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French sales and distribution company Shellac will launch international sales for the upcoming Catholic Church sexual abuse documentary “The Deposition” at Locarno before releasing the film in France this October. Accompanying the announcement, Variety has been given exclusive access to the film’s trailer, seen above.

“The Deposition” is the story of a young boy named Emmanuel who, in 1993, told his parents that he was molested by a popular new priest in the village named Hubert. At the time, his parents chose to keep the boy’s allegations a secret.

Thirty years later, Emmanuel’s father, Robert, can no longer bear the guilt and confronts Hubert, who denies everything. Several months later, after speaking with a government-commissioned report on sexual violence within the Catholic Church, Emmanuel is encouraged to share his story with the authorities.

For over three hours, Emmanual shares his account with the local police, recording the entire encounter on his phone.

Greek filmmaker Sofia Exarchou’s drama “Animal,” which world premieres Aug. 3 in competition at the Locarno Film Festival, has secured its first distribution deals and released a teaser (see below).

The anticipated follow-up to Exarchou’s first feature, “Park,” which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and won the New Directors Award in San Sebastian, “Animal” will be distributed in France by Shellac and in Austria by Filmgarten. Shellac is repping the film’s world rights.

“Animal” takes place under the scorching Greek sun as a group of entertainers at an all-inclusive island resort prepares for the busy tourist season. As the summer intensifies and the pressure builds, the sultry Mediterranean nights turn violent; in the darkness, the struggles of the group’s leader, Kalia (Dimitra Vlagopoulou), are revealed. But when the spotlights again turn on, the entertainers learn that the show must go on.

“Animal” is produced by Maria Drandaki...

Shellac has boarded “La Mer et ses vagues” as both the international sales agency and the French distributor, ahead of its world premiere on Friday in the Acid sidebar in Cannes.

The Lebanese film, directed by Liana and Renaud, follows the young Najwa and the musician Mansour as they cross the Lebanese border and reach Beirut on a full moon night. They follow the trail of smugglers hoping to join a woman, Haifa, on the other side of the sea. A few streets away, Selim, the old lighthouse keeper, tries to repair the electricity in his neighborhood.

The cast is led by Mays Mustafa, Roger Assaf, Mohammed Al Ammari and Hanane Hajj-Ali. The producer is Mathieu Mullier-Griffiths for Kafard Films. The co-producer is Monkey Business Virals.

Shellac’s Thomas Ordonneau said: “Liana and Renaud have delivered a wonderful, poetic first film – a night exploration of Beirut by two Syrians – which...

Films need to be given longer runs, they added.

The struggle to reach cinema audiences in the wake of the pandemic was one of the main subjects under discussion at Doclisboa’s panel, ‘State of the Art Audience Development: practices, methods and tools in different windows,’ staged in collaboration with Creative Europe Media.

“During the pandemic, there have been three moments of confrontation and we are now in the third,” said programmer and filmmaker Christopher Small from Prague -based platform DAfilms.com, the Czech-based streaming arm of Doc Alliance. The first, he suggested, was in March 2020 when “everybody realised they...

Projects from across Europe and Asia receive post-production prizes.

Upcoming projects from Romanian filmmaker Cristi Puiu and Laotian director Kiyé Simon Luang have won prizes at FIDLab, the co-production incubator of French festival FIDMarseille.

The 14th edition of the showcase, known for its focus on experimental documentary and fiction features, spread its awards of post-production prizes or residency places across all 11 selected projects.

Scroll down for full list of prizes

The Micro Climat Studios prize, offering a range of post-production services, went to Mmxx, an ensemble drama from Romanian director Puiu. The film, which revolves around a therapist, her younger brother,...

Romania’s Puiu competed for the Palme d’Or in 2016 with ‘Sieranevada’.

The next feature from feted Romanian filmmaker Cristi Puiu is among 12 titles selected for FIDLab, the co-production incubator of French festival FIDMarseille.

The 14th edition of the showcase, known for its focus on experimental documentary and fiction features, is set to be held from July 7-8 and will return as an in-person for the first time since 2019.

Scroll down for full list of titles

The selection includes Mmxx, an ensemble drama from Romanian director Puiu that revolves around a therapist, her younger brother, husband and an organised crime investigator.

Beijing-based distributor Hugoeast Media has acquired Chinese distribution rights to Cannes Directors’ Fortnight film “The Tale of King Crab,” the first feature venture into narrative fiction of Italian filmmakers Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis.

Hugoeast Media plans a limited theatrical release in Chinese theaters in the course of 2022.

