London-based sales outfit Film Republic has confirmed that Netherlands distribution of IDFA opening film Nothing But The Sun by Arami Ullón is to be handled by Cinema Delicatessen, who came on board last week. Meanwhile, Cineworx will be releasing the film in Switzerland.
Nothing But The Sun is the second film from Paraguayan director Ullón that Film Republic has worked on. The UK company also handled sales on the Swiss-based filmmaker’s first feature documentary El Tiempo Nublado (2014).
“That was a relationship which started with the producer, Pascal Trächslin, since Pascal is also a distributor,” Film Republic Managing-Director Xavier Henry-Rashid explained how the link with Ullón began. Trächslin is co-founded of Swiss distribution and production outfit Cineworx, which produced Nothing But The Sun as well as Ullón’s previous feature.
“We do director-driven features. If we do documentaries, we look for documentaries that can compete with the fictional slate and are strong enough for theatrical buyers,” Henry-Rashid explained Film Republic’s policy toward documentary. “We look for theatrical documentary even though most of our buyers are TV buyers.”
Film Republic generally tends to have strong feature doc representation every year. “We’ve always been looking for about two out of eight films being documentaries on our slate,” Henry-Rashid said.
Upcoming docs include 512 Hours starring Marina Abramovic and directed by Adina Istrate and Gia La Salvia. The film, in post-production, should surface at festivals next year. Sky Arts have taken the film for the UK.
“I tell producers if you are intent on making a TV cut and you are expecting 52-minute types of sales valuations, then work with a TV sales company,” the Film Republic boss explained the company’s emphasis on auteur-driven feature docs.
“Having a film in competition at IDFA, especially opening night, has been a dream,” Henry-Rashid continues. “I consider IDFA the most important documentary festival. It’s very auteur-driver and the competition selection gets huge praise and attention. It’s also a trend setter for TV buyers. It allows more delicate films to be considered by the big TV buyers. ”
Henry-Rashid further noted the damage being done to the careers of documentary makers who haven’t been able to present their work at physical editions of festivals.
“I always tell our filmmakers when they’re doing the first year festival circuit, ‘work on your second film’. It is the perfect time to use that momentum. They will turn up at a festival, win a prize and then they can take a meeting with co-producers and financiers the following day. It’s a huge benefit. You can’t do that in the online world.”
Whereas many other sellers only take on feature docs when they’re completed, Film Republic tends to come on board at a far earlier stage. For example, Nothing But The Sun has been several years in the making.
“It was made with a lot of love and attention… we were involved from the idea stage,” Henry-Rashid stated. “Most others (sales agents) will wait for festival selection and then fight (over them).”
