As striking writers continue to walk picket lines in Los Angeles and New York, buyers and sellers are marching the Croisette, making their way to the Cannes film market. Whether or not they pack their bags with films in hand is still unclear.
Heading into the festival, dealmakers were largely confident, or at least vocally so, that the WGA strike would not have a major impact on the film market. Scripts for splashy packages had been rushed to get in prior to the May 1 strike deadline and the projects with A-list talent like Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh seemed to have numbered more than many markets in recent memory.
Now, on the ground, a slightly more complicated picture is emerging
Top of mind is the potential for a multi-union strike. Less than a week before the opening of the Cannes market, the DGA entered contract negotiations with negotiations committee co-chair...
Heading into the festival, dealmakers were largely confident, or at least vocally so, that the WGA strike would not have a major impact on the film market. Scripts for splashy packages had been rushed to get in prior to the May 1 strike deadline and the projects with A-list talent like Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh seemed to have numbered more than many markets in recent memory.
Now, on the ground, a slightly more complicated picture is emerging
Top of mind is the potential for a multi-union strike. Less than a week before the opening of the Cannes market, the DGA entered contract negotiations with negotiations committee co-chair...
- 5/19/2023
- by Mia Galuppo and Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The ongoing Hollywood writers’ strike casts a cloud over what otherwise promises to be a solid Cannes film market. Most buyers and sellers came out of Berlin this year “cautiously optimistic” as the (partial) resurgence of the theatrical market alongside a slowly but steadily growing digital ancillary business offers reason to believe reports of the death of the indie industry — widespread in the wake of the Covid theater shutdowns — have been greatly exaggerated.
“I see the investment by Amazon and Apple TV in the theatrical business as a real positive,” says David Garrett of Mister Smith Entertainment, “because it shows they recognize the real value of the theatrical experience.” Amazon’s success with Ben Affleck’s sports-marketing biopic Air, which grossed upwards of $80 million worldwide in theaters before going out online, bodes well for the upcoming rollout of Apple’s Cannes title Killers of the Flower Moon from Martin Scorsese,...
“I see the investment by Amazon and Apple TV in the theatrical business as a real positive,” says David Garrett of Mister Smith Entertainment, “because it shows they recognize the real value of the theatrical experience.” Amazon’s success with Ben Affleck’s sports-marketing biopic Air, which grossed upwards of $80 million worldwide in theaters before going out online, bodes well for the upcoming rollout of Apple’s Cannes title Killers of the Flower Moon from Martin Scorsese,...
- 5/15/2023
- by Scott Roxborough and Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Once upon a time, Todd Haynes’ hot Cannes Competition title “May December” — a psychological drama based on the Mary Kay Letourneau case, starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore — would already have a North American distributor. (A source placed its budget just under $20 million.) However, we no longer live in a world where buyers will overpay for a film before they can gauge its theatrical value: The risk is just too great.
That’s why sellers CAA and UTA opted to not show the film to distributors before the festival. Instead, they’re betting that an enthusiastic response from Cannes media and audiences will boost its sale price.
“People are being skittish about paying top dollar for a movie as easily as they did in the past,” said Sony Pictures Classics co-president Michael Barker. At Cannes, SPC will screen the Pedro Almodovar gay western short “Strange Way of Life” starring Ethan Hawke...
That’s why sellers CAA and UTA opted to not show the film to distributors before the festival. Instead, they’re betting that an enthusiastic response from Cannes media and audiences will boost its sale price.
“People are being skittish about paying top dollar for a movie as easily as they did in the past,” said Sony Pictures Classics co-president Michael Barker. At Cannes, SPC will screen the Pedro Almodovar gay western short “Strange Way of Life” starring Ethan Hawke...
- 5/12/2023
- by Anne Thompson and Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Emma Roberts is set to star in comedy Hot Mess, which David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment is launching at the Cannes Market next week.
The project marks the feature directorial debut of Katie Locke O’Brien, whose 2018 short film Have It All was a finalist for HBO’s Insider Comedy Short Challenge and a semi-finalist at the NBC Short Film Competition.
