The film directed by Vaclav Marhoul and produced by Silver Screen (www.silverscreen.cz) was picked up in Berlin for international sales by Intramovies who report the film ahs already been sold to the UK and negotiations are underway for sales to France, Poland and Sweden after its first international screening at the Berlin market.
Tobruk producer and director Vaclav Marhoul said the he believed that using 4 K had helped to boost the film's chances in the international marketplace. "Tobruk was the first film in the Czech Republic to use SONY 4 K in its post production. My main concern with Tobruk was that we had the highest quality which is why we chose to use 4 K even though it's more expensive. Of course this helps the film's chances for international sales because we can deliver the film in 4 K to any country around the world."
Prague based Marhoul who also produced the film and wrote the script has had a huge success with his three million Euro WWII Czech historic action drama Tobruk. The film was released in the Czech Republic in September where it earned nearly 600 000 usd so far at the local box office.
Tobruk has also made a clean sweep of nominations at the 9 March Czech Lions the Czech equivalent of the Oscars with nominations in all top categories of best film, director,script and cinematography. Altogether the film has garnered nine nominations. It is also nominated for the Czech Critics Prize.
Marhoul has run the successful Prague theatre group Sklep for nearly 20 years but he is best known in the international film world for his stint as general director of the Barrandov Studios in the 1990's which he successfully took from state entity to one of the first private studios in central and eastern Europe.
His feature debut Smart Philip was a quirky and stylish detective drama that garnered critical attention although it did not manage to break into the international circuit.
Marhoul shot Torbruk over three grueling months in the Tunisian desert. The script is based on an idea that Marhoul developed after reading Stephen Crane's classic The Red Badge of Courage. Marhoul speaking exclusively to FNE said: "I am pleased of course about the positive response the film has had in Berlin. I cannot say that I especially had an international audience in mind when I shot it. The film business is always roulette."
International Sales Intramovies Jef Nuyts +39 06 807 72 52
Producer: Production
Silver Screen in coproduction with Czech Television and Free-Cool-In
Contact: Silver Screen
Tel+420 296 491
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www.tobruk.cz
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