By: Jordan Pinto
Strategem boards Ontario-shot U.S. feature Lakewood, Netflix takes a shine to Bron-produced projects, plus more.
Bron Studios has made a splash in TIFF’s film market with two multi-million dollar Netflix acquisitions. The streamer has picked up worldwide rights to Kornél Mundruczó′s Pieces of Woman, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival before screening at TIFF, as well as worldwide rights to Sam Levinson’s Malcolm & Marie.
Both films are produced by the Bron-owned prodco Little Lamb Productions, with Aaron L. Gilbert among the executive producers. Malcolm & Marie stars Zendaya and John David Washington in a romantic drama shot during the pandemic, while Pieces of a Woman stars Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf as a couple struggling with the tragic loss of their newborn. Martin Scorsese recently signed on as an executive producer of Pieces of a Woman, and Kirby won Venice’s Volpi Cup for Best Actress this past weekend.
Stratagem Group boards U.S. indie Lakewood
There is significant Canadian involvement for a new feature film announced over the weekend from TIFF. Lakewood, an indie drama toplined by Naomi Watts, will be coproduced and cofinanced by Toronto’s Strategem Group, alongside U.S. production outfits Untapped Production, Boies/Schiller and Limelight.
Producing for Strategem is former New Metric Media executive Alex Lalonde, with filming scheduled to start on Sept. 16 in Ontario. Limelight and Boies/Schiller are fully financing in partnership with Stratagem.
The film, about a small town thrown into disarray when it is placed under lockdown, is written by Chris Sparling (Greenland, Sea of Trees) and directed by Phillip Noyce (Salt, Clear and Present Danger).
WaZabi Films launches sales on SOROS
Montreal-based WaZabi Films has acquired the world rights (excluding U.S.) to the feature-length documentary SOROS from American director Jesse Dylan. WaZabi, which is led by co-presidents Anick Poirier and Lorne Price, is launching sales at TIFF, where it is also shopping the international rights to Tracey Deer and Meredith Vuchnich’s Beans. SOROS documents the life of controversial billionaire George Soros, who is a Holocaust survivor to multi-billionaire and champion of global progressive causes. The project premiered at Telluride and is produced by Priscilla Cohen.
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Full article: https://playbackonline.ca/2020/09/14/tiff-roundup-strategem-group-bron-wazabi/