Hot Mess, which is written by Gabrielle D’Amico, follows Laurel Mack (Roberts) who, after imploding in the worst way possible on a wildly popular American dating show, must do the ultimate walk of shame…back to her hometown. Having failed to win love on the show, she finds herself living in her quirky parents basement, without any friends, constantly bumping into the miserable ex the whole town adores, while experiencing the constant mockery of all who witnessed her public meltdown. She embarks on a hilarious and heartfelt journey to discover self-love and,...
The project marks the feature directorial debut of Katie Locke O’Brien, whose 2018 short film Have It All was a finalist for HBO’s Insider Comedy Short Challenge and a semi-finalist at the NBC Short Film Competition.
Hot Mess, which is written by Gabrielle D’Amico, follows Laurel Mack (Roberts) who, after imploding in the worst way possible on a wildly popular American dating show, must do the ultimate walk of shame…back to her hometown. Having failed to win love on the show, she finds herself living in her quirky parents basement, without any friends, constantly bumping into the miserable ex the whole town adores, while experiencing the constant mockery of all who witnessed her public meltdown. She embarks on a hilarious and heartfelt journey to discover self-love and,...
- 5/9/2023
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Cannes is about 6,000 miles and a world away from the Writers Guild of America picket lines in Los Angeles, but with less than two weeks to go before the May 16 start of the 76th Cannes Film Festival and accompanying film market, the Marché du Film, the impact of the ongoing Hollywood writers strike is already being felt.
On the surface, it looks like business as usual, the same hectic bustle that precedes every Cannes. The studios are finalizing their press strategies and party plans. Agents and sales companies are honing their market pitches. Actors and their stylists are picking out this year’s red carpet looks.
But veteran Cannes attendees with long memories can still recall the seismic disruption of the 2007-2008 WGA walkout and fear a similar outcome this time unless the Writers Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) soon reach an agreement on a new contract.
On the surface, it looks like business as usual, the same hectic bustle that precedes every Cannes. The studios are finalizing their press strategies and party plans. Agents and sales companies are honing their market pitches. Actors and their stylists are picking out this year’s red carpet looks.
But veteran Cannes attendees with long memories can still recall the seismic disruption of the 2007-2008 WGA walkout and fear a similar outcome this time unless the Writers Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) soon reach an agreement on a new contract.
- 5/4/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The action comedy is the debut feature of US filmmaker Razooli.
UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment is launching world sales at Cannes on US filmmaker Weston Razooli’s feature film debut, action and adventure comedy Riddle Of Fire. The title will world premiere in Directors’ Fortnight.
It follows three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand, in a neo-fairytale set in Wyoming in the US.
Riddle Of Fire will star Lio Tipton, Charles Halford, Charlie Stover, Skyler Peters, Phoebe Ferro, and Lorelei Olivia Mote. It is being produced by...
UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment is launching world sales at Cannes on US filmmaker Weston Razooli’s feature film debut, action and adventure comedy Riddle Of Fire. The title will world premiere in Directors’ Fortnight.
It follows three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand, in a neo-fairytale set in Wyoming in the US.
Riddle Of Fire will star Lio Tipton, Charles Halford, Charlie Stover, Skyler Peters, Phoebe Ferro, and Lorelei Olivia Mote. It is being produced by...
- 4/21/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Phoebe Dynevor is set to star in ‘Wichita Libra’ from writer/director Henry Dunham’s (The Standoff at Sparrow Creek).
Described as a gripping thriller the plot reads;
In the aftermath of a triple murder in her hometown, Frannie Jacobs (Phoebe Dynevor) fled rural Kansas for Chicago and started a new life. A decade on, she is drawn back home after her brother’s death to decode a cryptic letter he left behind, suggesting that the wrong man was charged with the crime that tore her community and family apart all those years ago and that an anonymous missing woman could clear his name.
The feature is produced by Jay Van Hoy. Currently, in pre-production, the film begins shooting this year. Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the upcoming 2023 European Film Market in Berlin later this month. UTA is handling North American rights.
Also in news – Hugh Laurie...
Described as a gripping thriller the plot reads;
In the aftermath of a triple murder in her hometown, Frannie Jacobs (Phoebe Dynevor) fled rural Kansas for Chicago and started a new life. A decade on, she is drawn back home after her brother’s death to decode a cryptic letter he left behind, suggesting that the wrong man was charged with the crime that tore her community and family apart all those years ago and that an anonymous missing woman could clear his name.
