'Breath'-taking sales for Cineclick

Poland, Singapore among other territories sold

By DARCY PAQUET

SEOUL -- Korean seller Cineclick Asia signed a bevy of deals at the recent Cannes market, with Tartan picking up competition entry "Breath" by Kim Ki-duk for the U.S. and U.K. Other territories sold on the film during the market include Poland (SPI Intl.), Singapore (Festive Films), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), the Czech Republic (Film Distribution Artcam), and the Baltic states (Lietuvos Kinas), in addition to 20 deals signed previously.

Tartan also pre-bought Kim Jee-woon's Manchuria-set Western "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" for the U.K. High profile pic, which also sold to France's ARP during the market, is expected to be delivered in early 2007.

Meanwhile, Chinese pic "Tuya's Marriage," which won this year's Golden Bear, was bought by Southport Music Box for the U.S., as well as by Independenta Film for Romania. "Opium War" by Afghan director Siddiq Barmaq ("Osama"), which started production in April, found a new investor in France's Haut et Court, which also took French rights.

Other deals include Korean comedy "BA:BO" to Thailand (J-Bics), Bong Joon-ho's "The Host" to South Africa (Gala Entertainment), melodrama "Love Me Not" to Japan's SPO, and library title "A Tale of Two Sisters" to Greece (CDK).

Meanwhile, new title "Misencounter" by Argentine director Pablo Trapero has brought on Brazilian Walter Salles as a co-producer. Pic, which ranks as first co-production between South Korea and a South American country, will start lensing in September.

The busy Cannes by Cineclick, which is the first Korean sales company to represent a large number of non-Korean titles, came as many other Korean sellers reported a steep drop in business (Variety Show Daily, May 28).