Advertisement

FilmSharks’ ‘Virtual Reality,’ ’Bandit Love,’ ‘Macabre’ Clinch Key Market Sales (EXCLUSIVE)

Anna Marie de la Fuente
·3-min read

Buenos Aires-based sales and production company FilmSharks International has scored a number of deals with South Korea, France and Italy in recent days.

South Korean indie film distributor Bluelable Pictures picked up all rights to erotic thriller “Bandit Love” and plans a wide theatrical release. It also snagged rights to “Ghosting Gloria,” the Uruguayan supernatural erotic comedy, which FilmSharks snapped up all sales and remake rights to in June last year.

More from Variety

“FilmSharks brings the finest South American films to every market; I will continue to introduce such outstanding and dynamic South American films to Korean audiences,” said Bluelable’s Won Young Choi.

Separately, Laon-I Distribution, one of the most active Korean buyers of Asian and genre titles, has clinched all Korean rights to FilmShark’s Argentine sci-fi horror title, “Virtual Reality,” after its world premiere at the Puchon Int’l Film Festival (PiFan) and ahead of its European premiere in Spain’s most prominent fantasy film festival, Sitges, in October. It also nabbed rights to another FilmSharks title, Mexican box office hit “Come Play With Me,” the supernatural horror pic produced by Mexico’s Videocine and Lemon films.

Directed by Hernan Findling, “Virtual Reality” turns on a group of actors and crew as they meet up at their director’s house to see a first cut of the film they just worked on. However, they soon find out that the director has struck a Faustian pact with an AI program that will guarantee his success but will put their lives in grave danger. FilmSharks also just sold it to Cinecolor films for a theatrical release in Colombia in February next year.

“Several genres are very alive for world sales, but there is a huge appetite for quality cinema on such genres as horror, suspense and thriller,” said FilmSharks founder and CEO, Guido Rud.

The Death of God - Credit: AFP
The Death of God - Credit: AFP

AFP

In the old continent, Koch Media, Europe’s first fully integrated indie media company, has scored all Italian rights to the documentary about soccer icon, Diego Maradona, “The Death of God,” to which FilmSharks snagged worldwide sales rights at the Berlinale. Doc charts the impact of superstardom on the legendary player as he spiraled into ever more destructive behavior and fathered up to 10 illegitimate children, some of whom he never recognized.

A pan-Latin American deal for the doc with one of the world’s biggest entertainment companies has been locked and will be disclosed soon, said Rud, who added that deal talks with buyers from the U.S. and other key territories are also underway.

Meanwhile, Koba Films has taken all rights to French-speaking Europe ron Marcos Prado’s “Macabre,” one of the biggest suspense thrillers to shoot in Latin America. It is backed by the producers of “Elite Squad,” Brazil’s Zazen Prods, the production company of “Elite Squad” director Jose Padilha and Prado. “Macabre” was co-produced by Disney/Fox Brazil, Globo Filmes and São Paolo-based Querosene Films. The crime thriller is based on the true story of the Necrophil brothers who went on a killing spree of women in ‘90s Brazil.

Virtual Reality - Credit: Courtesy of FilmSharks
Virtual Reality - Credit: Courtesy of FilmSharks

Courtesy of FilmSharks

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.