As the international film industry enjoys its strongest momentum in years, the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin has kicked off with a high-octane slate of titles spanning horror, prestige drama, and anime, per hollywoodreporter.com.
While the Sundance Film Festival often grabs headlines for niche deals, Berlin remains the industry’s true engine room. This year, the suites of the Grand Hyatt and Ritz-Carlton are buzzing with “package” deals, projects with scripts and stars attached seeking vital global financing.
Leading the charge is Sydney Sweeney, who stars in The Custom of the Country, a period drama from director Josie Rourke. Meanwhile, pop sensation Charli XCX makes a splash in the slasher-horror Untitled Kyoto, directed by cult maestro Takashi Miike and co-starring Norman Reedus.
This year’s market is bolstered by the massive crossover success of non-English language films. With international titles securing 13 Oscar nominations this season and delivering eight-figure box office returns, buyers are more eager than ever for global content.
Horror remains the most reliable “banker” for independent cinema. Brie Larson’s Skeletons and Michael Shannon’s Doctor Caligari’s Cabinet of Wonders are expected to trigger bidding wars.
On the prestige front, Angelina Jolie stars in the mafia thriller Sunny, while Jessica Chastain and Chris Pine tackle a meaty publishing-world drama in This is Pleasure.
For anime fans, the standout is A New Dawn from Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, an assistant director on the smash hit Your Name. Given the recent global success of titles like Demon Slayer, which grossed $779 million, expectations for Shinomiya’s debut are sky-high.
The message from Berlin is clear: despite a shifting landscape, the appetite for star-driven, high-concept cinema, both commercial and arthouse, is back with a vengeance.
•Featured image: Sydney Sweeney/Amy Sussman/Getty Images
