Page 4 - LFF
P. 4
S DAY 4
19 May 2023

CANNES Q&A: CMG IN CANNES
WITH STAR-
PIA PATATIAN STUDDED
ANIMATION,
PRESIDENT OF WORLDWIDE SALES, ARCLIGHT FILMS ACTION AND
COMEDY
Who are you and what do you do? celebrated Sundance title Fairyland © ARCLIGHT FILMS Pia Patatian
I am the president of Worldwide Sales at starring Scoot McNairy and Emilia Jones CINEMA Management Group (CMG) is in
Arclight Films, the independent and produced by Sofia Coppola; John Best Cannes memories? Cannes with a packed line-up of features,
production, financing and distribution Curran’s psychological thriller Mercy Road My daily walks along the Croisette, when animation and documentaries.
company. I manage the company’s starring Luke Bracey; the thriller Poker I enjoy the incredible luminosity of this The Beverly Hills-based distribution
current slate of films as well as their Face, directed by Academy Award-winner magical place, which contrasts so much company is best-known for its catalogue
library of over 300 titles. Arclight Films is Russell Crowe who also stars alongside with the not always so luminous industry of internationally produced animated
one of the most iconic companies in the Liam Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and in which we work. features that sell around the world, but
industry, with more than 20 years in Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and The Portable as its Cannes 2023 roster of 11 titles
business and offices in Los Angeles, Door starring Academy Award-winner Worst Cannes memories? shows, there’s mystery, drama and
Beijing and Sydney. Christoph Waltz and Sam Neill. Overall, I don’t have any worst memories comedy in there too.
Our focus is to develop and bring to the But my real focus every year, in every in Cannes. Cannes is such a fun, Getting its Market Premiere screening is
markets high-quality and commercial festival, is to finally see that the prize goes distinctive and unique city. There is this an animated interpretation of Oscar
films, with a clear vision to create films to, not only the best artistic film but also special light that you cannot find Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost. For 300
that distributors want. We are now the one that will make a bigger positive anywhere else in the world. On top of years, Sir Simon de Canterville has been
producing 3-4 films a year, with a focus impact in humanity. that, we work in the entertainment haunting his ancestral home, Canterville
on developing interesting feature films — industry, selling commercial and Chase, and loving it! But everything
our international buyers are looking for How is business? interesting movies, we meet with changes when an American family buys
big movies that deliver with marquee cast It’s the best business in the world and distributors and enjoy lunches and the estate and moves in. Directed by Kim
and production value. And it’s not only we’re busy with a variety of commercial dinners… What is there to complain Burdon and Robert Chandler, its star-
an A-list lead, the buyers are also looking projects in various stages of production. about? studded voice cast includes Stephen Fry,
for the entire ensemble to be bankable Securing cast continues to be tough. Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton, Freddie
names. Arclight Films is a company where we get Best and worst Cannes film? Highmore and Emily Carey.
involved at the script stage, so when we Best Cannes films: Capernaum, Falling, In the animated movie Buffalo Kids, two
What is your focus in Cannes this receive a script that we are passionate In the Mood for Love, Once Upon a Time Irish orphans travel to New York city by
year? about, we attach the director and then in America, Cinema Paradiso, Volver, Le ocean liner. Mary (9) and Tom (12) made
We have a broad range of incredible new cast. But now talent is becoming more Huitieme jour, The Player, Drive, Morte a the trip to meet their uncle Niall and
projects that we are introducing to our and more difficult to secure, due to the Venezia, De rouille et d’os, La Piscine, secure their inheritance. But he fails to
buyers at Cannes this year. These include streamers and the high quality of TV Marius, Caramel — so many! show, so they travel to California in the
the comedy feature Arthur’s Whisky with a projects. Sales are also harder now than a Worst Cannes films: Parasite, The Lobster, hope of finding him. With no money,
fabulous ensemble cast led by Academy few years ago — there are some territories Ojka, The Square and Antichrist ✦ they stow away on the Transcontinental
Award-winner Diane Keaton alongside that are still experiencing effects from the railway that takes them on an exciting
Patricia Hodge, the legendary Scottish pandemic — but we’re starting to see that Liza Foreman adventure across the wild frontier.
singer/actress Lulu, David Harewood and Asia is recovering and that’s great news. Away from animation, in Hunt Club, male
Grammy nominated music superstar Boy The domestic market remains hunters lure women to their island with
George from Culture Club; production complicated. But business is good — we the offer of a chance to win $100,000
just wrapped in Walton, England. We are excited to bring four commercial dollars in a hunt — but when they arrive,
also have the biographical crime-thriller projects to the market and as part of the they become the hunted. This time the
Miranda’s Victim starring Luke Wilson, global film industry still feel we have a hunters have messed with the wrong
Andy Garcia, Ryan Phillippe, Kyle responsibility towards the audience and women and must face the consequences.
MacLachlan and Donald Sutherland. provide projects with a global appeal and Hunt Club is directed by Elizabeth Blake-
Our current titles also include the a global message. Thomas (Just Swipe) and stars Mena
Suvari, Casper Van Dien, Maya Stojan
Indie Rights reports early business at the Marché and Will Peltz.
INDIE Rights, the independent And the off-beat romantic comedy,
production and distribution outfit normal, already the company’s stand in deranged Captain Heinrick (Vincent van My Favourite Girlfriend — directed by
that distributes to platforms around the basement of the Palais is enjoying Hinte) leads them on a particularly risky Amanda Raymond (You Are My Home) —
the world, is back in Cannes with a brisk business. “We had been at our mission, one for which he would gladly features a mismatched couple and the
stand for just five minutes when a buyer sacrifice his entire squad. The film is many personalities that come between
them. Conrad’s meticulously ordered life
multi-genre roster of movies. from Korea sat down at our booth and directed by Kurt Brain and Richard is thrown into chaos by his new girlfriend
Molly, and her five or six other
The company has been a regular in said: ‘I’m very interested in this film that Gayton.Founded by Nelson along with personalities that he finds adorable.✦

Cannes since the company was founded you have called Love in Country.” Michael Madison, Indie Rights has Julian Newby

in 2000, apart from during the hiatus of We did a deal right there on the spot. developed alongside technical changes,

the pandemic, when according to We’d only been there five minutes. from the days of DVD to the cloud —

co-founder Linda Nelson, business So that really shows you that it’s worth where, through a partnership with a

boomed. being at the market.” group of engineers from MIT, the Indie

“There was nothing else for people to Love in Country puts an LGBTQ+ slant Rights catalogue now lives. It was an

do during COVID,” Nelson said. “There on the traditional war movie. The story important move that has allowed us

were no football games or basketball centres on Ian Alexander and Johnny to scale the business, Madison said.

games so, especially in the United States, Reese (Michael Southworth and David “Now we are able to deliver content

the number of people that started Garber), two Army Rangers who have to buyers in minutes,” Nelson added.

streaming movies doubled.” fallen in love while experiencing the Indie Rights today delivers content to over

But with things pretty much back to horrors of the Vietnam War. Then the 100 territories worldwide. ✦ J. Newby

4 NEWS
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9