Exclusive: Sony Pictures International Productions has optioned remake rights to Latvian Christmas comedy Accidental Santa in eight territories: North America, the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Brazil.
Sony struck the deal with London-based Canoe Film, which represents international distribution and remake rights and launched sales last week at the European Film Market in Berlin.
Starring Kaspars Karklins, Janis Vimba, Inga Tropa, Jekabs Reinis and Marija Grauba, Accidental Santa follows escaped prisoner Bruno Cricket, who finds the perfect disguise in a Santa suit. Only, it’s Christmas Eve and he’s mistaken as the real deal by two children with a scheme of their own.
Pic is produced by Riga-based Filmu Studija Grauba and was released in cinemas in Latvia last December; it performed as the top-grossing local film over the Christmas period.
Caroline Stern, MD of Canoe Film, negotiated the deal with Sony Pictures International Productions on behalf of Filmu Studija Grauba.
Sony struck the deal with London-based Canoe Film, which represents international distribution and remake rights and launched sales last week at the European Film Market in Berlin.
Starring Kaspars Karklins, Janis Vimba, Inga Tropa, Jekabs Reinis and Marija Grauba, Accidental Santa follows escaped prisoner Bruno Cricket, who finds the perfect disguise in a Santa suit. Only, it’s Christmas Eve and he’s mistaken as the real deal by two children with a scheme of their own.
Pic is produced by Riga-based Filmu Studija Grauba and was released in cinemas in Latvia last December; it performed as the top-grossing local film over the Christmas period.
Caroline Stern, MD of Canoe Film, negotiated the deal with Sony Pictures International Productions on behalf of Filmu Studija Grauba.
- 2/27/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
The war drama hit Latvian cinemas on 8 November and has been seen by over 200,000 viewers. In the five weeks since its release on 8 November, Dzintars Dreibergs’ war drama Blizzard of Souls has become the most watched film in Latvia since the 1991 restoration of Latvian independence. The news was first reported by national film portals Uz kino and Kinopunkts. Blizzard of Souls has now been watched by 207,892 viewers in total. Dreibergs’ feature breaks the record previously established in 2007 by another independence-era epic, namely Aigars Grauba’s Defenders of Riga. That film revolved around the liberators of interwar Latvia in 1919 and was the most expensive domestic production at the time. Moreover, Cinevilla’s backlot was purposely built to host the shooting of Grauba’s film. The results achieved by Blizzard of Souls also make it the most successful film financed under the special centenary funding programme known as...
- 12/17/2019
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
Latvia’s Plataforma Filma is taking its smash “Swingers” franchise across Europe, with local versions of the film planned for Poland, the Czech Republic/Slovakia, and the Netherlands, Variety has learned exclusively.
Shooting in Poland is set to begin Aug. 16, with the producers targeting a Valentine’s Day 2020 release date. Production for the Czech/Slovak version is expected to begin this fall. Negotiations for the Netherlands are at an advanced stage, with Plataforma hoping to release in November 2020.
The original Latvian romcom, directed by Andrejs Ekis, was shot on a small budget during a whirlwind 12-day shoot in 2016. That film would go on to become the second-highest-grossing Latvian film of all time, prompting Plataforma’s Kristians Alhimionoks to see the movie’s wider potential. “We understood that we have something here,” he says. “It’s very simple, and people really liked it.”
An Estonian version of the franchise was released...
Shooting in Poland is set to begin Aug. 16, with the producers targeting a Valentine’s Day 2020 release date. Production for the Czech/Slovak version is expected to begin this fall. Negotiations for the Netherlands are at an advanced stage, with Plataforma hoping to release in November 2020.
The original Latvian romcom, directed by Andrejs Ekis, was shot on a small budget during a whirlwind 12-day shoot in 2016. That film would go on to become the second-highest-grossing Latvian film of all time, prompting Plataforma’s Kristians Alhimionoks to see the movie’s wider potential. “We understood that we have something here,” he says. “It’s very simple, and people really liked it.”
An Estonian version of the franchise was released...
- 8/9/2019
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The film is the highest-grossing at the Latvian box office so far in 2018.
The Pagan King, an English-language historical action film, has inked key deals for London based distribution and sales company Canoe Film, working on behalf of Latvia-based producers Platforma.
New deals have been reached for North America (Vertical Entertainment), Australia and New Zealand (Eagle Entertainment), and Spain (Mediaset). Earlier sales include Germany (Ascot Elite), Japan (Zazie), and Czech and Slovak Republics, Hungary, and Romania (Mediasquad). A UK deal is in the works.
