Cannes 2002 Market Data May 21, 2002

Vortex Pictures

International sales and financing outfit Vortex Pictures has reteamed with Nicolas Cage on a second project, "Chain," to be produced by Cage through his L.A.-based production shingle Saturn Films.

Vortex is currently representing international sales rights on Cage's directorial debut, "Sonny," in which Cage stars alongside James Franco, Brenda Blethyn, Mena Suvari, Harry Dean Stanton and Scott Caan.

"Chain" is described as "The Crow" with biker gangs, a gritty revenge tale about a modern-day cowboy who rides a Harley Davidson horse. Pic, which has yet to cast, is expected to start shooting in late summer. John Rice, who penned Cage's upcoming "Windtalkers," will direct from his own script.

Moonstone Entertainment

Etchie Stroh's Moonstone Entertainment has teamed with U.K. investment advisor shingle Sefton Potter to produce and co-finance six contemporary feature adaptations of thriller and horror classics aimed at young audiences.

The first picture under the deal is Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," to be written and directed by Allan A. Goldstein. It is slated to begin shooting in Europe in late summer.

Other titles under the tentatively named Curzon House of Horrors banner include "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Crime and Punishment," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "Dr. Faustus" and "The Toolbox Murders." All six are set for completion within the next 18 months.

Moonstone recently announced an alliance with horror director Tobe Hooper to collaborate on the dark comedy "Planning Lawrence Fankhauser's Death." Goldstein most recently directed the thriller "Dorian," an adaptation of "The Portrait of Dorian Gray," starring Malcolm McDowell.

Sony Pictures Classics

Sony Pictures Classics has picked up worldwide rights to Oscar-nominated Brazilian helmer Hector Babenco's new film "Carandiru," which recently completed production.

The picture is an adaptation by Babenco, Fernando Bonassi and Victor Navas of the Brazilian bestseller "Estacao Carandiru" (Carandiru Station), a novel by physician-turned-novelist Drauzio Varella.

The film tells the story of one of the largest prisons in Latin America and the lives of the people within it, ending with a massive prison revolt that took place in 1992.

Pic stars Luis Carlos Vasconcelos ("Me You Them"), Milton Goncalves ("Orfeu"), Maria Luisa Mendonca ("Corazon Iluminado"), Lazaro Ramos ("Woman on Top") and Rodrigo Santoro ("Behind the Sun").

Babenco's 1985 release, "Kiss of the Spider Woman," saw star William Hurt collect the Oscar for his leading role. Babenco's recent pix include "Corazon Iluminado," "At Play in the Fields of the Lord" and "Ironweed."

Franchise Pictures

Elie Samaha's Franchise Pictures has partnered with Frank Huebner's German private film fund ApolloMedia to represent sales of five completed films on

Alan Rudolph's ”Investigating Sex", formerly repped by UGC International
Bruce Beresford's "Bride Of The Wind" previous handled in North America by Paramount Classics through a two-picture distribution deal with producers Total Film Group
Christine Lahti's "My First Mister". previous handled in North America by Paramount Classics through a two-picture distribution deal with producers Total Film Group
"You Stupid Man" starring Denise Richards and Milla Jovovich, formerly handled by Peter Elson
"The Mumbo-Jumbo", a fairytale comedy starring Jamie Walters, Joss Ackland and Brian Blessed.

Franchise and Apollo are also partnered on big-budget production like

"A Sound Of Thunder" starring Ed Burns, Catherine McCormack and Ben Kingsley and directed by Peter Hyams,
"A Hairy Tale", the martial arts chimp movie which Franchise and Apollo are co-financing with Warner Bros. Roma Downey, Matthew Modine and Fred Ward to star. Warner Bros will handle worldwide distribution

Franchise's new international distribution chief Mimi Steinbauer is handling international is repping some of the biggest pictures in the market including Rob Reiner's "Alex And Emma" and "The Whole Nine Yards 2". "We are one of the only companies at the market which has new big budget movies," said Samaha."

Patagonik Film Group

Argentina's biggest film production outfit -- almost its only working film production house -- Pablo Bossi's Patagonik Film Group, is in talks with a U.S. venture-capital company to create a fund that would invest in a portfolio of future Patagonik projects.

Producers of "Nine Queens" and "The Son of the Bride," Patagonik is co-owned by Disney's Buena Vista Intl., Spain's Admira and Argentina's Clarin Group, with 30% a piece. Bossi owns the remaining 10%.

A deal has yet to be struck with the Miami-based Latino investors. But it is a mark of the changing face, and growing appeal, of Argentinian picture production. Following the fall of the Argentinian peso against the dollar, Patagonik and other Argentine companies will begin to offer production services to international projects.

"These days you can make a film in Argentina for $1 million. So it's relatively easy to raise $4 million or $5 million and invest it in various films, reducing risk exposure," Patagonik's Octavio Nadal said.