Cannes films on buyers' lists

Can fest, market titles jumpstart acquisitions action?

By SHARON SWART

'The Burning Plain'
• Click here for Cannes 2007 pickups chart

After less-than-swift sales at Sundance in January and a rather uneventful Berlin the following month, acquisitions executives are taking a wait-and-see approach as they head to the French Riviera for Cannes.

Buyers, as is often the case, seem somewhat nonplussed by the festival lineup. Some note they don't discern any obvious pickup targets along the lines of last year's "We Own the Night." Others predict foreign-language films might be the most interesting finds at the fest this year. And several execs expressed curiosity about titles that were still in post-production.

So, perhaps more of the action will be at the Cannes Market this year. "There might be a frenzy of pre-buying," speculated one sales exec hopefully. "People don't need pictures for this year, but for 2009."

A sampling of the goods -- both at fest and market -- that buyers say they'll take a closer look at:

THE ARGENTINE and GUERRILLA: Steven Soderbergh's Che Guevara biopic double play, starring Benicio del Toro, made some presales at Berlin's market, but with the finished pics set to bow in Competition, a domestic buyer could step up to the plate. (Sales: Wild Bunch)

BUNRAKU: First footage of the martial arts fantasy actioner, currently shooting in Romania, will unspool at Cannes. Cast includes Woody Harrelson, Demi Moore and Japanese popstar Gackt. (IM Global/CAA)

THE BURNING PLAIN: "Babel" scribe Guillermo Arriaga's U.S.-set directorial debut, toplining Charlize Theron. Pic is in post. (2929 Intl./UTA)

A CHRISTMAS TALE: Arnaud Desplechin's French-language Competition entry, with a cast including Catherine Deneuve and "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" star Mathieu Amalric. (Wild Bunch)

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD: South Korean Western from horror-thriller maestro Kim Jee-woon. Playing out-of-competition in Official Selection. (CJ Entertainment)

GOMORRA: Modern-day Naples crime-family tale, helmed by Matteo Garrone and based on Roberto Saviano's book. In Competition. (Le Pacte)

HUNGER: Debut film from Brit artist Steve McQueen about IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. Un Certain Regard's closing film. (Icon Intl. )

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS: Terry Gilliam's fantasy pic starring Heath Ledger (replaced by Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell). In post. (Mandate/Arsenal)

MAMMOTH: Swede Lukas Moodysson's English-language drama toplining Michelle Williams and Gael Garcia Bernal. In post. (TrustNordisk)

SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK: Scribe Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut, with a cast including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hope Davis and Catherine Keener. In Competition. (Kimmel Intl./UTA)

TREE OF LIFE: Terrence Malick's in-production fantasy-sci-fier, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn. (Summit)

THE SILENCE OF LORNA: Competition pic from former Palme d'Or winners Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne ("The Child," "Rosetta"). (Celluloid Dreams)

TWO LOVERS: James Gray's ("We Own the Night") latest Cannes Competition entry, a Brooklyn-set drama starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Joaquin Phoenix. (2929/Wild Bunch/CAA)

WALTZ WITH BASHIR: Israeli animated docu, helmed by Ari Folman. In Competition. (Match Factory)

WILD BLOOD: WWII drama starring Monica Bellucci, from "The Best of Youth" helmer Marco Tullio Giordana. An Official Selection special screening. (Wild Bunch)