News

Exclusive: Frank Grillo has joined Olga Kurylenko and Oliver Trevena for Kevin Lewis’ latest feature thriller Misdirection, which is currently shooting in Serbia.

The film follows a desperate couple (Kurylenko and Trevena) who have been pulling off a string of high-end robberies, only to find themselves caught in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse when their latest break-in goes awry. Tables turned, the hunters become the hunted, in a conspiracy of revenge, murder and betrayal.

“I am over the moon to be working with Olga, Frank, Oliver and the rest of our amazing and talented team on crafting a tight, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will entertain audiences worldwide,” Lewis said, who is best known for the recent horror-comedy cult film Willy’s Wonderland starring Nicolas Cage.

Lacy McClory wrote the script for Misdirection. Steven Shapiro is producing along with Trevena (Another Day In America) via his Ollywood...

The Exchange has acquired the world sales rights for romantic comedy “The Islander,” starring Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning musician and actor Harry Connick Jr. The film features two original songs by Connick. The Exchange will introduce the title to buyers at next week’s American Film Market.

“The Islander” is about a down-on-his-luck rockstar, who moves to a remote cliffside house, sight unseen, on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety. Through a series of charming mishaps, it turns out maybe love can be found right where he left it.

The film is written, directed and produced by Stelana Kliris under her Cyprus-based Meraki Films banner. It is also produced by Jupiter Peak Productions, Steven Shapiro, and Keith Arnold, with the support of the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives scheme.

Alongside Connick, it stars Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney and Tony Demetriou.

During the Cannes Film Festival, 20 emerging producers from across Europe took part in European Film Promotion’s promotion and networking platform Producers on the Move. They had been selected by the 37 national film institutes that are members of Efp. Variety invited them to pitch their projects to our readers, which we present below.

Gentian Koçi, Albania

Project: “Cold Sun” (in development)

Director: Gentian Koçi

As he attempts to rebuild his life in his hometown after being freed from jail after serving a 25-year sentence for killing his wife, a man in his fifties falls in love with a woman in her forties and gradually realizes that this love is going to be his true prison.

Julie Esparbes, Belgium

Project: “The Dance of the Foxes”

Director: Valéry Carnoy

A coming-of-age story, about a 17-year-old boxer who, following an accident, will have to reinvent himself in a more sensitive way. Valéry Carnoy...

Twenty emerging producers from across Europe have been selected to take part in European Film Promotion’s promotion and networking platform Producers on the Move before and during the Cannes Film Festival.

The producers who were selected for the program from nominations submitted by Efp’s member organizations are Gentian Koçi (Albania), David Bohun (Austria), Julie Esparbes (Belgium), Vanya Rainova (Bulgaria), Miljenka Čogelja (Croatia), Stelana Kliris (Cyprus), Alice Tabery (Czech Republic), Emile Hertling Péronard (Denmark), Emilia Haukka (Finland), Silvana Santamaria (Germany), Vicky Miha (Greece), Júlia Berkes (Hungary), Kathryn Kennedy (Ireland), Valon Bajgora (Kosovo), Dominiks Jarmakovičs (Latvia), Erik Glijnis (The Netherlands), Elisa Fernanda Pirir (Norway), Radu Stancu (Romania), Juraj Krasnohorský (Slovak Republic), and Julia Gebauer (Sweden).

They will take part in a tailor-made program to foster international co-productions, increase the exchange of experiences, and help create new professional networks. The pre-festival online program, which started yesterday and runs until May 4, includes 1:1 speed meetings,...