American Film Market Dailies

Carnaby International’s Tania Sarra today announced they had cleared much of the world’s film sales territories for its new entry into the durable global Heidi franchise with the family adventure HEIDI AND THE MAGIC POOL. In a deal with a major Hollywood Studio, the territories included in the one single deal are: the UK; Australia and New Zealand; France; Benelux; the Czech Republic; Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland; Greece; Portugal; Slovakia; Scandinavia; India, Israel, South Africa, Turkey; Hong Kong; Malaysia; Philippines; Singapore; Taiwan; Thailand; Vietnam; and all of Latin America. Sarra has also concluded deals with the Middle East  (Gulf Film), Indonesia (PT Prima Cinema), Spain (Flins y Piniculas) and the countries of the former Yugoslavia (Discovery).

Sarra says, “The robust response shows just how wide Heidi’s appeal is worldwide.”

Written by Paul Watson, (IVCA Gold Award Winner, Assaulted Nuts, Puss In Boots), HEIDI AND THE MAGIC POOL will be directed by BAFTA winner John Henderson (The Borrowers, Tales of the Riverbank, Loch Ness); and produced by Simon Wright (The Last of the Blonde Bombshells, Lucky Jim).  Executive Producers are Sean O'Kelly, Kirsty Bell and Andrew Loveday. 

Carnaby has also announced an April 2015 start for the film, a UK-Hungarian co-production filming in both those countries.  Heidi stars Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean, Underworld, Love Actually) Golden Globe nominee Anna Friel (Good People, Limitless, You Will Meet A Dark Stranger) and Greg Wise (Effie Gray, Walking on Sunshine, Sense and Sensibility).  Carnaby are in discussions with Oscar winner Jim Broadbent (Iris, Moulin Rouge, Gangs of New York).

In this family-friendly tale, twelve year-old Heidi lives an idyllic life with her Grandpa in his remote mountain cabin. When the townsmen declare Grandpa an unsuitable guardian, Heidi must go to live as a companion to Clara – the daughter of a wealthy Professor in the city. Heidi and Clara become instant friends, but the cruel Governess, who Heidi discovers is slowly poisoning Clara in order to marry the Professor, spoils their fun. The girls manage to escape and seek refuge in a remote, ancient and mysterious grotto called the Magic Pool. With the Governess hunting the girls down, Heidi promises Clara they are safe, but fate has other plans.

With two world premieres, eight films in production, as well as its first-ever major television series, Carnaby International are attending their second American Film Market this November with a high profile, varied line-up of exciting titles—and a growing reputation for pulling in A-list talent.

Joint Carnaby co-CEOs Andrew Loveday and Sean O’Kelly, along with Director of International Sales Tania Sarra and Head of Acquisitions Alex Tate, are in Santa Monica for AFM this November.