EXCLUSIVE: New indie film financier Mizzel Media is launching in Cannes with what we understand to be a healthy six-figure investment in feature The Girl From Köln, the next film from Holy Spider and The Tale outfit One Two Films.
The movie, which is due to shoot later this year, will star Mala Emde (And Tomorrow The Entire World) and John Magaro (Past Lives) in the lead roles.
Bankside is handling world sales in Cannes on the project, which will tell the little-known backstory of how a maverick German teenager named Vera Brandes was instrumental in the creation of the best-selling solo piano record of all time, U.S. pianist Keith Jarrett’s 1975 Köln Concert. Ido Fluk (The Ticket) directs.
The investment is U.S. outfit Mizzel’s first to date. The New York-based company is run by producer and veteran manager Lillian LaSalle, whose clients include actors Hisham Tawfiq (The Blacklist) and Joey Slotnick (Plane).
LaSalle, who heralds from Sweet 180 Talent and Literary Management, joins producers Sol Bondy and Fred Burle of Berlin-based One Two Films on the project.
Oren Moverman of Sight Unseen Pictures, The Tale writer-director Jennifer Fox, former Warner Bros PR veteran Armin Schneider, as well as Rain Rannu of Tallifornia Two serve as executive producers. Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Green are executive producers for Bankside, which handles world sales.
Equity investor Mizzel Media is backed by Mike Fowler and Zelene Fowler who will also serve as executive producers. The former is President of Affordable Housing Partners Inc., which is part of insurance conglom Berkshire Hathaway Group. He is also founder of California’s Mizel Vineyard and Estate, of which Zelene is President.
According to LaSalle, Mizzel will be also be working on two other features in coming months.
“It’s an absolute honor for Mizzel Media to be working with such a respected and illustrious team of creatives. Ido Fluk’s script, vision and his commitment to telling this important story was a slam dunk in our decision making process.”, said LaSalle.
The Girl From Köln will shoot in Poland and Germany and has received backing from the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and FFF Bayern. German broadcasters WDR and ARTE are also on board with further backing from the Polish Film Institute in place. Ewa Puszczyńska of Extreme Emotions co-produces, as well as Annegret Weitkämper-Krug of Germany’s Gretchenfilm. Alamode Film hold the distribution rights for German-speaking Europe and also serve as co-producers.
Supporting cast includes Alexander Scheer, Ulrich Tukur, Jördis Triebel, Jan Bülow, Leo Meier, Shirin Eissa, Marie-Lou Sellem and Susanne Wolff.
“We are excited and honored that Mizzel Media chose this uplifting female empowerment story as their first project and could not be happier about the collaboration,” said producers Sol Bondy and Fred Burle, “and we hope this is only the beginning of a long-lasting business friendship.”
Director Fluk is in the works on 24 Hours In June, a re-telling of the final day in the life of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, to be produced by James Schamus and Joe Piro. He is also developing the recently-announced HBO series Empty Mansions for director Joe Wright and Fremantle.