The feature is produced by Jay Van Hoy. Currently, in pre-production, the film begins shooting this year. Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the upcoming 2023 European Film Market in Berlin later this month. UTA is handling North American rights.
Also in news – Hugh Laurie...
- 2/10/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor will star in the Kansas-set thriller Witchita Libra as a woman trying to solve a dark historic crime that tore apart her family and rural hometown.
The thriller is the second feature of writer and director Henry Dunham, and follows The Standoff at Sparrow Creek which premiered in Toronto in 2018.
The film is produced by Jay Van Hoy.
Currently in pre-production, Witchita Libra begins shooting this year. Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the EFM and UTA is handling North American rights.
The drama is set in the aftermath of a triple murder in the protagonist’s hometown in rural Kansas, which caused her to flee to Chicago and start a new life.
A decade on, she is drawn back home after her brother’s death to decode a cryptic letter he left behind, suggesting the wrong...
The thriller is the second feature of writer and director Henry Dunham, and follows The Standoff at Sparrow Creek which premiered in Toronto in 2018.
The film is produced by Jay Van Hoy.
Currently in pre-production, Witchita Libra begins shooting this year. Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the EFM and UTA is handling North American rights.
The drama is set in the aftermath of a triple murder in the protagonist’s hometown in rural Kansas, which caused her to flee to Chicago and start a new life.
A decade on, she is drawn back home after her brother’s death to decode a cryptic letter he left behind, suggesting the wrong...
- 2/9/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Phoebe Dynevor is set to star in the psychological thriller “Wichita Libra.”
The film, written and directed by Henry Dunham, who received strong critical acclaim for his 2019 debut feature “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek,” is produced by Jay Van Hoy, whose filmography includes “The Lighthouse,” “The Witch,” and “American Honey.” The film is currently in pre-production and is expected to begin shooting this year.
Mister Smith Entertainment is launching international sales at the upcoming 2023 European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin. UTA is handling North American rights.
In “Wichita Libra,” Dynevor will play Frannie Jacobs, a woman who fled her hometown in rural Kansas after a triple murder and starts a new life in Chicago. But a decade later, she returns home after her brother’s death and must decode a cryptic letter he left behind that suggests the wrong man was charged for the crime that shattered her family and community.
The film, written and directed by Henry Dunham, who received strong critical acclaim for his 2019 debut feature “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek,” is produced by Jay Van Hoy, whose filmography includes “The Lighthouse,” “The Witch,” and “American Honey.” The film is currently in pre-production and is expected to begin shooting this year.
Mister Smith Entertainment is launching international sales at the upcoming 2023 European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin. UTA is handling North American rights.
In “Wichita Libra,” Dynevor will play Frannie Jacobs, a woman who fled her hometown in rural Kansas after a triple murder and starts a new life in Chicago. But a decade later, she returns home after her brother’s death and must decode a cryptic letter he left behind that suggests the wrong man was charged for the crime that shattered her family and community.
- 2/9/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Phoebe Dynevor is adding to her growing list of credits since leaving Bridgerton.
The British star — whose latest feature Fair Play was acquired in Sundance by Netflix for 20 million — is now set to lead Wichita Libra, the sophomore feature from The Standoff at Sparrow Creek writer/director Henry Dunham. The thriller is produced by Jay Van Hoy (The Lighthouse, The Witch, American Honey, Hell of a Summer). Currently in pre-production, the film begins shooting this year.
Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the upcoming 2023 European Film Market in Berlin later this month. UTA is handling North American rights.
Wichita Libra is set in the aftermath of a triple murder in her hometown, with Frannie Jacobs (Dynevor) having fled rural Kansas for Chicago and started a new life. A decade on, she is drawn back home after her brother’s death to decode a cryptic letter he left behind,...
The British star — whose latest feature Fair Play was acquired in Sundance by Netflix for 20 million — is now set to lead Wichita Libra, the sophomore feature from The Standoff at Sparrow Creek writer/director Henry Dunham. The thriller is produced by Jay Van Hoy (The Lighthouse, The Witch, American Honey, Hell of a Summer). Currently in pre-production, the film begins shooting this year.
Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the upcoming 2023 European Film Market in Berlin later this month. UTA is handling North American rights.