A UK-Latvia production based on a 13th century legend, the film tells the story of a...
The Pagan King, an English-language historical action film, has inked key deals for London based distribution and sales company Canoe Film, working on behalf of Latvia-based producers Platforma.
New deals have been reached for North America (Vertical Entertainment), Australia and New Zealand (Eagle Entertainment), and Spain (Mediaset). Earlier sales include Germany (Ascot Elite), Japan (Zazie), and Czech and Slovak Republics, Hungary, and Romania (Mediasquad). A UK deal is in the works.
A UK-Latvia production based on a 13th century legend, the film tells the story of a...
- 5/8/2018
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Sneak Peek footage, plus images from the historical action feature "The Pagan King" (aka "Nameja gredzens"), written and directed by Aigars Grauba, starring Edvin Endre, James Bloor and Aistė Diržiūtė:
"...in 'The Pagan King', set in the 13th Century in 'Semigallia', 'Namejs' (Endre) becomes the new king after the death of his regent 'Viesturs' (Egons Dombrovskis).
"But someone else had fought and won the king's ring, plus the right to govern this rich and important place..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Pagan King"...
"...in 'The Pagan King', set in the 13th Century in 'Semigallia', 'Namejs' (Endre) becomes the new king after the death of his regent 'Viesturs' (Egons Dombrovskis).
"But someone else had fought and won the king's ring, plus the right to govern this rich and important place..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Pagan King"...
- 2/12/2018
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Ivan Ostrochovský’s boxer drama Goat (Koza) has been named Best Film at the 20th Vilnius International Film Festival.
The film, which had its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Panorama section in February, won the ¨New Europe - New Names¨ competition at the festival, which ran from March 19 to April 2.
The film, about a former Olympic boxer who goes on a punishing ‘tour’ to raise some fast cash, also took home the Cicae Art Cinema Award.
Goat (Koza), which won the works in progress prize at last year’s Karlovy Vary, is handled internationally by fledgling sales company Pluto Film.
The ¨New Europe - New Names¨ jury, which included Chilean director Cristián Jiménez, Israeli actress Hadas Yaron, and Romanian actor Vlad Ivanov, gave its award for Best Director to Ukraine’s Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy for The Tribe and its acting honours to Hungary’s Márton Kristóf (Afterlife) and Bulgaria’s Margita Gosheva (The Lesson).
Meanwhile, the Baltic...
The film, which had its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Panorama section in February, won the ¨New Europe - New Names¨ competition at the festival, which ran from March 19 to April 2.
The film, about a former Olympic boxer who goes on a punishing ‘tour’ to raise some fast cash, also took home the Cicae Art Cinema Award.
Goat (Koza), which won the works in progress prize at last year’s Karlovy Vary, is handled internationally by fledgling sales company Pluto Film.
The ¨New Europe - New Names¨ jury, which included Chilean director Cristián Jiménez, Israeli actress Hadas Yaron, and Romanian actor Vlad Ivanov, gave its award for Best Director to Ukraine’s Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy for The Tribe and its acting honours to Hungary’s Márton Kristóf (Afterlife) and Bulgaria’s Margita Gosheva (The Lesson).
Meanwhile, the Baltic...
- 4/7/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
New Riga Meetings platform welcomes projects including two projects by Finnish film-maker Aku Louhimies.
Janis Nords’ second feature Mother I Love You and Juris Kursietis’ debut Modris were the big winners at the ¨Great Christopher¨ (¨Lielais Kristaps¨) National Film Competition held during the first edition of the Riga International Film Festival (December 2-12).
Nords, who graduated in film directing from the UK’s Nfts, received the top honour of best film as well as the trophy for best feature film director and best actress (for Vita Varpina’s performance as the single mother trying to make ends meet).
On presenting the direction prize to Nords, the competition jury’s chairman, veteran film director Janis Streics, said that he saw “a bright future ahead for Latvian cinema” on the strength of the line-up for this edition of the national film awards.
Mother I Love You, which is handled internationally by New Europe Film Sales, premiered at the...
Janis Nords’ second feature Mother I Love You and Juris Kursietis’ debut Modris were the big winners at the ¨Great Christopher¨ (¨Lielais Kristaps¨) National Film Competition held during the first edition of the Riga International Film Festival (December 2-12).
Nords, who graduated in film directing from the UK’s Nfts, received the top honour of best film as well as the trophy for best feature film director and best actress (for Vita Varpina’s performance as the single mother trying to make ends meet).
