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Exclusive: Bankside has inked a slew of sales on Ido Fluk’s Köln 75 following its Special Gala premiere at the Berlinale this month.

The largely well-received film has sold to Bulgaria (Beta), Canada (Level Film), Czech/Slovak (Aqs), Eastern Europe excluding Poland (HBO), Former Yugoslavia (Discovery), France (Metopolitan), Hungary (Budapest Film), Israel (Naschon/Red Cape), Italy (Lucky Red), Middle East (Front Row), Scandinavia (Sf Studios), South Korea (The Coup) and Spain (Selecta Vision).

Alamode Film holds distribution rights for German-speaking Europe and will be releasing the film in March on more than 200 screens, September Film for Benelux and Madness for Poland. Discussions are ongoing for distribution in both UK and U.S.

The English and German-language pic tells the story behind one of the best-selling jazz records of all time, Keith Jarrett’s 1975 Köln Concert, how it almost didn’t happen, and how one formidable German teenager, Vera Brandes,...

Parker Finn’s Smile 2 expands the terrifying universe established in the hit first film, Smile. Smile 2 has plenty of scary scenes and new tricks up its sleeves to truly horrify its audience, but it also cleverly pays homage to one of the most iconic characters in horror history through the character of Paul Hudson. Smile 2's cast is led by pop star protagonist Skye Riley who, among other things, is being haunted by the death of her boyfriend, Paul Hudson. Hudson shows up several times throughout as one of the hallucinatory entities haunting Skye with that now iconic smile.

However, that low-angle, eerie grin that we associate with the Smile franchise has its roots in the films of another master of the craft, Stanley Kubrick, most notably Jack Torrance in The Shining. It comes as no surprise that Parker Finn was paying homage to one of the greats,...

Paul Hudson’s Outsider Pictures has acquired U.S. theatrical rights to Venezuela’s 2024 International Feature Oscar submission “The Shadow of the Sun” by director Miguel Angel Ferrer.

“The Shadow of the Sun” is the story of Alex, a young deaf man who asks his older brother Leo to accompany him in a musical competition. With the help of his brother’s voice, Alex has the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream, one that will push his skills to their limit and test his resilience in a culture not interested in inclusion.

“Part of the reason I made this movie, and what I know it’s successfully achieved from all the reactions that we’ve gotten, is for Venezuelans to see their invincible spirit on the screen,” said Ferrer. “The story has already been accepted by all Venezuelans who have seen it, regardless of political inclination, societal status, sexual orientation,...

Outsider Pictures has struck a deal with Berlin-based international sales agent Picture Tree International for U.S. distribution rights to a pair of Scandinavian dramas, “Stormskerry Maja” and “The Missile.” Both films will get limited theatrical runs next spring.

Outsider Pictures, founded and headed by Paul Hudson, has found success with several Scandinavian films in the past, such as “Adam’s Apples” and “Helene.”

“Although the main focus is on Latin and Spanish cinema, we remain open to good films from anywhere in the world,” Hudson explained to Variety.

“‘Stormskerry Maja’ is that classic ‘they don’t make them like this anymore’ film,” the Outsider boss said before alluding to the film’s tremendous local box office success; “Half a million Finns can’t be wrong.”

A logline for the film reads: “A young girl in the harshest corner of Earth. Death, war, and love shape the girl into a modern woman.

L.A.-based Outsider Pictures, a U.S. distribution hub for Spanish-language cinema, has snagged North American rights to three International Oscar entries to the 97th Academy Awards: Costa Rica’s “Memories of a Burning Body,” Spain’s “Saturn Return” and Switzerland’s “Queens” (Reinas”), directed by Peruvian-born helmer, Klaudia Reynicke.

In addition, it has picked up Cannes Directors’ Fortnight title “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed” by Argentina’s Hernán Rosselli and Toronto Platform awardee “They Will Be Dust,” starring Chile’s Alfredo Castro and Spain’s Angela Molina.

“I think the recent acquisitions from Outsider reflect the exciting and challenging cinema being produced in Latin America and Spain. These may not be star driven or hugely commercial films, but like most independent cinema, they are labors of love, passion pieces that film-makers have worked so hard for and that any company would be proud to distribute,” said Outsider Pictures founder-ceo Paul Hudson.

Parker Finn’s directorial debut “Smile” became one of the biggest breakout hits of the 2022 horror movie season, despite initially being planned to be released directly on Paramount+. The film is centered on the therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), who discovers that a supernatural entity is causing people to experience traumatic breakdowns and burst out into violence. The signature sign of being possessed is that the victim can’t stop smiling; the curse is only passed on to the next inhabitant after they witness someone dying.

Although Rose dies at the end of the first “Smile” film, she ends up passing the curse to her ex-boyfriend Joel (Kyle Gallner), a police officer who now tries to give it to another victim by forcing someone to bear witness to a murder. At the beginning of “Smile 2,” Joel succeeds in killing a drug dealer in front of Lewis Fregoli (Lukas Gage...

