French sales agents survive the flames of the pandemic at the EFM
Paris, 13th District by Jacques Audiard
Armed with a natural, optimistic enthusiasm, not to mention failproof ammunition, which has enabled them to look towards the future and move beyond the restricted context of the unending global health crisis (which has led to a surplus of films for distributors and increasing caution when it comes to acquisitions), French international sales agents have taken the 71st Berlinale’s (online) European Film Market by storm. Here is a brief and non-exhaustive overview of the main announcements to come out of the event.
French sales agents survive the flames of the pandemic at the EFM
cineuropa.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cineuropa.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Saturday Hot Spot with Maria Bakalova
bfi.org.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bfi.org.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Yana Marinova and Luiza Grigorova-Makariev in Wildlings by Martin Makariev
SOFIA: Critical for culture and film worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was equally difficult for the film industry in Bulgaria.
The first severe restrictions of social and cultural life came after the vote of the Bulgarian Parliament in favour of a state of emergency from 13 March 2020, imposing a lockdown for a month. All culture and entertainment venues including cinemas were obliged to close.
As a result, only days after the official announcement of its 2020 lineup, the Sofia FF had to postpone its 24th edition, which was about to kick off on 12 March 2020 and to be followed by the 17th Sofia Meetings.
‘Saint Maud’, ‘Calm With Horses’, ‘His House’
UK producers have emphasised their commitment to European co-production on the eve of the European Film Awards (EFAs), in which UK films are conspicuous by their absence.
Two non-UK actors in UK-European productions are the sole representatives in the EFA nominations: Viggo Mortensen for
Falling and Natasha Berezhnaya for
DAU. Natasha.
“From a filmmaker’s point of view, we mostly are very pro-European,” said Andrea Cornwell, the producer of Rose Glass’s
Saint Maud. This week the low-budget horror film received a record 17 Bifa nominations but is understood to not have been submitted to the EFAs.