On presenting the direction prize to Nords, the competition jury’s chairman, veteran film director Janis Streics, said that he saw “a bright future ahead for Latvian cinema” on the strength of the line-up for this edition of the national film awards.
Mother I Love You, which is handled internationally by New Europe Film Sales, premiered at the...
- 12/12/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Forty Canadian and international producers will head to the Ontario Media Development Corporation’s annual International Financing Forum in Toronto.Scroll down for full list of projects
The ninth-annual International Financing Forum (Iff), a feature co-financing market for English-language projects, will run Sept 7-8 during Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 4-14).
The two-day event includes one-on-one meetings, an industry panel discussion, roundtable meetings, a networking luncheon, and a producers’ opening night networking reception.
Iff partners include Telefilm Canada, UK Trade and Investment (Ukti), and Toronto Film Commission & Entertainment Industries.
Among this year’s international projects are:
The Lunchbox producer Guneet Monga with sci-fi drama Punha, starring Kanal Nayyar of The Big Bang Theory;
Land Ho! producers Mynette Louie and Sara Murphy reteaming with director Aaron Katz on Settlers;
former Screen International Future Leader Sol Bondy of Germany’s One Two Films with Us-based Jennifer Fox with her thriller The Tale to star Laura Dern, Ellen Burstyn and [link...
The ninth-annual International Financing Forum (Iff), a feature co-financing market for English-language projects, will run Sept 7-8 during Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 4-14).
The two-day event includes one-on-one meetings, an industry panel discussion, roundtable meetings, a networking luncheon, and a producers’ opening night networking reception.
Iff partners include Telefilm Canada, UK Trade and Investment (Ukti), and Toronto Film Commission & Entertainment Industries.
Among this year’s international projects are:
The Lunchbox producer Guneet Monga with sci-fi drama Punha, starring Kanal Nayyar of The Big Bang Theory;
Land Ho! producers Mynette Louie and Sara Murphy reteaming with director Aaron Katz on Settlers;
former Screen International Future Leader Sol Bondy of Germany’s One Two Films with Us-based Jennifer Fox with her thriller The Tale to star Laura Dern, Ellen Burstyn and [link...
- 8/26/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Janis Nords’ coming of age story submitted by Latvia for the Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film.
Mother I Love You, directed by Janis Nords, has been selected by Latvia for consideration for the Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film.
Click here for Best Foreign-Language Film Academy Award submissions 2013
The film is a coming of age story, which centres on 12-year-old Raimonds who tries to cover up a remark in his school diary and starts a spiral of lies, which spins out of control. He has to venture into Riga’s thrilling night-life to save his saxophone, his friendship and his face in front of his mother.
The film premiered at the Berlinale in February and received the Grand Prix Jury Prize for best feature film in Generation Kplus section.
It was also awarded the Grand Prix for best feature film at the Los Angeles Film Festival; the European Children Film Award for the Best...
Mother I Love You, directed by Janis Nords, has been selected by Latvia for consideration for the Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film.
Click here for Best Foreign-Language Film Academy Award submissions 2013
The film is a coming of age story, which centres on 12-year-old Raimonds who tries to cover up a remark in his school diary and starts a spiral of lies, which spins out of control. He has to venture into Riga’s thrilling night-life to save his saxophone, his friendship and his face in front of his mother.
The film premiered at the Berlinale in February and received the Grand Prix Jury Prize for best feature film in Generation Kplus section.
It was also awarded the Grand Prix for best feature film at the Los Angeles Film Festival; the European Children Film Award for the Best...
- 9/11/2013
- ScreenDaily
Chicago – The final week of the 12th Annual EU Film Festival at the Siskel Film Center perfectly illustrates the main strength of this festival - amazing diversity. From what we had time to see of the final stretch of films, the four highlights couldn’t be more diverse, featuring movies from four different countries with four completely different tones and styles.
The highlights of the first three weeks of EU included a coming-of-age drama from Ireland (“Kisses”), a sexy romantic comedy from France (“The Girl From Monaco”), an amazing Danish drama (“Worlds Apart”), and a very interesting horror film from Belgium (“Left Bank”). Read more here, here, and here)
The final week takes us back to two of those countries - Belgium and France - and also features a fascinating Finnish shocker before closing with a gentle and sweet film from Sweden. Overall, it’s been a fantastic festival for...
