01-06-2010

FNE at TIFF: Fests drive Romanian film sales

By Iulia Blaga

    Some of the new features and documentaries presented in the Romanian Days programme at Transylvania International Film Festival (www.tiff.ro) are in a situation that most film producers can only envy. They're already sold to foreign territories.

    Sales have been concluded in Europe and South America for Tuesday, After Christmas (Marţi, după Crăciun), by Radu Muntean, represented by the sales agent Film Boutique (www.filmsboutique.com). It was sold during Cannes Film Festival in France to Shellac (www.shellac-altern.org) and in Switzerland to Look Now (www.looknow.ch). After Cannes the film was sold in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where it will be distributed by Film Distribution Artcam (www.artcam.cz), in Israel by United King Films (www.unitedking.co.il), in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay by CDI Films (www.cdifilms.com.ar), in Benelux by BrunBro Entertainment (www.brunbrothers.be), in Denmark by Ost For Paradise (www.paradisbio.dk), in Portugal by Clap Filmes (www.clapfilmes.pt), and in Greece by Clip Arte Ltd.

    Andrei Ujică's documentary The Autobiography Of Nicolae Ceauşescu/Autobiografia lui Nicolae Ceauşescu is in negotiations with many foreign distributors after his success in Cannes's Official Selection hors competition, but just one deal is sealed so far, with Cinecitta Luce (www.cinecitta.com), the filmmaker told FNE. The film is handled by the new Paris-based sales agent Mandragora International.

    Other recent Romanian films have yet to lock up sales, despite their success in festivals and the partnership with well-known sales agents. The Match Factory (www.the-match-factory.com) is handling First Of All, Felicia (Felicia, înainte de toate), the first feature directed by the screenwriter Răzvan Rădulescu together with Melissa de Raaf, but has yet to sign a deal. Similarly, Film Boutique (www.filmsboutique.com) is working on the sales of Medal of Honour (Medalia de onoare) by Călin Peter Netzer but has still to make a sale. Both of the Romanian film are competing in the international competition at TIFF.