CANNES: Picture Tree Gives Market Premieres to ‘Adama,’ ‘Midwife’

LONDON — Berlin-based world sales and production company Picture Tree Intl. will give market premieres at Cannes to poetic French animation “Adama” and the Lapland-set romantic drama “The Midwife.”

Simon Rouby’s feature debut “Adama” follows a boy’s adventurous journey from his West African village to Europe to find his brother. It ultimately leads him to the trenches of World War I.

The pic will make its French premiere in the feature competition of Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June, having won the Work in Progress award at the festival’s 2014 edition.

“Adama” was produced by Philippe Aigle and Severine Lathuilliere for Naia Productions, in co-production with Pipangai Studio and France 3 Cinema. Ocean Films is handling French rights and will give the film a wide release on Oct. 21.

Rouby’s short film “Blind Spot” competed for a Cinefondation Award at Cannes.

Antti J. Jokinen’s “The Midwife” centers on a passionate love affair between a Finnish midwife and a Nazi officer in the last months of World War II. The pic, which is based on the novel by Katja Kettu, stars Krista Kosonen. It was produced by Markus Selin and Jukka Helle for Solar Films (“Frozen Land”). Nordisk Film will distribute the film in Scandinavia in the fall.

Jokinen directed Finland’s 2013 Academy Award entry “Purge,” and “The Resident,” starring Hilary Swank and Christopher Lee.

Also on the slate are Dieter Berner’s biopic of Austria painter Egon Schiele, which is in pre-production. Newcomer Noah Saavedra plays the controversial artist. Principal shooting will take place in summer 2015 with completion scheduled for spring 2016. Franz Novotny and Alexander Glehr are producing the pic for Novotny & Novotny Filmproduktion, in co-production with Amour Fou Luxembourg.

Also on the slate are Rebecca Daly’s “Mammal,” which stars Rachel Griffiths, and Thomas Stuber’s “A Heavy Heart.” Daly’s debut feature “The Other Side of Sleep” premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival in Directors’ Fortnight. Stuber won a Silver Student Academy Award for “Of Dogs and Horses” in 2012. Wild Bunch/Senator Film will be releasing “A Heavy Heart” in Germany in the fall.

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