The highlights of the first three weeks of EU included a coming-of-age drama from Ireland (“Kisses”), a sexy romantic comedy from France (“The Girl From Monaco”), an amazing Danish drama (“Worlds Apart”), and a very interesting horror film from Belgium (“Left Bank”). Read more here, here, and here)
The final week takes us back to two of those countries - Belgium and France - and also features a fascinating Finnish shocker before closing with a gentle and sweet film from Sweden. Overall, it’s been a fantastic festival for...
- 3/25/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Buzz from Europe
Founded in 1988, the European Film Academy currently unites 1,850 European film professionals with the common aim of promoting Europe’s film culture. Their annual awards will be December 8 in Copenhagen. ACE (Ateliers de Cinema Europeanne) which operates out of France and is a network of producers in the process of developing scripts, which become the films everyone loves at festivals, has 12 producers in the network who have received European Film Awards Nominations. Congratulations to ACE producers for their nominations at the 2008 European Film Awards and… good luck! WALTZ WITH BASHIR by Ari Folman, produced by Roman Paul (ACE producer / Razor Film Produktion): Nominated for European Film, European Director, European Screenwriter & European Composer categories. THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, produced by Carole Scotta (ACE producer / Haut & Court) & Caroline Benjo (Haut & Court): Nominated for European Film & European Director categories. LEMON TREE by Eran Riklis, produced by Bettina Brokemper (ACE producer / Heimatfilm GmbH): Nominated for European Actress & European Screenwriter categories. WOLKE 9 by Andreas Dresen, produced by Peter Rommel (ACE producer / Rommel Film e.K): Nominated for European Director & European Actress categories. MOSCOW, BELGIUM by Christophe Van Rompaey, produced by Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem (ACE producer / A Private view): Nominated for European Composer category. DELTA by Kornel Mundruzco, produced by Viktoria Petranyi (ACE producer / Evolution Films): Nominated for European Film Academy Prix d’Excellence 2008
Also 10 ACE producers’ films are among the 67 vying for the 2008 nominations for 2007 Best Foreign Language Oscar. ALGERIA: MASQUERADES by Lyes Salem, produced by Isabelle Madelaine (Dharamsala, FR) BELGIUM: ELDORADO by Bouli Lanners, produced by Jacques-Henri Bronckart (Versus Production, BE) and Jerôme Vidal (Noodles Production, FR) ESTONIA: I WAS HERE by René Vilbre, produced by Riina Sildos (Amrion Oü, EST) and Aleksi Bardy (Helsinki Filmi, FI) FRANCE: THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, produced by Carole Scotta & Caroline Benjo (Haut & Court, FR) ISRAEL: WALTZ WITH BASHIR by Ari Folman, produced by Roman Paul (Razor Film Produktion, DE) KAZAKHSTAN: TULPAN by Sergey Dvortsevoy, co-produced by Thanassis Karathanos (Twenty Twenty Vision / Pallas Film, DE) LATVIA: DEFENDERS OF RIGA by Aigars Grauba, produced by Andrejs Ekis (Plat Forma Filma, LET) - Developed at the ACE Workshop! MACEDONIA: I’M FROM TITOV VELES by Teona Strugar Mitevska, co-produced by Diana Elbaum (Entre Chien et Loup, BE) THE NETHERLANDS: DUNYA & DESIE by Dana Nechushtan, co-produced by Joost de Vries (Lemming Film, NL) and Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem (A Private View, BE) SWEDEN: EVERLASTING MOMENTS by Jan Troell, co-produced by Christer Nilson (GötaFilm, SE), Sigve Endresen, (Motlys AS, NO) and Tero Kaukomaa (Blind Spot Pictures, FI)
3 ACE producers’ films have been nominated for France’s prestigious Louis Delluc Award. THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, Palme d’Or 2008, produced by Carole Scotta & Caroline Benjo (Haut et Court, FR), SERAPHINE by Martin Provost, produced by Milena Poylo and Gille Sacuto (TS Productions, FR) and VERSAILLES by Pierre Schoeller, produced by Philippe Martin (Les Films Pelléas, FR) are nominated for the 2008 Louis Delluc Prize.
And finally The Class by Laurent Cantet has hit a record 1.5+ admissions in France.