The deal with Hugoeast Media was closed by the international sales arm of France’s Shellac. It adds to a North American pick-up by Oscilloscope Laboratories, negotiated by Shellac’s Thomas Ordonneau and Egle Cepaite and announced a week after “Crab King” world premiered at the Cannes Festival.

An out-there tale of tragedy and redemption, “The Tale of King Crab” is based on vague local legend picked up by the filmmakers of a man, Luciano, living in a benighted Italian village in the late 1800s or early twentieth century decried as a “madman, an aristocrat, a saint and a drunkard.

Exclusive: Oscilloscope Laboratories has picked up North American rights to Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis’s first fiction feature film The Tale Of King Crab.

The Pic recently had its world premiere in Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight section. Oscilloscope said it was planning a theatrical release on a yet-to-be-determined date.

Story follows Luciano, who lives as a wandering drunkard in a remote Italian village of the region Tuscia. Spiteful actions ensue between him and the prince of the region over the right of passage through an ancient gateway. Fueled by passions and jealousy, these actions result in a horrible misdeed.

The deal with Oscilloscope was negotiated by Shellac’s Thomas Ordonneau and Egle Cepaite. This is the second Directors’ Fortnight title the company has bought this year, following Clara Sola.

Filmmakers Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis said, “We are very excited to present our...

The second feature from Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis is co-produced and sold by the French company, which is expanding on all fronts. Headed by Thomas Ordonneau, French company Shellac works in production, distribution and international sales around an audacious and artistically demanding editorial line. In the complex climate of the health crisis, the company didn’t slow down its activities, on the contrary. After launching VOD subscription formulas on its website to counter the closure of French cinemas since last December, the company is also focused on its future, which is dominated by production. Involved in many projects in the making, the company is making extra efforts and investments in this domain. Standing out among them is The Tale of King Crab (Re Granchio), the second feature film, though the first fiction feature, from Italian duo Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis after their documentary Il Solengo.

The Gotham Awards for the best in independent film kicked off this unusual awards season on Monday night, January 11. Presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project, these kudos are usually handed out in early December but were pushed back (as were many awards events) due to the Covid-19 pandemic. So who won? Scroll down for the complete list of winners, updated live as they were announced.

SEEGotham nominee John Magaro (‘First Cow’) on how Cookie and King-Lu are ‘almost soulmates’ [Exclusive Video Interview]

These awards are limited to American films (apart from Best International Feature ) made with an economy of means, which means no budgets higher than $35 million. Nominees and winners were decided by juries of film experts and insiders. And for the first time in the awards’ history, all five of the nominees for Best Feature were directed by women: “The Assistant” by Kitty Green, “First Cow” by Kelly Reichardt, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” by Eliza Hittman,...

‘Nomadland’ and ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’ secure two nominations each.

Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow leads the nominations for the 30th IFP Gotham Awards, in which the nods for best feature are all directed by women.

Period drama First Cow, first seen at Telluride 2019 and released by A24, secured four nominations for best feature, screenplay and actor, for John Magaro, as well as breakthrough actor, for Orion Lee.

Scroll down for full list of nominations

Titles that scored two nominations included Chloe Zhao’s Venice Golden Lion winner Nomadland, for best feature and actress Frances McDormand; and Eliza Hittman’s Never Rarely Sometimes Always,...

This year’s awards season, delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, finally got underway with the announcement of the 2021 Gotham Awards nominations on November 12 (last year’s big reveal was on Oct. 24). These awards are presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) and honor the best of the year as determined by small committees of film journalists and festival programmers. The five Best Feature nominees, which were all directed by women, are: “The Assistant,” “First Cow,” “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” “Nomadland” and “Relic.” Scroll down to see the complete list of contenders.

Will these awards preview the Oscars? Perhaps. Last year’s Best Feature award went to “Marriage Story,” which did go on to reap a Best Picture bid. However, that was the exception rather than the rule. Indeed, its rival Gotham Awards nominees — “The Farewell,” “Hustlers,” “Uncut Gems” and “Waves” — were all snubbed by the Academy Awards.

Why is this?...

The starting pistol of awards season has been officially fired with the 30th annual IFP Gotham Awards announcing its nominations and making history. For the first time, women direct all the nominees for best feature. Among them are “The Assistant” from Kitty Green, “First Cow” from Kelly Reichardt, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” from Eliza Hittman, “Nomadland” from Chloé Zhao and “Relic” from Natalie Erika James.

In the best actor category, Chadwick Boseman received a posthumous nomination for his work in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” a performance likely to be shortlisted by many awards bodies over the next few months. The other nominees included Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”), Jude Law (“The Nest”), John Magaro (“First Cow”) and Jesse Plemons (“I’m Thinking of Ending Things”).

