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TIFF 2011 Buyer’s Club: #10. Derick Martini’s Hick
Derick Martini's debut film was an especially strong with believable, mature well-rounded and written characters, and perhaps the book as a built in audience, but distributors will be looking beyond the allure of the two girls and a gun, coming of age road-trip premise and instead discern the potential return on a Chloe Moretz and Blake Lively combo.
TIFF 2011 Buyer’s Club: #11. Jamie Linden’s Ten Year
You could say that there might be a pre-built audience as this is directed by the writer who gave us We Are Marshall and Dear John, but if this debut somehow manages to avoid stereotypes (which is especially difficult with large ensemble) then this beautiful people drama starring Channing Tatum, Rosario Dawson and Kate Mara could draw some high bids. Toronto's public will ultimately decide if this becomes a buzz title.
TIFF 2011 Buyer’s Club: #12. Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud’s Chicken with Plums
While their first film was easily "translatable" (it helps when you make a popular animated film), in the currently unfriendly market, subtitled foreign films are definitely not priority. I'm hedging my bet on this one saying that it might just get picked up in Venice before it sets foot in Toronto.
TIFF 2011 Buyer’s Club: #13. Darrell J. Roodt’s Winnie
The love and hate rapport for let's say a Margaret Thatcher will draw more interest, but will folks care about the wife of Mandela? She has won Oscar (Dreamgirls) but does singer/actress Jennifer Hudson have her own fanbase? My thinking is yes, and it would an helped if Oprah still had her show as we know they'd be doing the press circuit rounds starting there. A strong critical mention during TIFF will be crucial.
TIFF 2011 Buyer’s Club: #14. Luc Besson’s The Lady
North American rights should be sold on this title well before it opens the 6th edition of the Rom Film Festival. The major concern (selling point) here won't be performance -- Yeoh probably does more than play the part, she probably is the the part, but the minor drawback is the film's runtime which clocks in over the two hour mark. If the performance does get huge critical support it'll be interesting to see if this receives a quick 2011 theatrcial run.