Wichita Libra is set in the aftermath of a triple murder in her hometown, with Frannie Jacobs (Dynevor) having fled rural Kansas for Chicago and started a new life. A decade on, she is drawn back home after her brother’s death to decode a cryptic letter he left behind,...
- 2/9/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CAA Media Finance will represent North America.
UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment has boarded international sales for Chad Hartigan’s romantic comedy, The Threesome.
CAA Media Finance will represent North America, will sales launching at the American Film Market (AFM) next week (November 1-6).
Cypriot-born, US-based filmmaker Hartigan, whose previous credits include Little Fish, will direct a cast including US Bullet Train actor Logan Lerman and UK Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor, with a screenplay by Ethan Ogilby.
It is produced by Los Angeles-based outfit Star Thrower, who have worked on King Richard, Ingrid Goes West and The Post.
When...
UK sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment has boarded international sales for Chad Hartigan’s romantic comedy, The Threesome.
CAA Media Finance will represent North America, will sales launching at the American Film Market (AFM) next week (November 1-6).
Cypriot-born, US-based filmmaker Hartigan, whose previous credits include Little Fish, will direct a cast including US Bullet Train actor Logan Lerman and UK Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor, with a screenplay by Ethan Ogilby.
It is produced by Los Angeles-based outfit Star Thrower, who have worked on King Richard, Ingrid Goes West and The Post.
When...
- 10/28/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Here’s your first look at screen icon Robert De Niro, Bobby Cannavale and newcomer William Fitzgerald in new comedy Inappropriate Behaviour, which is in production.
Pic follows Max Bernal (Cannavale), a once-successful late-night comedy writer turned not-so-successful stand-up comic, who moves in with his father (De Niro), having recently blown up his career and marriage. When he and his ex-wife Jenna find themselves at odds with how to address the needs of their 11-year-old autistic son Ezra (Fitzgerald), Max decides to kidnap his child and take him on a cross-country odyssey.
The film also stars Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring), Rainn Wilson (The Office) and Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost), and is directed by Tony Goldwyn (The Last Kiss).
Mister Smith Entertainment has sold the film around the world, concluding deals with Snd for France, Tobis Film for Germany, Wild Bunch companies Bim Distribuzione...
Pic follows Max Bernal (Cannavale), a once-successful late-night comedy writer turned not-so-successful stand-up comic, who moves in with his father (De Niro), having recently blown up his career and marriage. When he and his ex-wife Jenna find themselves at odds with how to address the needs of their 11-year-old autistic son Ezra (Fitzgerald), Max decides to kidnap his child and take him on a cross-country odyssey.
The film also stars Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring), Rainn Wilson (The Office) and Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost), and is directed by Tony Goldwyn (The Last Kiss).
Mister Smith Entertainment has sold the film around the world, concluding deals with Snd for France, Tobis Film for Germany, Wild Bunch companies Bim Distribuzione...
- 10/27/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
“Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood is to return to New Zealand in the leading role of “Bookworm,” a family adventure-comedy to be directed by Ant Timpson. The project is being launched next week at the American Film Market by sales agent Mister Smith Entertainment.
The film’s story sees 12-year-old Mildred’s life turned upside down when her mother lands in hospital and estranged, American magician father, Strawn Wise (Wood), comes to look after her. Hoping to entertain the bookish tween, Strawn takes Mildred camping in the notoriously rugged New Zealand wilderness. There the pair embark on the ultimate test of family bonding – a quest to find the mythological beast known as the Canterbury Panther.
Considering that Mildred has read every book on camping, but never been into the wilds, and that Strawn is more at home on the Las Vegas strip than in the Southern Alps, the potential for mishap is significant.
The film’s story sees 12-year-old Mildred’s life turned upside down when her mother lands in hospital and estranged, American magician father, Strawn Wise (Wood), comes to look after her. Hoping to entertain the bookish tween, Strawn takes Mildred camping in the notoriously rugged New Zealand wilderness. There the pair embark on the ultimate test of family bonding – a quest to find the mythological beast known as the Canterbury Panther.
Considering that Mildred has read every book on camping, but never been into the wilds, and that Strawn is more at home on the Las Vegas strip than in the Southern Alps, the potential for mishap is significant.
- 10/25/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
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