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NEWS Thursday 16 May 2019
DAY 3

CANNES Q&A:

ALI AFSHAR

CO FOUNDER, FORREST FILMS

Tell us about your company. Toronto, Sundance, Telluride and SXSW
What do you do? where we expect to have films premiere,
Forrest Films is a vertically integrated and also discover hot new movies to add
entertainment company that releases, to our release slate.
produces, finances and develops feature
films that tell inspiring and purpose- What type of product is
driven stories for global audiences. The in demand currently?
name is derived from my longtime Our model is largely predicated on filling
business partner, Forrest Lucas, the the void for inspiring ‘heartland’ films for
founder and owner of Lucas Oil. We families. There is a sizeable market,
fund and orchestrate theatrical release worldwide, that is being under-served
campaigns tailored and scoped here, and this is a market of active
individually for each film, fully supported moviegoers who will go to theatres when
with the marketing, advertising and they see a movie for them. With the
publicity needed to open the film. Our major studios focusing more on the
media fund allows the company to not broader four-quadrant tentpoles and
only finance the production of feature franchises (which we acknowledge has
films, but also provide P&A funding for very high demand of course), we see an Ali Afshar © DR
theatrical releases. opening to deliver smaller, more targeted
films to audiences who may want so we’re still a company in its infancy. action/drama American Fighter; the
How important is the Cannes something different. That said, we launched with a slate of thriller The Stand at Paxton County and
market for you and your seven films, all of which we produced comedy Wheels of Fortune. The focus is to
company? What is your mission in Cannes? through our own ESX Productions label deliver what a certain audience segment
Cannes is a major platform for global We have four films being sold here in over the last year and a half, so I think wants — to cater to them. Forrest entered
deal-making on all levels and given the Cannes; Bennett’s War and Ride by we’d all agree the last year has been a the movie industry with a commitment
multi-disciplinary functions of Forrest Radiant, and Lady Driver and American whirlwind — very busy, very stressful and to bringing inspirational, hopeful content
Films (developing, financing, producing, Fighter by Arclight. Forrest Films is very exciting at the same time. to the marketplace. Putting these movies
distributing, etc.), we look at Cannes as releasing all of these theatrically in the in theatres is an extension of this mission.
one of the few industry events where we US, starting with Bennett’s War on 30 What are your goals for the Being in the US theatrical distribution
can cross-pollinate our efforts very August. Our mission is to come away coming year? What is the focus business allows for a direct connection to
effectively over the course of a week. In with great international distribution deals of your company? filmgoers and a way to build our purpose-
short, its vital. and forge mutually beneficial long-lasting Our company will release three to four driven brand.
partnerships with our distribution films this year from a current seven
What other markets do you partners globally. picture slate that includes drama Bennett’s How many Cannes have you
attend? War starring Trace Adkins; the action/ attended?
Forrest Films will have a presence at all How was the past year in business drama The Ride starring Chris ‘Ludacris’ This is the debut Cannes for Forrest
the major markets — Cannes, AFM, for you? Bridges; sports-themed Lady Driver; the Films. ✦
EFM in Berlin, as well as festivals like We launched Forrest Films in December romantic drama Roped; inspirational Liza Foreman

Tanović is in town to showcase early

footage of The Postcard Killings

THE ACADEMY Award-winning Bosnian daughter. Across Europe, newlywed couples read one of the previous versions of the as there are many films I would like to see,
film director and screenwriter Danis are being targeted in a string of murders that screenplay a couple of years ago when I was but I am eager to start editing The Postcard
Tanović is visiting Cannes to debut footage leave the young victims’ bodies mimicking developing another project with the Killings as soon as possible,” he said.
from his latest film The Postcard Killings, famous works of art. Connie Nielsen stars producers, but I came pretty much fresh Recently Tanović has joined the long line of
from the book by James Patterson and Liza alongside Morgan as his wife Valerie Kanon; when I came on board,” he said. “Jeffrey cinema talents who have crossed the divide to
Marklund. Naomi Battrick plays Sylvia, a journalist who Dean Morgan was already attached and I series television. “Working on Success was a
It’s Tanović’s first feature since 2017’s Death travels with Kanon on his search. thought he was the right man for the part. I great experience and HBO is developing the
in Sarajevo. His most recent work is the four- Tanović came late to the project as the film cast the other parts in collaboration with the second season,” he said. On returning to TV,
part original drama series Success for HBO experienced early problems, including the producers and casting director.” he added: “As always, it will all depend on the
Europe. departure of Poland’s Janusz Kamiński, who Principal photography began in March 2019 quality of the storytelling.”
In The Postcard Killings, Jeffrey Dean Morgan Tanović replaced. Actors Patrick Dempsey and the film shot on location in London, The Postcard Killings is from Good Films in
plays Jacob Kanon, a tough New York and Dakota Fanning also left the original Norway and Stockholm. Tanović is making a LA and producers Miriam Segal and Paul
detective who is searching for the person project. lightning visit to Cannes to show footage that Brennan. Capstone Group is handling
responsible for the murder of his only And Tanović was new to the story. “I had is ready so far. “I wish I had more time to stay sales.✦ Julian Newby

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