Distrib Films acquires 'Insensibles'

'Insensibles' ('Painless')

*Exclusive:* MADRID --- Paris-based Distrib Films has taken French
theatrical rights to "Insensibles," the debut of Spaniard Juan Carlos
Medina.Distrib Films plans to release "Insensibles" fall 2012.Wild
Bunch will put out "Insensibles" on DVD via Wild Side Films.The
Distrib Films deal marks one of the last financing pieces on a
buzzed-about chiller that went into production this week, shooting in
Huesca, Girona and Tarragona.Produced by Spain's Roxbury and A
Contracorriente, which distributes in Spain, France's Les Films
d'Antoine and Tobina Film, and Portugal's Fado Filmes, "Insensibles"
also exploits a growing French-Catalonian production axis.It shoots in
Catalan --- not only an official Spanish language but also a regional
French language. As a France-Catalonia co-prod, mixing French and
Catalan crew and cast, this opens a lot of doors in France, improving
Gallic TV acquisitions prices, said Roxbury's Miguel Angel
Faura.Though lead-produced out of Spain, "Insensibles" draws deep on
French resources , one key way forward for a cash-strapped Spanish
industry.Elle Driver has international sales rights; Canal Plus French
pay TV rights. Pic is bank-rolled by French bank Natixis Coficine,
with financing under-written by French culture industry financier
Ifcic via an EU Media Program Production Guarantee Fund. "Insensibles"
taps Cofimage 23 French Sofica tax coin. Paris-based Backup Films
brokered the co-production.Medina's debut benefits from Spanish
psychological thrillers' cache in France.Films such as "The Others" or
"The Orphanage" --- which mix drama, story-telling, historical or
social elements with shocks --- are not as aggressive as French genre,
said Tobina's Francois Cognard.That makes them immensely attractive,
he added.They can also have more international potential than
French-language horror, producer Antoine Simkine said.Faura stated
that Roxbury would like to continue exploring a France-Catalonia
production axis after "Insensibles." Contact the Variety
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