As France’s role as a hub for international production continues to gain momentum, a new kind of international distributor, Poolfilm, has debuted at the fall festival circuit, bringing fundraising, co-production, post-production and filming locations as part of its service.
The Paris-based pool film is launched by international sales veteran Zil Suza and producer Tim Verda, and is supported by the Digital District Group. The latter is a Hollywood-style centenary venue in the French Riviera, hosting many iconic films, including François Truffaut’s “Night Night,” Marcel Carnet’s “Children of Paradise,” and Jacques Tatty’s “My Uncle.”
Susa co-founded Pulsar Content, who was responsible for international sales after his long tenure at BAC Films, but he knows the flip side of the festival and market circuit. He has developed close relationships with directors such as Paolo Wiltz, directing titles such as “Crazy” and “Leisure Seeker,” and has worked on auter-driven films that premiered at Cannes, such as “Wonderter” by Josephine Japey, “Love Letter” by Alice Doord, and “Neelian Bass” by “Neeling” by “Neeling.” Alexandre Bustillo was sold to Blumhouse for the US and was universal in international territories. Sousa also handled “Mads” by David Moreau and was sold to 28 territories, including Shudder/IFC’s English-speaking market.
Meanwhile, Verda brings a background in European co-production, working with highly acclaimed directors such as Kike Maíllo, Santiago Miter and Abel Ferrara. Living in New York for several years, Verda manages a cross-border funding model that connects investors, public funds and private partners.
Last year, Victorine Studios, acquired by David Danesi’s digital district group (a major VFX studio with offices in Paris, Brussels and Mumbai), held filming for Day for Night, Children of Paradise and the most recent Amazon Action Action Action Action Action Action Film of State Idris.
In an interview with Variety, Sousa said the idea for starting a sales company with digital district group involvement came from working well with Banner on several projects. One of them was “Deep House,” where Pulsar was able to be sold to Blum House at the thickness of the pandemic after the Digital District Group created a promotion.
“‘The Deep House’ was the first French genre film Blumhouse acquired,” says Sousa. He points out that the filming of “The Deep House” was paused due to Covid and the conditions were very extreme and complicated as there were so few images to show to buyers. However, because “there was an investment risk,” Pulsar still had to sell the film in advance. “So we quickly got in touch with the digital district responsible for film special effects and post-production, creating a promotion that we presented in our first virtual market during Covid, which was AFM in 2020, and rolling the ball,” he says.
Sousa said that the international sales division has traditionally not worked closely with VFX Studios in the past, but “it makes perfect sense now to work together in a very early stage and to spark some interest from buyers in complex markets, especially for advance sales.” The executive recently teamed up with the Digital District on “MADS.”
“Ultimately, our mission is to connect ambitious projects with the right global partners and design strategies that work creatively and commercially,” says Susa.
Verda says the idea behind the “turnkey” model is “to attract international productions with tax incentives, fundraising opportunities that exist in Europe, VFX, sales and filming locations.”
Alliance with the Digital District allows the project at Pool Film to utilize the French tax system for international co-production, representing 40% of the local cost of films using VFX.
“Tax refunds can significantly reduce your budget and can also offer VFX services at a competitive rate,” says Verda.
Promising to invest 37 million euros in Victorine Studios over the next six years, Danesi said, “Combining Victorine’s legacy, the technical strength of the digital district and a clear sales focus, the pool film is set up to support producers who support the story to reach audiences around the world.”
The Pool Films name was inspired by Jacques Derey’s “swimming pool,” filmed at Victorine Studios in 1969, and the company’s model that brings together indie French producers who can collaborate on specific projects. The new banner will introduce buyers to the first slate in the upcoming market.
