Deals: the Sequel
Round II of deals announced at Cannes

Vinterberg Falls in Love (With English)
Danish wunderkind Thomas Vinterberg is breaking his vow of chastity. The brilliant young director, whose Festen (The Celebration) was one of the hits of the 1998 Cannes Festival, is to make It's All about Love, his first English-language feature, with the UK's FilmFour and Italy's Key Films. But the new movie won't conform to Dogme rules. Scripted by Vinterberg and Mogens Rukoc, it's the story of two separated lovers, one a world-famous ice skater fast tiring of her celebrity, who meet again in New York and head off on a journey across the US in a bid to rebuild their relationship. The new project is to be set in a near-future world and will touch on everything from global freezing to the disappearance of gravity in Uganda. "It's important to take chances and I'm attempting to do something spectacular," said Vinterberg.

Australian Sex for Sale
This year's Cannes market has proven at least one thing for President Films: sex sells. Better than Sex, an Australian film which is being handled by the sales and production company run by Jacques-Eric Strauss and Hugo Bergson-Vuillaume, was screened for buyers on Monday, and the result has been a heated affair. The film, directed by Jonathan Teplitzky and produced by Bruna Papndrea and Frank Cox, has already been sold to Italy, Spain, India, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, South Korea and Finland, with a US deal on the way. Better than Sex is the story of a young couple who meet and believe that what they have will be a one-night stand only to be intrigued by the possibilities of a continuing relationship.

Key Films Wild About Harry
There may not be any Italian films in competition this year, but at least there will be some competition films in Italy. Italian distributor Key Films has snapped up all rights in Italy for Dominik Moll's Harry, Un Ami Qui Vous Veut du Bien from Mercure distribution. It's the second competition film to be picked up by Kermit Smith's company -- the Rome-based distributor also bought the Italian rights to Roy Andersson's Songs from the Second Floor over the weekend. Meanwhile, Italy's top selection title in Cannes 2000, Silvio Soldini's Pane e Tulipani (Bread and Tulips), which is being sold by Rome-based Adriana Chiesa Enterprises, has been picked up in a number of territories following its screening in the Directors' Fortnight. All rights to Pane have been bought up by Ocean for France, Cinemien for the Benelux countries, Gemini for Mexico, Circuito for Russia, Eurocine for Argentina, Umutsanet for Turkey and Gaga for Japan.

Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine Film Gets Re-release
After negotiating the deal with MGM Classics here in Cannes, UK distributor Downtown is to re-release Billy Wilder's classic 1960 comedy drama, The Apartment in the UK in November. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, who star, are due to attend a gala screening at the London Film Festival and are expected to record a special commentary to form part of the new UK DVD release of the film, which is also being handled by Downtown. Theatrical re-releases of old classics are increasingly common in the UK. Last year new distributors Optimum Releasing enjoyed an unexpected box-office success with Carol Reed's The Third Man.

Catherine Breillat and "Fat Girl" Make Friends
Pre-sales on Catherine Breillat's new film are heating up at Clach Pyramide International (FPI), according to the sales Camay's chief executive Eric Lagesse. Fat Girl, which finished shooting a week ago, has sold to Japan, Belgium and Switzerland, with negotiations continuing on other major territories. The film, footage of which is being shown to buyers, will be ready for delivery at the end of 2000. Breillat's first film since the controversial Romance, Fat Girl is a coming-of-age drama seen through the eyes of a troubled yet unique 12-year old girl. The hubbub surrounding Romance has also enabled Breillat's first pic, Une Vraie Jeune Fille, to find an audience after 25 years. The film is being sold by FPI and will be released in France by Rezo Films on 6 June.

Dancer's Card Full
Danish director Lars von Trier's $15 million musical, Dancer in the Dark, had its end-of-season performance on the conference table before it even came to the screen. Trust Film Sales had posed the whole world (except South America) for the Bjork, Catherine Deneuve and David Morse starrer which bows in competition today. Last to sign (at Cannes) was Spain's Golem Film. "Undoubtedly this is von Trier's film with the largest commercial potential," said CEO Pedro Zavatiegni, who has also distributed the director's two Palme d'Or contenders, Idioterne (The Idiots) and Breaking the Waves. Dancer in the Dark has been licensed to Fine Line Features for the US, via Good Machine International, at a reported $5 million. He has also sold the film to Italy, the UK, and Benelux, among other.

Lions Grabs Up "Bread"
The ever-hungry Lions Gate gobbled up Bread and Roses Monday, acquiring all North American rights to Ken Loach's competition contender. The deal had reportedly been under discussion since the film screened in Cannes last week, but was not signed until yesterday. The sum involved was not disclosed, but was believed to be modest. "I was personally overwhelmed by the film," said Lions Gate Releasing co-president Tom Ortenberg, himself a veteran of the Justice for Janitors campaign which is the film's focus. "We are thrilled to be in business with one of the best independent distributors in the industry," said Alison Thompson, CEO of The Sales Company, which has handled all of Loach's recent films. Previous Cannes competition titles from Loach that The Sales Co has licensed to North America include My Name is Joe, which went to Artisan.

Scola Takes Midnight Boat Ride
Norwegian Director Thomas Robsahm whose "bed movie," SOS, is being touted at Cannes by NonStop Sales, will collaborate with Italian director Ettore Scola on Norwegian-Italian co-production Midnattsol (Midnight Sun). Scola, whose latest film is La Cena, came up with the idea for the new movie: a married couple go through a divorce but remain good friends. When they receive two tickets for a boat ride to the midnight sun they decide to use them. According to Robsahm, UK actress Greta Scacchi and Italian actor Giancarlo Giannini will be the leads.

French Metropolitan is "Ringleader"
Samuel Hadida's Metropolitan Filmexport has taken French rights to New Line's upcoming Lord of the Rings. While Metropolitan has an output deal with the US mini-major, Hadid is not bound to take all films and carefully chooses the ones he does release. Rings is adapted from the epic trilogy by JR Tolkien, and is being directed by Kiki Peter Jackson. It stars Elijah Wood and Liv Tyler. Although Rings comes with an impressive pedigree and will likely be quite an event when it opens, Hadid is also known for spotting talent in obscure places. He scored a coup last year when he presaged the success of Canadian pic Cube which went on to be a box office hit in France and other countries.