Magnolia moves for Vinterberg’s 'The Commune'

By Tom Grater / SCREENDAILY

12-09-2016

 

US distributor has taken the 1970s-set drama, which won a Crystal Bear at the Berlinale for actress Trine Dyrholm.

 

US outfit Magnolia Pictures has picked up Thomas Vinterberg´s drama The Commune, which had its international premiere in competition at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, winning a Silver Bear for actress Trine Dyrholm.

 

Susan Wendt, head of sales at TrustNordisk, who are handling international rights, negotiated the deal with Magnolia´s SVP of acquisitions Dori Begley.

 

Starring alongside Dyrholm are Ulrich Thomsen (In A Better World), Fares Fares (Zero Dark Thirty) and Lars Ranthe (The Hunt). Director Thomas Vinterberg co-wrote the script with Oscar-nominated A War director Tobias Lindholm, who previously co-wrote Vinterberg´s Submarino and Oscar-nominated The Hunt.

 

The film tells a story about the clash between personal desires vs. solidarity and tolerance in a Danish commune in the 1970´s.

 

Morten Kaufmann and Sisse Graum Jørgensen produced the film for Zentropa Entertainments19 in co-operation with Toolbox Film, co-produced by Film I Väst, Zentropa International Sweden, Topkapi Films and Zentropa International Netherlands with support from Danish Film Institute, DR, Eurimages, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, The Netherlands Film Fund, Swedish Film Institute and the MEDIA programme of the European Union.

 

Previously deals include France (Le Pacte), UK (Artificial Eye), Germany, Liechtenstein and Austria (Prokino Filmverleih GmbH), Italy (BIM Distribuzione), Spain (Golem Distribución), Portugal (Alambique), Switzerland (Praesens-Film AG), Benelux (September Film), Korea (Challan), China (DD Dream International Media), Russia (Silver Box), Greece/Cyprus (Seven Films), Estonia (EstinFilm), Romania (Independenta Film), Czech/Slovakia (Film Europe), Former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom Film), Poland (Gutek Film Ltd.), Brazil (California Filmes) and Hungary (Vertigo Media Ltd.), Bulgaria (Euro Films Ltd.), Lithuania (Europos Kinas JSC), Latvia (Biedriba RSKF.), Colombia (Babilla Ciné), Taiwan (Cineplex Development Co.), Hong Kong (Sundream Motion Pictures LTD.), Israel (Shani Films Lev Cinemas) and Turkey (Kurmaca Film).

 

The Commune is on a three-strong shortlist to be Denmark´s submission to next year´s Best Foreign-Language film Oscar.