Summer Wars

EXCLUSIVE: Sundance Selects has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Two Days, One Night, which will be directed by two time Palme d’Or-winning auteurs Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, and stars Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione and Olivier Gourmet. She signed on to star in February, and shooting will take place in Belgium this summer. Cotillard plays Sandra, a young woman who has only one weekend to convince her colleagues they must give up their bonuses in order for her to keep her job. Longtime Dardenne collaborator Rongione plays Cotillard’s husband. The film is a co-production between the Dardennes’ Les Films du Fleuve and Denis Freyd’s Archipel 35. Wild Bunch negotiated for filmmakers with Arianna Bocco at Sundance Selects/IFC Films.

Fox International Productions‘ German operation had a big hit this year with The Break-Up Man, the comedy that grossed $24M locally and is being eyed as a U.S. remake. FIP Germany is now moving ahead on two new local-language projects. Shooting starts in late summer on the adaption of Andreas Steinhöfel’s children’s book Rico, Oskar And The Pasta Detectives. Neele Leana Vollmar is directing the story of friends Rico and Oskar. When Oskar disappears, Rico goes on a wild hunt throughout Berlin to save him. Alexandra Maria Lara (Downfall) plays Rico’s mother with Elyas M’Barek (The Wave), Ronald Zehrfeld (Barbara) and Milan Peschl (What A Man) also aboard. Also upcoming is Marco Petry’s teen comedy Playing Doctor which he co-wrote with Jan Ehlert. The Lieblingsfilm Munchen production will be produced by Robert Marciniak and Philipp Budweg. Marco Mehlitz, FIP Germany’s head of production and development, is overseeing both films.