For the actresses, the group gave a very diverse field of cultures and experience. Nicole Beharie’s turn in “Miss Juneteenth” is a riveting portrait, and...

The firm is managing international sales for Twelve Thousand, Isadora’s Children and Technoboss, three films which it will also be distributing in France. Active in production, distribution and - for the past two years - international sales, the Marseille-based company Shellac, steered by Thomas Ordonneau, will be arriving at the 72nd Locarno Film Festival (running 7 to 17 August) well-armed, wielding no less than three titles which are all in the running for the Golden Leopard 2019 (including one co-production). The firm is also heading up French distribution of these works, as well as piloting worldwide sales for two of the three. Shellac is selling and is also set to release as of November in French cinemas Twelve Thousand, the first fiction feature by Nadège Trebal, following on from her documentaries Bleu pétrole (2012) and Scrap Yard (Berlinale Forum 2014). Featuring in the cast are Belgium’s Arieh Worthalter, alongside the...

Beijing-based Rediance also co-financing Miguel Gomes’ Savagery.

Beijing-based Rediance, which launched a film financing arm at Cannes last year, has boarded Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria and Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes’ Savagery as co-financier.

Memoria stars Tilda Swinton and Jeanne Balibar and is scheduled to start shooting in Colombia in August. The producers on the film include Kick the Machine, Burning Blue and Keith Griffiths and Simon Field’s Illuminations Films. Chinese producer Maxx Tsai is also backing the film.

Gomes’ Savagery is based on Euclides da Cunha’s Backlands, The Canudos Campaign, a non-fiction account of the war...

Beijing-based Rediance also co-financing Miguel Gomes’ Savagery.

Beijing-based Rediance, which launched a film financing arm at Cannes last year, has boarded Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria and Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes’ Savagery as co-financier.

Memoria stars Tilda Swinton and Jeanne Balibar and is scheduled to start shooting in Colombia in August. The producers on the film include Kick the Machine, Burning Blue and Keith Griffiths and Simon Field’s Illuminations Films. Chinese producer Maxx Tsai is also backing the film.

Gomes’ Savagery is based on Euclides da Cunha’s Backlands, The Canudos Campaign, a non-fiction account of the war...

Martin Eden

Italian director Pietro Marcello tackles Jack London’s 1909 novel Martin Eden for his second narrative feature. Although various television versions have been made, the last cinematic venture of the novel was Sidney Salkow’s 1942 adaptation. Starring Luca Marinelli, Marco Leonardi, Vincenzo Nemolato, Rinat Khismatouline, and Pietro Ragusa the project is and Italian-French co-production through Avventurosa and Shellac Sud, produced by Thomas Ordonneau and Francisco Paolillo, with Viola Fugen and Michael Weber serving as co-producers (both of whom also worked on Cemetery of Splendor and Foxtrot).…...

Alliance for Development projects include Isis thriller and comic book story.

The Locarno Industry Days’ Alliance for Development wrapped its third edition today with a handful of potential co-productions catching the eye.

The initiative aims to help foster development and co-production between France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland with projects backed by European funds including France’s Cnc, Italy’s MiBACT and Germany’s Ffa.

Among the nine projects in the programme this year was Gigi Roccati’s (Babylon Sisters) Isis-themed thriller My Kin, which has been boarded in Locarno by Belgian producer Hubert Toint (Gangsters).

Italy’s Pilar Saavedra is the main producer alongside Antoine de Clermont Tonnere of MacT productions in France. The team is aiming for a 2019 shoot on the project, which is in the €2m range.

Also catching the eye was romantic-comedy Comic Book Souls, the project with the biggest estimated budget (€4.5m), about a young man who finds life inspiration through his passion...

Hungarian action-comedy Kills On Wheels and Icelandic-Danish coming of age story Heartstone take top prizes at Greek festival.Scroll down for full list of winners

Hungarian director Attila Till’s Kills On Wheels (Tiszta Szivvel) has been named best film at the 57th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (Nov 3-13) winning the “Theo Angelopoulos” Golden Alexander award.

The film beat out 16 first and second films screened in this year’s competition section.

Kills On Wheels’ three leading young actors, Zoltan Fenyvesi, SzaboIcs Thuroczy and Adam Fekete were jointly awarded the Best actor trophy.

The film, arriving from the Chicago film festival where it won the Roger Ebert award, deals with three wheelchair-using young adults who decide to offer their services to the mafia in an effort to overcome their daily routines. World sales are handled by the Hungarian Film Fund.

Icelandic-Danish co-production Heartstone (Hjartasteinn) by Icelandic director Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson, was awarded the Special Jury Prize, Silver Alexander...