Smile 2 sees the Smile entity going to new lengths to terrorize its host, so much so that the line between whats real and what isnt no longer exists. Following the surprising success of Parker Finns Smile in 2022, a sequel, simply titled Smile 2, arrived in 2024. Also directed by Finn, Smile 2 is set six days after the ending of Smile, and continues to follow the path of the Smile entity as it claims more lives and is passed onto new hosts, among them pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott).

Skye is preparing for a new world tour after recovering from a car accident that killed her boyfriend, actor Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson), and from substance-use disorder. However, the Smile curse is passed onto her after she witnesses the suicide of her drug dealer, the host of the Smile entity. What follows is Skye being haunted by the Smile entity...

Smile 2 saw the Smile entity going to new extremes to terrorize its new host, Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), and her constant drinking of Voss water hides a dark reality thanks to the entity. Park Finns psychological supernatural horror movie Smile was a surprise hit in 2022, so its not surprising that a sequel was greenlit the following year. Simply titled Smile 2 and with Finn back as director and writer, the sequel continues the streak of deaths by the Smile entity, which has become more horrifying and chaotic in how it haunts its hosts and feeds from their trauma.

Skye is a famous pop star recovering from a traumatic car crash that killed her boyfriend, actor Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson), and from substance-use disorder. Skye becomes the new host of the Smile entity after witnessing her drug dealer killing himself while possessed by the entity. Skye begins to have very...

Warning: spoilers for Smile 2.

Smile 2 has a couple of twists and turns, the biggest one being about Skyes (Naomi Scott) former best friend Gemma (Dylan Gelula), whose entire story in the movie turned out to be a hallucination caused by the Smile entity. After the success of Parker Finns psychological supernatural horror movie Smile in 2022, a sequel was released in 2024, also directed by Finn. Simply titled Smile 2, the sequel follows a new victim of the Smile entity: pop star Skye Riley, whos preparing for a new world tour after a traumatic accident and her recovery from substance-use disorder.

The Smile entity begins to torment Skye during rehearsals, at home, and with the people closest to her. Desperate for help and feeling alone, Skye reaches out to her former best friend Gemma, who she stopped talking to after calling her names via text. Gemma quickly replies and makes amends with Skye,...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Smile 2?Smile 2 introduces audiences and Skye Riley to a new character named Morris, but by the end, there are questions about whether Morris is real. For most of Smile 2, viewers and Naomi Scott's character go back and forth between seeing what appears to be happening to the popstar in the real world and the hallucinations that she has due to the Smile Curse. This follows how the first movie treated Rose's perspective, and the sequel then has her meet Morris to be an ally in defeating the entity, much like how Rose had Joel.

Morris is featured as the brother of a previous victim of the curse who tracks down Skye to try and help her overcome the entity. His plan includes temporarily killing Skye so the entity does not have a way to pass to a new host traumatized by what they saw.

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Smile and Smile 2

While the supernatural horror of Smile 2 might be a little far-fetched, the sequels main character, Skye Riley, draws inspiration from numerous recognizable real-life singers. The horror sequel Smile 2 picks up where director Parker Finns 2022 sleeper hit left off, but that doesnt mean that the follow-up fails to expand the world of the franchise. On the contrary, after Smiles twist ending passed the curse onto the movies supporting deuteragonist, Kyle Gallners Joel, Smile 2 expands its storyline to include a diverse range of new characters. Chief among them is Naomi Scotts Skye Riley, a troubled musician.

Related 8 Clues To Smile 2's Twist

Smile 2 follows pop star Skye Riley as she takes on the Entity, the story coming with a wild twist ending that is hinted at throughout the movie.

Although her career is incredibly successful, Skye is...

Smile 2 brings back the eerie grins and skincrawling suspense from the first film but amps it up with stronger scares, brutal gore, and a killer performance from Naomi Scott. Written and directed by Parker Finn, the movie continues to explore the curse that spreads through witnessing violent deaths, but this time with a slick, high-stakes story centered on a troubled pop star. The result is a stylish, intense sequel that keeps the thrills coming.

“…a stylish, intense sequel that keeps the thrills coming.”

Smile 2 kicks off with ex-cop Joel (Kyle Gallner) attempting to transfer the Smile Entity’s curse by staging a violent confrontation in a house full of baddies. It doesn’t go so smoothly. The curse then jumps to low-level drug dealer Lewis Fregoli (Lukas Gage), who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and eventually makes its way to pop star...

