Screen is rounding up the key packages launched before and during this year’s Cannes Marche du Film (which runs May 17-25).
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May 6
Consecration
The latest genre title by Christopher Smith (The Banishing, Detour, Severance) stars Jena Malone, Danny Huston and Janet Suzman and takes place in a Scottish convent, where a woman goes to investigate the suspicious death of her priest brother. It shot entirely in the UK last autumn.
Intl sales: AGC Studios
The Convert
Guy Pearce has signed to star in Lee Tamahori’s action feature about a lay preacher who arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand and is caught in the middle of a war between Māori tribes.
Intl sales: Mister Smith Entertainment
Sting
Kiah Roache-Turner’s Australian arachnophobia horror is set for a late 2022 shoot in Sydney, with New Zealand-based Weta Workshop creating the physical puppet effects.
Intl sales: Cornerstone Films
Femme
George McKay and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett star in Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon’s UK thriller about a drag queen who seeks revenge on his homophobic but closeted attacker. It is based on the co-directors’ award-winning short film of the same name.
Intl sales: Anton
2 Win
Italian filmmaker Stefano Mordini is to direct this motorsport drama inspired by true-life events around the 1983 Rally World Championships, starring Riccardo Scamarcio, Daniel Brühl and Volker Bruch. Rai is the Italian distributor.
Intl sales: HanWay Films
May 5
American Star
Ian McShane stars in Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego’s thriller about an assassin on a final assignment in Fuerteventura to kill a man he has never met. The film is produced by Michael Elliott for Emu Films and McShane for his Tamariska Inc.
Intl sales: Altitude
A Mistake
Elizabeth Banks is set to star in medical drama A Mistake, from New Zealand-born writer-director Christine Jeffs, as a surgeon who has navigated years of casual sexism at the hospital where she works. UTA Independent Group is repping US sales.
Intl sales: Cornerstone Films
Branded
Alex Pettyfer, Maria Bakalova, Tom Hopper and Frank Grillo will lead the cast of Kieron Hawkes’ crime drama, based on an article by David Grann. CAA Media Finance is selling for the US.
Intl sales: HanWay Films
Canary Black
Taken director Pierre Morel is to direct Kate Beckinsale in this spy thriller for Anglo-French producer and financier Anton. UTA Independent Film Group will oversee domestic rights in conjunction with Anton
Intl sales: Anton
The Dagon
Brad Anderson’s thriller stars Frank Grillo as a father controlling his isolated family’s rural life. When his eldest daughter comes of age, they must confront the terrifying and deadly creatures that surround them every night. CAA co-reps North American rights with Independent.
Intl sales: Independent Entertainment
Dangerous Waters
Odeya Rush, Eric Dane, Saffron Burrows and Ray Liotta star in John Barr’s thriller, which is currently shooting in the Dominican Republic. A sailing holiday spirals out of control when a teenage daughter uncovers the dark past of her mother’s new boyfriend. US-UK firm Signature Films is producing the title.
Intl sales: Capstone Global
Maria
Felicity Jones, Jonathan Bailey and Jason Isaacs have signed on to star in Simon Amstell’s Maria about a young woman who hits it off with her new stepbrother on her father’s wedding day.
Intl sales: Independent Entertainment
May 4
Birchanger Green
Screen Star of Tomorrow writer-director Moin Hussain has just wrapped production on this sci-fi about a man living a small, lonely life working nightshifts at a motorway service station. The cast is led by Faraz Ayub as well as Natalie Gavin, Ali & Ava’s Claire Rushbrook, Simon Nagra, Steve Oram and Jeff Mirza.
Intl sales: Bankside
May 3
Artist In Residence
Diane Keaton, Andy Garcia and Josh Hutcherson have signed to star in Raymond De Felitta’s comedy Artist In Residence, from a script by De Felitta and produced by Lauren Versel for Lucky Monkey Pictures and Joe Pichirallo. WME Independent is handling the North American sales.
Intl sales: Protagonist Pictures
Untitled John Galliano documentary
Kevin McDonald directs this as yet untitled feature doc about the controversial UK fashion designer John Galliano. It is produced by France’s TF1 Studio.
Intl sales: Newen Connect – TF1 Studios sales
What Happens Later
Meg Ryan will direct and star with David Duchovny in this romantic comedy. Bleeker Street has pre-bought US rights.
Intl sales: HanWay Films.
May 2
Jeanne Du Barry
French filmmaker Maïwenn will direct and star in this feature inspired by the life of Jeanne Bécu, an impoverished seamstress who went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV (Johnny Depp) to become his last official mistress.
Intl sales: Wild Bunch
The Old Oak
Ken Loach’s latest tells the story of a former coal-mining village that has never fully recovered from the closure of the mines reacting to an influx of Syrian refugees.
Intl sales: Wild Bunch
April 29
Land of Bad
Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth will star in Will Eubank’s action thriller about an Air Force drone pilot who must try to fix a botched special ops mission in the Philippines.
Intl sales: Highland
April 28
The Empire
Lily-Rose Depp, Anamaria Vartolomei and Camille Cottin star in Bruno Dumont’s sci-fi drama about two opposing forces from outer space who unleash an apocalyptic conflict on Northern France’s picturesque Opal Coast.
Intl sales: Memento
The Return
Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche will lead the cast of Uberto Pasolini’s retelling of Homer’s epic Greek poem The Odyssey, about the return of hero Odysseus from the war.
Intl sales: HanWay
