* Reflecting the growing importance of the Dutch market, lead by sizeable increases in free-TV and theatrical rights sales, the American Film Marketing Association (AFMA) has finally recognised The Netherlands as a separate territory in its annual sales survey published this week.
Instead of being lumped in with the "rest" of Europe, The Netherlands now joins the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Scandinavia in being reported separately among the European territories.
With overall sales from AFMA members to Dutch distributors of US$38.9 million, The Netherlands is now the world's 12th biggest market for the AFMA membership. The total is made up from US$8.3 million in theatrical right sales (US$4.9 million in 1995); US$8 million in video right sales (US$7.6 million in 1995); US$4.1 million in pay-TV rights (US$4.2 million in 1995); and $18.4 million in free-TV rights (US$11.9 million in 1995).
Overall, AFMA members registered their highest ever annual film revenues with estimated total sales of US$1.65 billion, up from $1.37 billion in 1995. CP
A Channel 4 statement said that Grade was planning to leave the TV industry to "pursue other business interests. Although the station declined to give further details, Grade's name has already been linked in press reports to the post of chief executive of football's Premier League, which is set to become vacant at the end of this season. LP
Arificial Eye topper Andi Engel blamed increasingly mainstream programming by UK broadcasters for the decision. "Television in my book doesn't play a part anymore," he said. "As far as subtitled films are concerned, all channels are 100% more mainstream now than five years ago."
Artificial Eye will now rely on its video arm to generate profits that, with UK base rentals at a mere 25%, are rarely forthcoming for UK distributors on just a theatrical release.
Engel said: "It just means in future when producers come and say, 'here, pay us a lot of money for the TV rights,' I will tell say to them, 'sell them yourselves. I will not play bank for you.' I have stopped doing that." AM
Metrodome will release the Kim Bodnia-starrer, which was the highest grossing local film in Denmark in 1991, following the April opening following The Near Room, opening in April, Margaret's Museum, opening in May, and Craig Fairbrass-starrer Darklands, opening in June.
Metrodome is set to release between eight and 10 acquisitions a year, along with up to four in-house productions. Rupert Preston, head of Metrodome Distribution, aims to focus on English-language acquistions, but does not rule out further foreign-language pick ups. "We are looking for films with a hook or angle we can use to promote," he said. "We will promote Pusher as Trainspotting meets Breaking The Waves meets La haine," he said. AM
MPC acts as independent collection account agent for a large number of independently finance/produced film projects such as Stealing Beauty, Crash and Mike Leigh's forthcoming Career Girls.
Robert Aarts and Maarten Melchior will continue to oversee the operations, which are based in The Netherlands. LP
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