Naomi Scott stars in Paramount Pictures presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn Film “Smile 2.” Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Usually an infectious smile is a good thing but not if you are in a Smile horror movie, where a creepy smile is the last thing you see before a contagious form of deadly of madness infects you. The first Smile scared audiences, with an actress sporting one creepy smile in the poster and trailer, even before they saw the movie. In the original hit horror movie Smile, that creepy smile was the signal that this infection about to jump from one person, as the smiling victim commits suicide in front of a hapless soul who becomes the next victim. In Smile, we followed the path of the horrific infection as it jumped from victim to victim, but in Smile 2 we concentrate more on one person.

Writer/director...

UK sales outfit Bankside Films has unveiled a first look image of Mala Emde in the role of Vera Brandes in Ido Fluk’s The Girl From Köln, as well as a slew of key deals on the film as the company heads into the European Film Market (EFM).

The feature, currently in post-production, tells the little-known story of one of the best-selling jazz records of all time, US pianist Keith Jarrett’s 1975 Köln Concert, and how one formidable German teenager, Vera Brandes, was instrumental in its creation. Bankside will be showing a sales promo to buyers at the EFM.

Proving that music really knows no borders, documentary “Elis and Tom” – about the fateful meeting of singer Elis Regina and legendary composer Antônio Carlos Jobim – has now sold to U.S. to Outsider Pictures and Portugal’s Midas.

“Elis Regina and Antônio Carlos Jobim came to Los Angeles to create the legendary ‘Elis & Tom’ [album]. I can’t wait to share the film with audiences in the U.S.,” said Outsider Pictures’ CEO Paul Hudson.

The film will be released theatrically on Sept. 15 in Los Angeles. According to Brazil’s O2 Play, which is handling international sales, “advanced conversations” with Japan and Australia are also taking place.

“I was Elis’ manager back then and I recorded rehearsals, conversations and the atmosphere that reigned behind the scenes,” revealed director Roberto de Oliveira, referring to five hours of “memorable” footage of the 1974 recording.

“All this material was stored away, but all these years...

Attendees also noted Buenos Aires event is becoming more of a project development market than a sales market.

Genre and animation titles dominated at Latin America’s leading film and TV market Ventana Sur as business vied for attention with the World Cup in Qatar, where the progress of the Argentinian national side led by Lionel Messi has created a festive mood in Buenos Aires.

Of particular interest at the market, which ran from November 28-December 2 and hosted screenings, presentations, panels and meetings, was the new Fan Latina Blood Window sidebar dedicated to female creators. Argentinian titles such as Jimena Monteoliva...

Exclusive: Labid Aziz’s People of Culture Studios (PoC Studios), has picked up North American distribution rights to Kim Bass’s comedy A Snowy Day in Oakland, and will open the film nationwide in theaters over the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend, Jan. 13, 2023. The movie is the debut theatrical release for PoC Studios.

Written and directed by Kim Bass, A Snowy Day in Oakland follows an upscale psychologist from San Francisco who decides to end a stalled romance with her longtime, high-profile, psychiatrist, boyfriend/business partner. She moves on with her life by opening her own private practice in a vacant, street-front office space in the middle of a small, commercial block located across the bay in Oakland, turning the predominately African-American and psychologically ignored neighborhood on its emotional ear.

The movie stars Nicole Ari Parker (Boogie Nights), Loretta Devine (Crash), Kimberly Elise (The Manchurian Candidate), Deon Cole (Black-ish...

Outsider Pictures has secured the international rights to co-directors Pablo Aragüés and Marta Cabrera’s genre feature “Para entrar a vivir” ahead of the Malaga Film Festival this March.

It will showcase the film’s trailer at the Next from Spain section of the Malaga Festival; the whole film will screen at the Cannes Film Market this May.

Paul Hudson, Outsider Pictures founder and CEO, shared with Variety the comedy-horror film’s trailer, which follows the troubles of a couple moving into a magical new home. The trailer begins by asking, “what if the dream house gave everything you wanted,” setting a light mood.

The couple, played by Barbara Goenaga (Goya-nominated for “Oviedo Express”) and Gorka Otxoa (“Fe de etarras”), moves into their dream house, which they soon realize magically grants any wish they request. However, they begin to learn that although the house gives, it also must take, as...

Starring Pablo Larraín regular Alfredo Castro, Chilean-Spanish writer-director Theo Court’s “White on White” (“Blanco en Blanco”) has been acquired for distribution in North America by Outsider Pictures.

The deal follows on the film’s world premiere this September at the Venice Film Festival’s Horizons sidebar, where Court won a Silver Lion for the section’s best director and a film writers’ Fipresci Prize. “White on White” was selected earlier this month as Chile’s submission for 2022’s Academy Awards in the international best feature film category.

Starring in Pablo Larrain’s 2008 breakthrough, “Tony Manero,” as well as his 2015 Berlin Grand Jury Prize winner “The Club,” Castro also headed Lorenzo Vigas’ 2015 Venice Golden Lion laureate “From Afar.”

It takes an actor of his stature to tease out the contradictions of his character, Pedro, in “White and White.” Set in the late 19th century, it begins with a portrait photographer,...