had to just jump in. It freaked me out because I like to  be prepared (laughs).

Where are you based?
I live here in Berlin, but I'm regularly in London. I have representation in London as well.

How does it feel to be part of the Berlinale?
It's a honor, really a pleasure. Many people came to the premiere and enjoyed the film. it's great that the film is taking place here.

---

Interview conducted by L. Fietz

Fashion TV's Michel Adam production Exodus to Shanghai, inspired by true events received its market screening at the EFM last night, followed by an after party with all the film delegates at the famous Pearl Club in Berlin. 

The cast, along with the producers and selected guests, including reps of the Tawanese embassy in Berlin, presented the first market screening of the film to a full house of film professionals, who then had the opportunity to attend the newtorking drinks reception and discuss Exodus to Shanghai. 

Later at night, at the after party at the Pearl Club Berlin, guest had the chance to see a preview of the film and celebrate with the entire cast. 

All actors shared their enthusiams for the first presentation of their work to audience and the industry professionals, with lead actor Markus von Lingen declaring "lucky and honoured to have worked with such an amazing cast and crew. Tony (director Anthony Hickox) was really great at guiding us in this journey. We shot the entire film in about a month, but it felt like just a day - great fun." 

Highlights from Press Conference MIDNIGHT SPECIAL by Jeff Nichols at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. Jeff Nichols (Director)

Denis Côté  Photo :  AFP/Getty Images/Tobias Schwarz

An expert in the paranormal, Emily Strand takes her team on their last ghost hunt to explain the supernatural. She finds her team terrorized in one of America's most haunted places. Escaping from the supernatural is their only chance to survive.

Director(s) : John ROGERS
Writer(s) : John ROGERS, Mo ANOUTI, Edward CONNA
Cast : Whitney ANDERSON, Paul DIETZ, Douglas TAIT, Kara LUIZ, Christopher Allan NELSON

Producer(s) : John ROGERS (XVIII Entertainment, LLC), Mo ANOUTI, Edward CONNA, Frank MORA, Fernando JIMENEZ

Japan’s leading actor Yōsuke Kubozuka who can next be seen in Martin Scorsese’s highly anticipated SILENCE is attached to star alongside three-time Emmy Award nominee Elizabeth Banks (THE HUNGER GAMES franchise, PITCH PERFECT 2) in Sloane U’Ren’s adventure drama RITA HAYWORTH WITH A HAND GRENADE, it was announced today by Radiant Films International’s President and CEO, Mimi Steinbauer.

Start of Principal Photography is slated to begin Fall 2016.

Foreign sales are being handled by Radiant Films International. UTA Independent Film Group is handling North American rights.

Set in World War II, Caroline Baker (Banks), one of the first female war photographers, is shot down and stranded on a South Pacific island where the only other inhabitant is a marooned Japanese soldier (Kobuzuka). As history passes them by, the two evolve from sworn enemies to reluctant allies in a 30-year battle against the forces of nature and their inescapable circumstances.

“Yōsuke is one of Japan’s most exciting and well known actors and set to become an international star following his haunting performance in SILENCE.  He is perfect casting for our leading man opposite Elizabeth Banks and we are excited to have him attached," said Steinbauer.

Robert Graf (HAIL, CAESAR!, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN) is producing the film. Sloane U’Ren is directing her sophomore feature film after having honed her skills working on studio blockbusters such as Warner Bros.’ BATMAN BEGINS and HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. The screenplay was written by Antony Neely.

Yōsuke Kubozuka co-stars with Liam Neeson, Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield in Martin Scorsese’s upcoming SILENCE for Paramount Pictures.  Widely popular in his home country of Japan, Kubozuka has won the hearts of fans and critics alike during his stellar career.  He has won numerous accolades including two Awards from the Japanese Academy (Japan’s Oscars) for his performance in the box office hit GO. 

ABOUT RADIANT FILMS INTERNATIONAL:

Founded by international sales veteran, Mimi Steinbauer, who is President and CEO, Radiant Films International, is an international sales company funded through private equity sources which acquires and distributes theatrical feature films.

In addition to RITA HAYWORTH WITH A HAND GRENADE, Radiant's current slate includes the romantic comedy CARRIE PILBY starring Bel Powley (THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL) and produced by Suzanne Farwell (THE INTERN) and Susan Cartsonis (WHAT WOMEN WANT), the action thriller drama JUVENILES starring Beau Knapp and Stephen Moyer (HBO’s “True Blood”) in post-production, LONDON TOWN starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, the horror film NO SUCH THING and THE DRIFTLESS AREA starring Anton Yelchin and Zooey Deschanel.

Other titles include the action thriller TAKE DOWN directed by Jim Gillespie and starring Ed Westwick, Jeremy Sumpter, Phoebe Tonkin and Sebastian Koch, DARE TO BE WILD starring Emma Greenwell (“Shameless”) and Tom Hughes (BBC2’s “The Game”) which was named one of the Audience Award Winners at the 2015 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, IFC Films’ release HUNGRY HEARTS starring Adam Driver and Alba Rohrwacher who both won Coppa Volpi Awards at the Venice Film Festival and MADAME BOVARY starring Mia Wasikowska, Ezra Miller and Paul Giamatti, which was released in the U.S. by Alchemy.

The Crew from Planeta Inform on Vimeo.

Double Dutch has sold the picture in the following territories: United Kingdom to Metronome, Japan to At Entertainment, Commonwealth of Independent States to Top Film, Pan Asia Pay TV to Fox International, Middle East to Gulf Films, Turkey to Sinema TV, and Thailand to Major Katana.

MAN VS follows the host of a hit TV series, 'MAN VS', Doug Woods is forced to fend for himself for five days in remote locations with no crew, food, or water, only the cameras he carries on his back to film his experiences. Doug's in the remote woods for a routine episode, until he's awoken by an earth-shaking crash. Things get weirder as it becomes clear Doug isn't alone. Someone or something is watching him. MAN VS is a gripping 'found footage' thriller about one man's extraordinary desire to survive at all costs.

The film is written and directed by Adam Massey (THE INTRUDERS) and stars Chris Diamantopoulos (THE THREE STOOGES, THE ART OF THE STEAL).

"We are very excited to have made these deals for Man Vs," says Moring, "Terror is a universal emotion and Man Vs is terrifying not matter where you are from. Audiences in the UK, Japan and the others are going to be scared well into the night!"

About Double Dutch:

Double Dutch International (DDI) is a globally recognized sales company, representing high level, cast driven features with strong commercial viability worldwide, across all media platforms. DDI brings a fresh look to sales, uniquely blending experience with the flexibility to adapt in today's market reality. We firmly believe passion breeds results and our goal is to find enthusiastic distribution partners for our producers ensuring maximum return on their investment.