Page 4 - CMN4_web

NEWS Friday 17 May 2019
DAY 4

PRINC TAKES CANNES Q&A:
ON VAN
DITTHAVONG’S
DEBUT FEATURE
SLEEPING IN PLASTIC JONATHAN
PRINC Films is handling worldwide sales on
photographer and filmmaker Van Ditthavong’s
feature directorial debut Sleeping in Plastic at
the Cannes Marché.
The film is produced by Red Sanders and DECKTER
Derek D. Brown of Red Entertainment, along
with Ditthavong of goPop Films and executive-
produced by Igor Princ of Princ Films. It stars
Alex MacNicoll, Addison Timlin, Corin Nemec, PRESIDENT & COO, VOLTAGE PICTURES Jonathan Deckter © DR
Nick Chinlund and Dash Mihok.
Sleeping in Plastic is a gothic story set in a
rural Texas town that is awakened when a What are your Cannes highlights incredible support from our leads Hero Joan Chen which we expect to be very
high-school wrestler gets entangled with a this year? Fiennes Tiffin and Josephine Langford as strong. We produced Eve with Jessica’s
drifter and her psychopathic lover. Things
spiral violently out of control when he We’re executive producing and handling well as the writer of the book series Anna Freckle Films and are very excited to
becomes her escort driver and risks everything international sales on the new action Todd. Our international distribution share with the world. Production on The
to save her. thriller The Minuteman starring Liam partners made the smart decision to tap Minuteman will begin in September
“Sleeping in Plastic is such an original story Neeson. Directed by Robert Lorenz, it into Anna’s established fanbase, 2019, so that’s also a major focus.
brought to life with Van’s unique skill to create tells the pulse-racing story of a retired “Afternators,” and connect with them
suspenseful situations in environments least Vietnam veteran who finds himself one-on-one in territory. The results are What are you looking to
expected and direct astounding performances
from the talented cast,” president of Princ responsible for the life of a young boy, truly fantastic. do in Cannes?
Films, Igor Princ said. who is being hunted by the cartel. It’s Launching The Minuteman has been one
Director, writer, producer Ditthavong’s short definitely exciting to be on such a hot How was the past year in business of our big pushes. We strive to offer a
films have screened at the Los Angeles Asian market title and we’re looking forward to for you? diverse slate of quality films to our
Pacific Film Festival, The Independent the buyers reaction. Its Liam Neeson at We had a great year. Coming off the international partners, which plays to the
Filmmakers Showcase, The Atlanta Shortsfest his best. back of the success of I Feel Pretty variance in needs across different
and The Pasadena International Film Festival.
Red Entertainment has produced SXSW starring Amy Schumer released in territories.
award-winner A Bad Idea Gone Wrong and In Cannes 2018 you launched the April 2018 that has made $100m
Tribeca award-winner One Percent More film After and it has gone on to at the worldwide box office, we then What was your best acquisition
Humid. take over $50m at the launched After in April 2019. These last year?
Princ Films’ Cannes slate includes Jackson F. international BO – the biggest back-to-back wins have been great Skin starring Jamie Bell, Vera Farmiga
Wade’s Western drama Breaker, with a cast
that includes newcomer Chantz Marcus and independent film in 2019. Why do for our buyers. Their success is our and Danielle Mcdonald was an absolute
starring Peter O’ Brien; Ivan Botha’s South you think the film was so success. highlight for us. Beyond its marked
African adventure A River Within; and Attila successful? success at the Berlin and Sundance Film
Szasz’s Hungarian war drama Eternal Winter The book was a smash hit and the fans What is your focus for the coming Festivals, the short on which the feature is
starring Sergej Onopko. were eager to see the film so we had a year? based went on to win Best Short Film at
Princ Films’ Cannes sales team includes sales built-in audience. We also toured Gearing up for the release of Eve starring the Academy Awards for director Guy
executives Ralitsa Trifonova, Katja Neufingerl
and Stefan Knobloch.✦ extensively internationally — seven Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell, John Nattiv. ✦
Julian Newby countries in two weeks — and had Malkovich, Common, Geena Davis, and Liza Foreman

Germany’s Koch Films

picks up Ukrainian folktale

Mavka. The Forest Song

ERMAN distributor Koch Films has Currently in production, the animated film is based on
acquired the rights to animated feature the play, The Forest Song by celebrated 19th-century
Mavka. The Forest Song, from Ukrainian poet and playwright Lesia Ukrainka. Music
Animagrad studio, part of Ukraine’s Film. for the film is by acclaimed Ukrainian folk quartet
G UA Group. The rights are for Germany DakhaBrakha.
and German-speaking countries. Experts from national ethnographic institutions —
International pre-sales of Mavka. The Forest Song, including the Department of Folklore Studies at the
started last year at the Marché du Film, where the National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv; Kien’s
rights were acquired by Italia Film International, a sub- Ivan Honchar Museum; and the Ukrainian Fashion
distributor of Walt Disney Studios in the Middle East History Museum — are working with the production
and North Africa. team on the interpretation of Ukrainian myths,
In the year since then, the project has featured at key legends, beliefs, and visual culture that feature in the
film markets around the world and has sold to Poland in film.
(Monolith Films); Czech Republic and Slovakia The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is a partner in the film,
(Cinemart); Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (ACME Film); consulting with the project’s creative team on the flora
Portugal (Cinemundo); Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and fauna of the Polissya region and helping to raise
(Vertical); and Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, awareness of environmental issues faced by Ukraine.✦
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro (Blitz). Julian Newby

4 NEWS