All Quiet on the Berlin Deals Front but EFM Still Serves as an Efficient Marketplace, Buyers Report

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The Berlin deals scene is rather calm for now as the sales agencies are wrapping up their activities at the European Film Market. By Monday, you’d find many offices and booths nearly empty. While deals are being made, it’s happening in a steady pace instead of a flood. Despite this, most sales agents remain content with the EFM, considering it an “effective” platform for conducting business.

AGC Studios’ Stuart Ford informed EbMaster that their overseas business has been robust. International buyers have been cautious, but a steady stream of deals are being finalized, and this trend is expected to persist, especially for Bill Condon’s “The Kiss of the Spider Woman” and Noah Hawley’s “Nowhere Fast.

Oliver Berben, the head of Constantin Film – a significant player in German film production and distribution, observes that this year’s European Film Market (EFM) is “all right,” though it seems slightly less bustling than previous events such as Toronto or Cannes. He notes that there are still many movies present, but not an overwhelming number of highly sought-after top-tier projects that everyone is vying for. Instead, he mentions a handful of promising ones.

Oliver Berben, the boss at Constantin Film (a big player in German film), thinks this year’s European Film Market is okay but quieter compared to other recent events like Toronto or Cannes. There are still lots of movies around, but not many standout projects everyone wants. Instead, he mentions a few good ones.

Beyond the excitement surrounding Natalie Portman and Lena Dunham’s romantic comedy “Good Sex” and other notable productions, as well as agreements for celebrity films such as Jodie Foster’s “Vie Privée” and the horror thriller “Dangerous Animals”, the market hasn’t been exceptionally bustling. However, Berlin has started with some enticing offers (you can find our buzz titles here), so we’re expecting to announce deals for these films shortly.

Various sales companies have reported numerous deals across different territories at the Berlin Film Festival, including “The Captive,” a historical epic directed by Alejandro Amenábar and represented by Film Constellation, as well as several films from Sundance, such as “DJ Ahmet,” which is handled by Films Boutique. These titles continue to secure sales deals.

Film Constellation’s CEO, Fabien Westerhoff, expressed that they had a highly favorable Experience of the European Film Market (EFM). He further mentioned his confidence that the market will expand in the coming days and weeks. He has noticed ongoing interest in the horror thriller “Fear Is the Rider” and the animation “The Growcodile,” as well as initial offers for Plan B’s “Olmo,” directed by Fernando Eimbcke, which is part of Berlinale’s Panorama.

Genre movies are currently trending, particularly those classified as “elevated,” as distributors search for the next blockbuster like “The Substance.” Notably, Asian markets have a keen interest in genre films. The horror genre is experiencing a surge of popularity right now, and Embankment Films, among others, brought a horror film to Berlin – “Molepeople,” featuring Anthony Ramos and Ben Mendelsohn. However, Hugo Grumbar, a partner at Embankment Films, cautions that the market might be reaching a saturation point when it comes to horror movies. Moreover, he notes that romantic comedies are gaining traction. In fact, “Sunny Dancer,” a rom-com on his production list, boasts Bella Ramsey, who gained popularity from “The Last of Us.

At the Berlin festival, several films in the official selection have been receiving favorable feedback, including “Late Shift,” starring Leonie Benesch from “The Teachers’ Lounge,” as well as Jan-Ole Gerster’s thriller “Islands” featuring Sam Riley. These positive reviews could lead to deals for these films, and there are even whispers that some of them might be screened at the Cannes festival, such as Fatih Akin’s “Amrum,” starring Diane Kruger and Matthias Schweighöfer, which is being handled by Beta Cinema.

In terms of the broader independent film market, streaming platforms have been choosing their selections more carefully, prioritizing their original content. Similarly, broadcasters across various regions haven’t been acquiring too many films lately. The theatrical market has shown some improvement over the past year, but distributors are proceeding with caution and aren’t eager to seal deals in Berlin at the moment. Negotiations for numerous films are ongoing, and we can expect some agreements to be reached in the near future.

Regarding the current state of independent filmmaking, Berben remarks: “Not too long ago, it seemed like independent cinema was on its last legs. However, I believe that’s not the case today. In fact, indie cinema is thriving more than ever. This resurgence can be attributed to several factors, one of which is the reassessment by major U.S. studios of their roles in the industry. Consequently, the market has expanded, providing a chance for both creative minds and minor studios to produce films once again, helping to fill the void.

Another advantage is, when you compare Europe, the willingness to collaborate on co-productions among different regions and countries within Europe has grown significantly more than it once was.

For instance, collaborating on a project between the U.K. and Germany was previously unthinkable. However, times have changed drastically, making it not only feasible but also advantageous from both a business and creative perspective. In these financially challenging times, co-productions have emerged as a significant catalyst.

Regarding American buyers attending Berlin, Grumbar states that he interacted with executives from top independent U.S. distributors. However, Ford ponders if it was beneficial for them. “Hordes of acquisition executives from L.A. traveling there often miss out on the best completed films to streaming platforms and merely send ‘we’ll wait and see’ messages regarding pre-purchases doesn’t seem like a productive or cost-effective use of Berlin time or resources,” he expresses.

It’s been suggested that there were more Asian buyers this time, possibly due to the Lunar New Year not conflicting with Berlinale as it often does. Still, China, Japan, and South Korea can be challenging to sell films to for numerous reasons, according to Yuan Rothbauer-Sui, co-managing director of Picture Tree Int’l. However, with Filmart approaching, it might provide a more accurate gauge of the market conditions.

With the ongoing discussion about whether the independent film sector requires three separate markets, Toronto’s bold move to establish a comprehensive market of its own has left many sales agents perplexed. Ever since the American Film Market (AFM), Toronto has been presenting this idea to sales agents and organizations such as Unifrance and German Films, but most are skeptical about increasing their involvement in Toronto.

Toronto appears to prefer sales companies to offer projects and films outside of the festival, as it seems that there are numerous films in the festival, making it challenging for buyers to focus on anything else due to limited time. Additionally, the timing of the festival is quite near the summer vacation period, which means that the packages won’t be prepared in time for potential deals.

David Garrett, CEO of Mister Smith Entertainment, states that Berlin’s placement on the calendar is a significant advantage. He explains, “The main advantage and purpose of these markets is they serve as a catalyst to kickstart films, as we are constantly working on new projects. We, along with other sales companies, persistently urge producers to start production in the second quarter because waiting for Cannes would be too late to finalize deals and secure financing. We need to sell this in Berlin. This encourages them to confirm the last piece of casting, essentially giving the green light to the film, and makes them agree to let us market it.

Garrett is content with his three markets – Berlin, Cannes, and AFM. He expresses that he doesn’t feel the necessity for another one at this time. Specifically, he mentions that Toronto isn’t needed, as it comes too soon after Cannes due to summer vacations. He believes there’s a need for more time to organize projects following Cannes.

John Hopewell and Nick Vivarelli contributed to this report.

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2025-02-19 09:17