The Berlin-located global sales company Pluto Film, managed by Daniela and Benjamin Cölle, is celebrating its 10-year milestone by transitioning into film production, preparing for the release of their lineup at the upcoming European Film Market.
The schedule for Pluto’s Berlin Film Festival is headlined by the psychological thriller “Hysteria,” directed by Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay, which will be shown in the Panorama section as a side event. You can watch the trailer for it here below.
Discovering a burnt Quran on a movie set causes the production to take a grim turn, leaving the entire crew in chaos. Amidst the whirlwind of allegations, young intern Elif is unwittingly pulled into a perilous web of secrets and deceit, finding herself at the epicenter of an engrossing conspiracy. The film delves into the portrayal of Muslim citizens in Western societies, asserts Daniela Cölle.
Additionally on the Berlin schedule is the touching children’s documentary-adventure film titled “Circusboy,” which will premiere in the Generation category. The movie is helmed by directors Anna Koch and Julia Lemke.
As a movie enthusiast, I found myself captivated by the storyline revolving around Santino, an 11-year-old prodigy hailing from the world of circuses. My heart resonated with this boy’s life, particularly his cherished bond with his elderly great-grandfather, one of Europe’s last legendary circus directors, who has evolved into my confidant and dearest companion in the story.
Since the year 2022, Pluto, an enterprise established by Heino Deckert and Torsten Frehse, has been steered by Daniela and Benjamin Cölle. They collaborate with their colleagues Daniel Vadocký and Rebecca Hartung in their endeavors.
They’ve moved on to producing their initial venture, tentatively titled “The Melting Mood of Ecstasy,” a captivating queer drama by the rising talent Julian Dieterich. This project successfully secured funding in December 2024 and is expected to hit the screens in 2026.
The movie revolves around Navid, a queer sex worker who experiences an event that drastically alters his physical appearance. This change forces him to rethink his identity, moving away from being a reflection of his identical twin brother. He must then juggle the clinging attachments of his clients, family, and new partner as he redefines himself.
Benjamin Cölle clarifies that, given his past experience as a producer and Daniela Cölle’s background in script development, transitioning into production seemed like a natural evolution. Moreover, having taught at Film University Babelsberg, it made sense for him to leverage his university contacts to find emerging filmmakers.
Regarding Dieterich’s project, Daniela Cölle emphasizes that it is currently under development, which means we have a unique chance to engage more intimately with its creation and truly influence its narrative. Instead of merely supporting it through traditional sales methods, we can make a statement with this film.
Benjamin Cölle notes that aside from focusing on lead production, the company is actively seeking chances to collaborate in co-production efforts.
About our sales lineup, Benjamin Cölle mentions: “Upon taking over the company, Daniela and I had a strong desire to expand beyond the art-house market and delve into productions with broader appeal for audiences.
It’s clear that festivals remain significant to us. We aim to avoid a drastic shift in our collection, preserving our identity as a haven for top-notch political films. Simultaneously, we sought projects with broader appeal. Additionally, he mentions that we remain committed to showcasing avant-garde works from up-and-coming filmmakers.
He mentions his expertise lies in “audience development,” a field he focused on during his tenure as a tutor at Torino Film Lab. He intends to utilize this method for selecting films that show promise among audiences, collaborating with filmmakers, producers, and distributors to amplify their potential reach. He has previously implemented this strategy with “Hysteria,” and plans to employ it for “The Melting Mood of Ecstasy” along with other projects as well.
Last year marked another shift in Pluto’s approach, with them now taking on feature documentaries. Now, they’re exploring the realm of documentary series too, according to Benjamin Cölle. “We understand it’s crucial to diversify and grow our offerings beyond cinema,” he notes, hinting that fiction series could also be added to their repertoire in the future.
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2025-02-06 17:47