FREEDOM FINDS FAVOR
ITN Distribution has picked up distribution rights in North and Latin America for the live action fantasy epic, “Fight For Freedom” from Incredible Film.
The completed film, which is also available as a 5×30 mins. mini-series, is a live action fantasy epic about Friesland’s greatest hero known as Grutte Pier. Fabled Frisian freedom fighter, Peer Gerlofs Donia, is a gentle giant who turns into a blood-thirsty, revenge-driven killer when his family is brutally murdered. His quest for revenge forges him into a beacon for his people as he becomes their leader in a fight for independence. The film is directed by Steven de Jong.
The film’s cast is headed by Milan van Weelden (“Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” “Zenith: Supercharged Family”) alongside songwriter and actress Elske DeWall (“Grutte Pier”) and composer and actor Syb van der Ploeg (“BAK”).
“ ‘Fight for Freedom’ is a fascinating story that needs to be shared […] It will be dubbed into English, Spanish and Portuguese,” said Stuart Alson, president of ITN Distribution.
CLOSER ALLIANCE
While the Hulu streaming service is a Disney unit in North America, Hulu Japan is wholly-owned by Nippon Television’s HJ Holdings. Nevertheless, the two companies have announced a new bundle plan for Disney+ and Hulu Japan with immediate effect. “By joining forces with Hulu Japan, we will bring high quality global and local entertainment to audiences, offering more consumer choice at an attractive value,” said Carol Choi, managing director, Disney Japan.
Hulu Japan offers television series drama series, anime, variety shows, live music and sports from Nippon TV and local original content. The new bundle adds branded content from Disney+, including award-winning films, animation and live-action from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Star. , as well as Hulu Japan’s popular domestic drama series, anime, variety shows, live music and sports.
The new plan is an extension of the strategic collaboration between Disney Japan and Nippon Television announced last year, which aims to leverage both companies’ respective platforms to deliver global and local entertainment to more audiences.
The new bundle plan is priced at JPY1,490 ($10.70) per month (tax included), some 25% less than subscribing to each service individually.
BOX OFFICE RECORD
“John Farnham: Finding the Voice,” which tracks the public and private life of Farnham and features commentary from Olivia Newton-John, Jimmy Barnes, Celine Dion and Robbie Williams, has grossed A$4.37 million ($2.93 million) at the Australian box office. That makes it the highest grossing Australian feature length documentary of all-time and the fourth biggest feature length documentary of any origin ever released in Australia. The film is a Beyond Oz (a Banijay company) production in association with Blink TV, presented by Sony Pictures Releasing International and Screen Australia.
MAKING AN IMPACT
Six Australian filmmakers and producers – Sophie Hyde, Larissa Behrendt, Maya Newell, Alex Kelly, Rachel Naninaaq Edwardson and Lisa Sherrard – have joined forces to launch Unquiet Collective. The firm will offer their ‘impact producing’ model and release a tool kit to help others bridge the gap between a film’s distribution, and its wider social impact, while continuing to impact produce select projects.
The sextet previously worked together on the impact campaign for the 2019 documentary “In My Blood it Runs” (balancing Aboriginal traditions with state education) and the Netflix original documentary “The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone” in 2022, by tackling transphobia and amplifying the voices of trans people.
“Impact work joins together filmmakers and social movements so that the stories reach more audiences and in a richer, deeper way. This work uplifts the film industry by creating meaningful connections between films and audience and reframing film as a relevant part of the cultural conversation, not simply entertainment or business,” said Hyde.