The UK's Rank Film Distributors yesterday announced that it will in future fully finance certain films including, it hopes, a number of British productions. According to RFD's managing director Fred Turner, this is "a significant departure from our current film investment policy of co-financing projects and will improve our competitive edge."
Clara Law's new feature, Floating Life, sold through Southern Star, is NOT screening at this market; the listing in the official marche guide, which shows it premiering at Les Arcades on 14 May at 11.30, is incorrect.
Peter Duncan's comedy, Children of the Revolution, for which a premiere was scheduled at Cannes, will not be at this market as post-production continues. Produced by Tristram Miall (Strictly Ballroom) and sold by Beyond Films, it was earlier acquired for North America, UK and Scandinavia by Miramax.
Mark Damon's MDP Worldwide is handling a slate of new projects in Cannes. They include Gary Ronsen's Hacks, a comedy to be produced by Paige Simpson, the executive producer of Leaving Las Vegas; the action thriller Coldfront, written by Tim Bogart; the autobiographical coming-of-age drama Dreaming Of Julia, with Mira Sorvino and Harvey Keitel; and sci-fi adventure Eye of Luna.
Stephen Sommer's Deep Rising, which goes into production in Vancouver on 3 June, was added to Summit's Cannes slate. Budgeted in the US$50 million range with a cast led by Wes Studi and Treat Williams, this cross between Alien, Die Hard and The Poseidon Adventure, is produced by Andy Vanja's Cinergi in partnership with Disney. Other films new to the Summit slate include Barbet Schroeder's Desperate Measures and Larry Bishop's Trigger Happy.
Alison Trumpy has been appointed to head up Goldcrest's new television sales division. Formerly the head of TV sales at Lumiere, Trumpy will be closely involved with the financing of future projects by seeking the participation of television partners. She will also oversee library sales from the Goldcrest and IAC Films catalogues, following their merger last year.
