'Captive,' 'War Witch' start sales

MADRID -- Provided by Films Distribution, Brillante Mendoza's "Captive" and Kim Nguyen's "War Witch" folded off Berlin Competition berths to tie lower spirited initial sales. Underscoring the impact of Academy Award nominations, Films Distribution also saw sterling extra sales on Oscar competitors "Monsieur Lazhar" and "The Kitty in Paris." A truth-based Filipino hostage crisis starring Isabelle Huppert in the buzzed-about perf while you abductee, "Captive" closed Italia with Nomad Film in the "excellent, six-figure deal," mentioned Films Distribution partner Nicolas Brigaud-Robert. Among Eastern European and Latin American deals, "Captive" clinched Belgium (AP Manana) and South usa (Providence Filmes), along with a vacation in a holiday in greece and Europe (Trigon-Film). Scandinavia continues to be signed, mentioned Brigaud-Robert. "Captive" is created by Didier Costet's Quick Prods., Mendoza's longtime producer, inside a substantially greater budget than Mendoza's norm. "We handled to acquire Mendoza to more mainstream entrepreneurs: Intentions met reality," mentioned Brigaud-Robert. Winning Rachel Mwanza an actress Silver Bear on her behalf perf just like a girl-soldier in the harrowing African civil war, "War Witch" closed Berlin's Competition. It offered France (Happiness Distribution), Imagine (Benelux), Europe (Agora Films) and Belgium (Against Gravity). A U.S. deal is pending, mentioned Brigaud-Robert. "With 'War Witch' screening so late at Berlin, any sales whatsoever in Berlin is definitely an very good sign," he added. Following multiple earlier major-territory deals, "Lazhar" offered a hefty 14 more areas in Berlin, including U.K. (Soda Pictures), Mexico (Canana), Norwegian (Europa Film), Denmark (Ost For Paradise) and Korea (Aud). Introduced at 2011's Berlin, "Cat" has step-by-step totalled up 30-plus territory deals. Berlin dealings incorporated an Cinemax South Usa pact, Brigaud Robert mentioned. Films Distribution's Berlin purchasing and selling was "brisk and definitely above-average," he added, echoing various other effective sales reps wealthy in-profile British-language photos. Adopt Films needed U.S. rights to Jean-Marc Vallee's "Cafe p Flore" this year's week, inside an already-introduced deal. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com