FilmNation China Deal; AGC Makes Ingenious Move; Carnaby Joins Highway; American Jedi Sales – Cannes Briefs
FilmNation, the company behind films including Arrival and The Big Sick, has closed an output deal with Chinese digital platform iQiyi. The deal gives it exclusive access to show FilmNation features on its on-demand platform for three years. It comes as FilmNation is launching Paul Danos directorial debut Wildlife in Cannes. “More Chinese movie fans than ever before will be able to experience many of the best independent films from some of the worlds most exciting directors,” said FilmNations VP, Sales Rob Carney. “Following on the heels of our strategic cooperation agreements with entertainment companies such as Fox, Disney, Sony and Netflix, this exclusive partnership with FilmNation represents the next step of iQIYI bringing subscriber members an ever more international selection of high quality contents,” added Yang Xianghua, SVP, iQiyi.
Stuart Fords fledging firm AGC Studios has struck a $150 million film production agreement with Ingenious Media. The deal, struck by AGC Capital, the film and TV financing division of AGC Studios, will see Ingenious cover 50% of the equity investment required to fund each picture produced and financed by AGC as well as providing additional debt financing. AGC Studios is expected to announce its debut slate of films within the next few months. The deal, which was struck between AGC Chairman and CEO Ford and Ingenious CEO Neil Forster, comes as AGC International, the studios worldwide sales arm, is selling Roland Emmerichs $100 million WWII epic action film Midway, and Laikas $100m budgeted comedy adventure animated film Missing Link in Cannes. Ford said, “I have had a longstanding and very successful relationship with Ingenious in the past and so we are delighted to continue and indeed expand upon that via our new studio AGC as we look to build an industry leading premium film and TV content company.”
Carnaby International has boarded Alexandra McGuinness Highway starring Baby Drivers Eiza González, Brights Lucy Fry and Black Hawk Downs Josh Hartnett. The company will begin selling the feature, which was first revealed by Deadline back in July 2017, in Cannes this week. Fry plays a small-town diner waitress named Heidi who embarks on a frantic search to find Jane, her best friend and rodeo queen, played by González. The rodeo queen has suddenly gone missing after meeting a mysterious man, played by Harnett. Frantically scouring the desert for her friend, Heidi finds more than she bargained for along the way when she begins to dig up secrets and is thrust into the violence of life on the road. Written and directed by Alexandra McGuinness (Lotus Eaters) and produced by Dominic Wright from Ripple World Pictures and Anna OMalley and Eammon Cleary from TW Films, the film was financed by GCI Films and the Irish Film Board. CAA and Verve Ventures are co-repping North America with Carnaby International Sales & Distribution representing the rest of the world.
American Jedi, the documentary about Star Wars fans, has been picked up in China and Poland after Film Mode Entertainments documentary arm DocMode closed deals. The film, which was directed by Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony director Laurent Malaquais, has been bought in China by Morejoy Entertainment and in Poland by Media4Fun. “Were thrilled to announce sales across the world on this very special documentary whose diverse and massive fan base reaches across the world and continues to grow.” Said Clay Epstein, President of Film Mode Entertainment. “Its a testament to the popularity of the Jedi films at the international box office, making American Jedi, a highly commercially viable product that remains true to its origins.”
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