Global Screen has sold the distribution rights for North America for “Crescendo#makemusicnotwar” to Menemsha Films. The film, loosely inspired by the story of the formation of Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, toplines “Toni Erdmann” star Peter Simonischek.
Global Screen also closed deals on the film for Spain (Adso Films International Management), Italy (Satine), Korea (Tcast) and Taiwan (Swallow Wings Films). Strong interest has also been signalled by distributors in other territories, Global Screen said.
The film, helmed by Dror Zahavi (“Everything for My Father”), was recently presented with the Rheingold Audience Award at the 15th Festival of German Cinema in Ludwigshafen am Rhein. Zahavi received a 1988 Student Oscar nomination for “Alexander Penn – Ich will allein sein.”
Simonischek plays world famous conductor Eduard Sporck, who accepts the job to create an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra, but is quickly drawn into a tempest of seemingly unsolvable problems. Having grown up in a state of war, suppression or the constant risk of terrorist attacks, the young musicians from both sides are far from capable of forming a team. Will Sporck succeed in making the young people forget their hatred, at least for the three weeks until the concert?
As well as Simonischek, the cast includes up-and-coming actors Daniel Donskoy (“Victoria”) and Sabrina Amali (“4 Blocks”).
The film is produced by Alice Brauner for CCC Filmkunst; it is co-produced by Frank Holderied at ServusTV, Michael Zechbauer at MZ-Film, Peter Trenkwalder and Monika Reinthaler at Filmvergnuegen, AVE Publishing’s M. Walid Nakschbandi, and Niama-Film’s Thomas Reisser and Marcus Machura.
Menemsha’s Neil Friedman said: “We feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful working relationship with both Julia Weber of Global Screen and producer Alice Brauner. The passion that both Julia and Alice have for their films is rather contagious and we want to use that same passion ourselves to make their films successful in North American release.”
Menemsha is planning to release the film in North America in June. In Germany, Camino Film will give it a wide release on Jan. 16.