Anand Tucker’s (Hilary & Jackie) period-drama Curtain Call, which is due to star Colin Firth, Gemma Arterton, Paapa Essiedu and Simon Russell Beale, has been pre-sold by Culmination Productions to a host of key territories ahead of shoot later this year in the UK.
In addition to the previously announced sales to Sony Pictures International Productions for the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, the film has been sold to Squareone Entertainment (German Speaking Europe), Notorious Pictures (Italy), California Filmes (Latin America), Cineart (Benelux), Tanweer (Greece) and Lusomundo (Portugal).
Deals were also inked with Sena (Iceland), Hagi Films (Poland), Shoval Film (Israel), Selim Ramia & Co (The Middle East), Empire (South Africa) and Benchmark Films (Taiwan).
The film revolves around Jimmy Erskine (Beale), the most feared theatre critic of the age, his loyal and long-suffering assistant Tom Turner (Essiedu), David Brooke (Firth), the new owner of the newspaper who wants to be rid of Jimmy, and young actress Nina Land (Arterton), devastated by Jimmy’s excoriating reviews. Erskine’s determination to survive ensures that Brooke, Land and Turner are caught in a web of blackmail, deceit and murder as Jimmy’s Faustian pact with the actress winds towards its dreadful, inevitable conclusion.
Harry White is continuing sales for Culmination Productions at the upcoming European Film Market.
Oscar-nominated writer Patrick Marber (Closer, Notes On A Scandal) has adapted the screenplay from Anthony Quinn’s classic novel of the same name.
Jolyon Symonds is producing under his Fearless Minds banner. Executive producers are Mark Gordon and Beth Pattinson for Mark Gordon Pictures, Tom Butterfield and Harry White for Culmination Productions, and Patrick Marber. Sony Pictures International Productions (SPIP) will co-produce.