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Austria Selects Great Freedom For Oscars

Austria has selected Sebastian Meise’s Great Freedom as its official submission for Best International Feature Film for the 94th Academy Awards. Set in post-war Germany, the movie tells the story of Hans who is imprisoned time and time again for being homosexual. Due to Paragraph 175, which prohibited homosexual acts in Germany, his desire for freedom is systematically destroyed. The one steady relationship in his life becomes his long-time cellmate, Viktor (Georg Friedrich), a convicted murderer. The film stars Franz Rogowski (Victoria) and Berlinale Silver Bear awardee Georg Friedrich (The Piano Teacher) in leading roles, with a screenplay by Thomas Reider and Meise. Producers are Sabine Moser, Oliver Neumann, and Benny Drechsel. The 2021 Cannes entry and Un Certain Regard Jury Prize winner will be released by Mubi theatrically in the U.S. and UK on March 4, 2022. Meanwhile, per the Japanese Filmmakers Federation, Japan has...

Acquisition

Abacus Media Rights (Amr) has picked up global distribution rights to BBC Two’s Joan Collins documentary, produced by Salon Pictures and commissioned by Mark Bell at BBC Arts. Promising to tell the life story of the Hollywood actor from her point of view, the 90-minute documentary will be narrated by Collins herself. Clare Beavan (“Bricks!”) will direct as well as co-produce with Karen Steyn, Nick Taussig and Annabel Wigoder. Karen Steyn (“Tea With the Dames”) is executive producer.

“National treasures don’t come more glamorous than Dame Joan Collins and after seven decades of stardom her shine remains undimmed,” said Bell. “Her story too is priceless; this film will be an account of the ups and downs of an entertainment career like no other – candid, revelatory and occasionally hilarious.”

Amr managing director Jonathan Ford added: “This will be the definitive story of Dame Joan Collins told in her...

Exclusive: Lioness, the feature documentary about Olympic boxing champions Nicola Adams that Deadline first revealed in February, will be launched by Amazon Prime Video in the UK and Ireland this summer.

The project will chart Adams’ rise from the streets of Leeds to being a boxing champion as well as a notably rare LGBT sports figure. Adams has been a full participant. It comes from producers Salon Pictures, the company behind McQueen, and director Helena Coan, whose credits include Audrey. Nick Taussig and Annabel Wigoder are producing with Laure Vaysse of Rep Productions (Billie). Film Constellation is handling international sales.

“Nicola is a trailblazer and her story is one that will inspire audiences of all backgrounds,” said Martin Backlund, Head of Content, UK Prime Video. “Lioness examines Nicola’s life spent fighting fierce competitors, prejudice and adversity and her determination to never give up. We couldn’t be happier to share her story,...

Exclusive: Nicola Adams, the Olympic boxing champion and LGBT icon, will be the subject of feature documentary Lioness: The Nicola Adams Story.

The project comes from Salon Pictures, the producers of the BAFTA nominated fashion doc McQueen, and director Helena Coan, whose credits include Audrey, about the screen icon. Salon’s Nick Taussig and Annabel Wigoder are producing with Laure Vaysse of Rep Productions (Billie).

The movie is now in production and Film Constellation has boarded sales ahead of the European Film Market, with UK rights already having been snapped up.

The film will chart Adams’ rise from the streets of Leeds to being a boxing champion as well as a notably rare LGBT sports figure. Adams has been a full participant in the project.

“I hope this documentary will help inspire young people to realise that whatever adversities life might throw at you, you can overcome them,” said Adams.

The U.K.’s Embankment Films has launched worldwide sales ahead of the Toronto Film Festival on “Call Me Kate,” a feature documentary on Katharine ‘Kate’ Hepburn, the actor from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

The feature documentary is from director Lorna Tucker and produced by Salon Pictures, the producers of the BAFTA nominated “McQueen.”

Hepburn was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning a record four for best actress. Her distinctive defiance and enduring talent have made her an icon to generations of women. In her own words: “I never realized until lately that women were supposed to be the inferior sex.”

Tucker said: “I’ve always admired Katharine Hepburn: her badass attitude, poise and dignity. How she felt, what kept her going, what private turmoil she faced? She never gave up, and kept moving forward, through her resilience and fight to live her dreams – that’s truly inspirational”.

Nick Taussig...

Barcelona-based online platform Filmarket Hub announced British screenwriter Peter Harness as a special guest of honor at the 2nd London TV Pitchbox on Sept. 20.

The day-long event is dedicated to series development and takes in a case study of a successful series from the host country, as well as training and networking opportunities. This year’s London TV Pitchbox will be hosted again by the Century Club, in partnership with the Raindance Film Festival. There, seven projects will pitch to a group of professionals from across the U.K. industry.

To his credit, Harness has worked on major British programs such as “Doctor Who,” “Wallander” and the upcoming BBC mini-series adaptation of H.G: Wells’ “War of the Worlds.”

Last year’s event included a case study of the BBC series “Peaky Blinders” hosted by executive producer Jamie Glazebrook. Executives from Entertainment One, Ingenious, Lionsgate, Salon Pictures, Sky, The Fyzz,...

Exclusive: Good Deed Entertainment has taken U.S. rights to a new feature documentary about screen icon Audrey Hepburn. Audrey, which is produced by Salon Pictures and distributed by Xyz Films’ documentary division, has also been picked up by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Content Group internationally.

The documentary, slated for a 2020 North American theatrical release, is directed by Helena Coan, who recently directed Chasing Perfect, the feature doc about car designer Frank Stephenson.

Audrey tells the story of the Breakfast at Tiffany’s and My Fair Lady star who went from being a malnourished child, estranged from her father, growing up in war-torn Europe to a Hollywood superstar. It tells of her many heartbreaks, concealed by her picture-perfect image and how she left Hollywood to follow her heart, finding her passion in humanitarian work, and meeting the man she would spend the rest of her life with.

The film will...

Breaking Habits director Rob Ryan is now filming the feature project.

A feature documentary about the video game franchise Grand Theft Auto is in the works from UK production outfit Salon Pictures and Breaking Habits director Rob Ryan.

Sales agent Independent has boarded the project, titled The Billion Dollar Game, and will be introducing it to buyers at next month’s American Film Market.

Filming is now underway on the feature, which will combine archive and new interview footage. Producers are Salon’s Annabel Wigoder and Nick Taussig.

Grand Theft Auto is a video game series created by David Jones...

Former Endemol exec will associate produce feature docs McQueen and Breaking Habits.

UK production outfit Salon Pictures (Churchill, My Name Is Lenny) has hired Annabel Wigoder to oversee the development and production side of its business.

Wigoder was previously head of development for Buckland Pictures and worked in production for Endemol Shine.

She has also worked in script development for Headline Pictures, where she was involved with features including Quartet and The Invisible Woman and TV drama The Man In The High Castle.

She has also worked in a freelance capacity for Film4, BBC Writers Room and Focus Features, and was chosen as ‘One to Watch’ by the Edinburgh International TV Festival.

Wigoder now board as associate producer on Salon Pictures’ feature documentary McQueen, about fashion designer Alexander McQueen, and Breaking Habits, a feature documentary project about a convent of nuns in California who grow marijuana.

Salon founder Paul Van Carter commented: “We have been searching for the...