Marchand goes to Portman
Exec ankles WB, now managing director of Brit film co.
Marchand will oversee Portman's expanding film sales business, reporting to group chief exec Tim Buxton. The company, which is owned by publicly-quoted facilities house VTR, is in the midst of negotiating its first credit line dedicated solely to financing film production.
Prior to his two-year stint at Warners, Marchand held senior positions at Polygram Film Intl. and Sovereign Pictures, so his latest move marks his return to the indie sector.
Portman is heading for Cannes with two new projects for pre-sale, both from producer Steve Clark-Hall.
"Somme" is an original screenplay by Brit novelist William Boyd, who will also make his directing debut. Described by Marchand as " 'Das Boot' in the trenches," it's an intense account of a group of young soldiers on the night before the battle of the Somme. This $5 million pic is skedded to shoot in November.
"Cascade," which will star Nigel Hawthorne and Joan Collins, is based on David Garrick's Restoration comedy "The Clandestine Marriage." It will be directed by Christopher Miles, and starts shooting in September.
Portman has also picked up two completed films, the Ulster comedy drama "Crossmaheart" and American indie pic "Cadillac," to add to the three pics already announced for screening at the upcoming Cannes film market.
"Crossmaheart," formerly titled "Cycle of Violence," is directed by first-timer Henry Herbert and produced by Don Boyd, based on a novel by Colin Bateman. It's a blackly comic murder mystery set against the backdrop of the Northern Irish troubles.
"Cadillac," which screened at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, is directed by Andrew Frank.
The three previously announced titles which will be screened for the first time to international buyers at Cannes are Dapha Kastner's "Spanish Fly," which Miramax has acquired for North American release; the Sundance entry "Wrestling With Alligators;" and "Via Satellite," the first low-budget film from Portman's six-pic deal with the New Zealand Film Commission and TV New Zealand.
