The Match Factory Reports Red Hot Sales For Berlin Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize Winner ‘Afire’

Melanie Goodfellow
·2 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: The Match Factory has unveiled a slew of deals for German director Christian Petzold’s Berlin Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize winner Afire.

The summertime comedy-drama, which world premiered in Berlin’s main competition, revolves around a disparate group of people thrown together in a holiday home on Germany’s Baltic coast against a backdrop of advancing forest fires.

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European deals include France (Les Films du Losange), Italy (Wanted), Spain (Filmin), Benelux (September Film), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Austria (Stadtkino), Scandinavia (Future Film), Poland (Aurora Films), Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia (Vertigo), Ex-Yugoslavia (Demiurg), Romania (Independenta), Baltics (A-One).

Outside of Europe, the picture has been snapped up for South Korea (M&M International), Taiwan (Light Year Images), Turkey (Bir Film), Brazil (Imovision) and Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay (IFA Cinema).

A North American distribution deal is also closed and due to be announced soon. Further territories are currently in negotiation.

Thomas Schubert stars as blocked writer Leon, whose plans for a productive summertime retreat with a friend our upended when it turns out that their temporary home has an unexpected, additional chaotic occupant, played by Paula Beer.

The ensemble cast also features Langston Uibel, Enno Trebs and Matthias Brandt.

For a taster of the film, watch the first trailer here.

Afire was Petzold’s sixth film to have played in competition at the Berlinale, after Undine (2020), Transit (2018), Barbara (2012), Yella (2007) and Gespenter (2005).

Petzold previously won Berlin’s Silver Bear for Best Director for Barbara and the Fipresci prize for Undine.

Afire was warmly received by critics in Berlin, with Deadline reviewer Stephanie Bunbury saying of the film” “Petzold’s droll divertissement is a fable for our times.” Read the review here.

The film is produced by Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber and Anton Kaiser for Schramm Film. Piffl Medien has German rights and has scheduled an April 20 release.

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