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Munich-based sales agency Beta Cinema has closed sales to several major territories for stylish comic-book adaptation “Diabolik,” which is among the leaders in the race for Italy’s top film awards – the David di Donatello Awards – with 11 nominations. Beta Cinema will kick off presales on the film’s sequels in Cannes.

“Diabolik” has been acquired by buyers in France (Metropolitan), Spain (Flins & Piniculas), and Latin America and Portugal (Sun Distribution Group). All rights have also been sold to Canada (Mongrel Media), South Korea (Contents Gate), Taiwan (Av-Jet International) and the former Yugoslavia (Discovery).

Filming on the two sequels wrapped in March, with Giacomo Gianniotti in the role of the charming master thief Diabolik. Based on the highly popular comic-book series, which has sold more than 150 million copies worldwide, the story is again set in the fictional city of Clerville in the 1960s.

The stylish crime films are written and...

As the 23rd edition of the Estonian festival wrapped, Japan’s Kontora nabbed the Grand Prix, with Filipino filmmaker Jun Robles Lana named Best Director. Asian cinema turned out to be the clear winner at the 23rd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, with this year’s Grand Prix for Best Film going to Indian-born Anshul Chauhan’s Kontora. As the Official Selection Competition jury, consisting of Michael Newell, Italian composer Pivio, Fabrizio Maltese, Lisa Carlehed, Kerem Ayan and Rima Das argued, the movie tells “a powerful, mysterious story that links modern Japanese lives with a past that the characters of the film think has been buried and forgotten, but which rises up to haunt and obsess them. It’s also a rich portrait of an ordinary Japanese family under severe tensions. Full of unexpected, disturbing images,...

Juries announced for the 23rd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

Donnie Brasco director Mike Newell is to preside over the official selection at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Nov 15-Dec 1).

The UK filmmaker behind Four Weddings And A Funeral and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire will be joined by Danish actress Lisa Carlehed, Italian composer Pivio, Indian director Rima Das, Italian director and cinematographer Fabrizio Maltese and Istanbul Film Festival director Kerem Ayan.

Together, the jury will consider the 21 films in official selection and hand out prizes for best film, director, script, actress, actor, cinematographer and music.