Also 10 ACE producers’ films are among the 67 vying for the 2008 nominations for 2007 Best Foreign Language Oscar. ALGERIA: MASQUERADES by Lyes Salem, produced by Isabelle Madelaine (Dharamsala, FR) BELGIUM: ELDORADO by Bouli Lanners, produced by Jacques-Henri Bronckart (Versus Production, BE) and Jerôme Vidal (Noodles Production, FR) ESTONIA: I WAS HERE by René Vilbre, produced by Riina Sildos (Amrion Oü, EST) and Aleksi Bardy (Helsinki Filmi, FI) FRANCE: THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, produced by Carole Scotta & Caroline Benjo (Haut & Court, FR) ISRAEL: WALTZ WITH BASHIR by Ari Folman, produced by Roman Paul (Razor Film Produktion, DE) KAZAKHSTAN: TULPAN by Sergey Dvortsevoy, co-produced by Thanassis Karathanos (Twenty Twenty Vision / Pallas Film, DE) LATVIA: DEFENDERS OF RIGA by Aigars Grauba, produced by Andrejs Ekis (Plat Forma Filma, LET) - Developed at the ACE Workshop! MACEDONIA: I’M FROM TITOV VELES by Teona Strugar Mitevska, co-produced by Diana Elbaum (Entre Chien et Loup, BE) THE NETHERLANDS: DUNYA & DESIE by Dana Nechushtan, co-produced by Joost de Vries (Lemming Film, NL) and Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem (A Private View, BE) SWEDEN: EVERLASTING MOMENTS by Jan Troell, co-produced by Christer Nilson (GötaFilm, SE), Sigve Endresen, (Motlys AS, NO) and Tero Kaukomaa (Blind Spot Pictures, FI)
3 ACE producers’ films have been nominated for France’s prestigious Louis Delluc Award. THE CLASS by Laurent Cantet, Palme d’Or 2008, produced by Carole Scotta & Caroline Benjo (Haut et Court, FR), SERAPHINE by Martin Provost, produced by Milena Poylo and Gille Sacuto (TS Productions, FR) and VERSAILLES by Pierre Schoeller, produced by Philippe Martin (Les Films Pelléas, FR) are nominated for the 2008 Louis Delluc Prize.
And finally The Class by Laurent Cantet has hit a record 1.5+ admissions in France.
- 11/30/2008
- Sydney's Buzz
A record 67 countries have submitted films for consideration for best foreign-language film for the 81st Academy Awards, Academy president Sid Ganis said Friday. Nominations will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 22, and the awards will be presented on Sunday, Feb. 22.
The complete list of foreign-language submissions follows. For more details on some of the films, visit THR.com/foreignoscars.
Afghanistan, "Opium War," Siddiq Barmak
Albania, "The Sorrow of Mrs. Schneider," Piro Milkani and Eno Milkani
Algeria, "Masquerades," Lyes Salem
Argentina, "Lion's Den," Pablo Trapero
Austria, "Revanche," Gotz Spielmann
Azerbaijan, "Fortress," Shamil Nacafzada
Bangladesh, "Aha!," Enamul Karim Nirjhar
Belgium, "Eldorado," Bouli Lanners
Bosnia and Herzegovina, "Snow," Aida Begic
Brazil, "Last Stop 174," Bruno Barreto
Bulgaria, "Zift," Javor Gardev
Canada, "The Necessities of Life," Benoit Pilon
Chile, "Tony Manero," Pablo Larrain
China, "Dream Weavers," Jun Gu
Colombia, "Dog Eat Dog," Carlos Moreno
Croatia, "No One's Son," Arsen Anton Ostojic
Czech Republic, "The Karamazovs," Petr Zelenka
Denmark,...
The complete list of foreign-language submissions follows. For more details on some of the films, visit THR.com/foreignoscars.
Afghanistan, "Opium War," Siddiq Barmak
Albania, "The Sorrow of Mrs. Schneider," Piro Milkani and Eno Milkani
Algeria, "Masquerades," Lyes Salem
Argentina, "Lion's Den," Pablo Trapero
Austria, "Revanche," Gotz Spielmann
Azerbaijan, "Fortress," Shamil Nacafzada
Bangladesh, "Aha!," Enamul Karim Nirjhar
Belgium, "Eldorado," Bouli Lanners
Bosnia and Herzegovina, "Snow," Aida Begic
Brazil, "Last Stop 174," Bruno Barreto
Bulgaria, "Zift," Javor Gardev
Canada, "The Necessities of Life," Benoit Pilon
Chile, "Tony Manero," Pablo Larrain
China, "Dream Weavers," Jun Gu
Colombia, "Dog Eat Dog," Carlos Moreno
Croatia, "No One's Son," Arsen Anton Ostojic
Czech Republic, "The Karamazovs," Petr Zelenka
Denmark,...
- 10/17/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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