SND to sell rights to 'Reconciliation'

Docu goes behind scenes of Eastwood film

By JOHN HOPEWELL, ELSA KESLASSY

'Transformers' