France-U.K. sales-production-distribution house Alief has closed sales on a broad slate of titles whose roll-out underscores the longevity of current sales cycles, even on high-profile breakout titles.
Alief has licensed Sundance sci-fi “Strawberry Mansion” to France’s Universcine for digital, SVOD and broadcast distribution in French-speaking territories.
From U.S. scribe-helmers Kentucker Audley and Albert Birney (“Sylvio”), the film is currently on a day-and-date release in the U.K. via Bulldog Distribution. It was opened by Music Box in the U.S. while Draka Distribution closed Italy during this year’s Berlin European Film Market.
Cop Secret
Credit: Elli Cassata
Set in a none-too-distant future where the state taxes citizens’ dreams, “Strawberry Mansion” has Alief currently fielding offers for South East Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Spain, Scandinavia and Latin America, and healthy interest from buyers and festivals, Alief partner Miguel Angel Govea told Variety.
Universcine has also acquired digital, SVOD and broadcast rights to French-speaking territories on both kinetic thriller “Runner,” Lithuanian filmmaker Andrius Blaževičius’ second feature, and “Songs for a Fox,” a fantasy-rock musical by Kristijonas Vildziunas which world premiered in Official Selection at the 2021 Tallinn Film Festival.
Sales add to further licensing deals on Alief banner titles such as “Cop Secret,” a best comedy nominee at the European Film Awards.
On “Cop Secret,” Hannes Thor Haldorsson’s Icelandic buddy cop spoof, Alief has secured a theatrical release in Portugal with Alambique under the Portuguese distributor’s new Bold Cinema label. Blue Swan will open “Cop Secret” in Italy in December after the European Film Awards. First deals on “Cop Secret” were announced in October 2021.
“It’s insane the amount of buyer action for this title,” Govea enthused, saying he is fielding offers from all rights buyers in Scandinavia, China and Poland with strong interest from MENA, CIS, the Baltics and Latin America.
Meanwhile, horror musical “Give Me Pity!” has secured a limited theatrical release in Australia with Static Vision, scheduled for 2023. Utopia Distribution will release the film in U.S. theatrical in Feb. 2023, with a week’s run confirmed for New York and other cities.
“We are fielding offers for French-speaking territories and the U.K., and there is strong interest in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, SEA and Latin America,” Govea reported.
Cop Secret
Credit: Elli Cassata