Cannes 2012 roundup: War Witch, Mystery Road, Sound Of My Voice

PanARMENIAN.Net - Films Distribution heading into Cannes is in full-blown negotiations for the U.S. on War Witch, which is Kim Nguyen’s Tribeca winner, Deadline reported.

The label’s co-founder Nicolas Brigaud-Robert also tells Deadline the company is on track to close the U.S. on Israeli drama Yossi. It has international sales on Maddened By His Absence (which has a special screening in Critics’ Week), 30 Beats (though Lionsgate has U.S.), and SXSW Midnighter Audience Award winner Citadel (Cinedigm and New Video have U.S. rights).

Bankside Films has taken worldwide sales rights to iLL MANORS, the directorial debut of British rapper Ben Drew who’s better known as Plan B. Revolver is releasing in the UK on June 6. The film was developed through Film London Microwave, a scheme set up in partnership with BBC Films and with support from Skillset to develop emerging London talent.

Arclight Films has boarded writer-director Ivan Sen’s Mystery Road. The $A2 million pic was financed by Screen Australia, Screen Queensland, and the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Arclight has world sales rights outside Australia/NZ where the film will be released by a new distributor, Michael Wrenn’s Management of Doubt. Sen is the vanguard of a group of Aboriginal filmmakers who are making distinctive films.

One of them is Wayne Blair, whose comedy/drama/musical The Sapphires will screen out of competition at the Cannes festival. And Catriona McKenzie whose Satellite Boy is being handled by Celluloid Dreams. Satellite Boy and Mystery Road are from Sen and David Jowsey’s Bunya Productions.

Brian O’Shea’s The Exchange will offer international rights to thriller Sound Of My Voice by director Zal Batmanglij starting in Cannes next week. The film was recently picked up for English-speaking territories by Fox Searchlight which released it stateside on April 27. The deal was negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers by Shelley Surpin and UTA’s David Flynn and on behalf of The Exchange by Laura Ivey.

Carey Fitzgerald’s High Point Media Group has grabbed world sales rights to Cannes Classics selection Me And Me Dad, a biopic about legendary filmmaker John Boorman by his daughter Katrine Boorman.