Global Flicks: Ryusuke Hamaguchi‘s ‘Evil Does Not Exist’ Secured International Distribution
Africa: Cinemalovers has acquired rights in Germany and Austria for Mami Wata, which premiered in Sundance Film Festival. The film is written and directed by C.J. “Fiery” Obasi, with cinematography by Lílis Soares, and is based on West African mermaid folklore and mythology. January 11 is set for theatrical release.
Ope Ajayi has announced that his film has begun principal photography for The Party. The film was written by Stephen Okonkwo, directed by Yemi ‘Filmboy’ Morafa, produced by Judith Audu, and photographed by Jonathan Kovel. The cast includes Kehinde Bankole, Bimbo Manuel, Mide Martins, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Shaffy Bello, Kunle Remi, Femi Branch, Ayoola Ayolola, Ben Touitoui, Ray Adeka, Uzor Arukwe, Tope Olowoniyan, Eva Ibiam, Segun Arinze, Kelechi Udegbe, James Gardiner, and Amaka Uzokwe.
Lilian Afegbai and Bucci Franklin will star in Kemi Adetiba‘s crime thriller series, To Kill a Monkey. The cast for the series will also include Ireti Doyle, Chidi Mokeme, Stella Damasus, Bimbo Akintola, William Benson, Michael O. Ejoor, and Damilola Adegbite. The series will premiere in early 2024.
Kunle Afolayan has shared his upcoming film, Ijogbon. The film is a coming-of-age film about four teenagers who stumble upon a hidden pouch of diamonds, and their lives are forever changed, leading them into an ever-changing world. The film is written by Tunde Babalola and produced by Golden Effects Pictures. The cast includes Ruby Akubueze, Kayode Ojuolape, Oluwaseyi Ebiesuwa, Fawaz Aina of Ikorodu Boiz, Yemi Solade, Dorathy Bachor, Saeed Mohammed, Aisha Alabi, Adunni Ade, Tana Egbo-Adelana, Kemi Koyejo, Sam Dede, Yemi Shodimu, Bolaji Amusan, Femi Adebayo, Gabriel Afolayan, and Femi Branch.
Asia: Toronto Film Festival premieres Kill, produced by Guneet Monga Kapoor and filmmaker Karan Johar, directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat. Kill is set on an express train to New Delhi and follows Indian army commandos Amrit and Viresh, who are on a mission to rescue Amrit’s girlfriend, Tulika. The film stars Lakshya, making his debut in the lead role of Amrit, Tanya Maniktala as Tulika, and Raghav Juyal (Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan) as Fani. Veteran action choreographers Oh Se-yeong (the train-set Snowpiercer) and Parvez Shaikh (Brahmastra Part One: Shiva)
Oasis of Now is set to debut at the Busan International Film Festival. The story revolves around a mother and daughter living in an old apartment block in Kuala Lumpur. The film explores the themes of poverty and separation. This is the feature debut of Malaysian director and producer Chia Chee Sum.
Ryusuke Hamaguchi‘s (Drive My Car) Evil Does Not Exist has secured international distribution that includes Poland (Gutek Film), Latin America (Imovision), Australia and New Zealand (Hi Gloss Entertainment), and the ex-Yugoslavian region (Five Stars Film Distribution), all of which will release the film theatrically. The film has also sold to North America (Sideshow), U.K. and Ireland (Modern Films), France (Diaphana), Italy (Tucker and Teodora), Spain (Caramel Films), Germany (Pandora Film Distribution), Korea (GreenNarae), Benelux (September Film Distribution), Taiwan (Andrews Film), Austria (Polyfilm), Turkey (Mars Film), Portugal (Leopardo Filmes), Hong Kong (Edko Films), Israel (Lev Cinemas), Greece (Ama Films), Switzerland (Cineworx) and Scandinavia (Njutafilms)
Kim Jee-woon’s black comedy Cobweb debuted at Cannes and is set for a U.S. theatrical release in early 2024. Distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films licensed rights to the picture. The film stars Song Kong-ho (Parasite). The story follows an obsessive film director who demands to re-shoot his film “Cobweb,” ending in two days.
Freestyle Digital Media has acquired US digital and theatrical rights to Japanese fantasy drama Before The Sunset. The film is directed by Hiroshi Akabane, the film revolves around a man who after retirement finds himself alone and in a nursing home, having lived a life dedicated to his work. He magically wakes up to find himself as a young man living on a college campus. The film stars Hiroaki Tanaka, Masane Tsukayama, Rikako Miura, Syouzou Uesugi, Shugo Nagashima and Mirai Irako. The original story is by Ryuho Okawa. The film will receive a theatrical release on September 29.
Europe: French-Moroccan filmmaker Nora El Hourch (Quelques Seconds) will premiere her first feature Sisterhood, at TIFF. The screenplay is written by El Hourch and follows three friends who create a public outcry after they post a video identifying the assailant who attacked one of them. The film will star Léah Aubert, Médina Diarra, Salma Takaline, Oscar Al Hafiane, Bérénice Bejo, and Mounir Magroum and is produced by Philippe Gompel of Manny Films, with co-producer Lamia Chraïb.
Middle East: The Toronto Film Festival U.A.E. selection presents the Yellow Bus. The Yellow Bus follows an Indian family’s tragic tale of a young girl neglected on a school bus in the sweltering desert heat and the mother setting out to find the truth about who is accountable. The feature is the directorial debut of American Wendy Bednarz.
MPM Premium has acquired world sales rights to Ali Kalthami’s Mandoob. The dark comedic crime thriller centers on Fahad Algadaani racing against time to pay for his ailing father’s medical treatment and being forced to make ends meet by working as a delivery driver. The film was written by Kalthami and Mohammed Algarawi and the cast is led by Mohammed Aldokhei, Mohammed Alttowayan, and Hajer Alshammari. The cinematographer is Ahmed Tahoun, and the film was produced by Wael Abumansour, Mohammed Alhamoud, Abdulrahman Jarash, and Alaa Faden.
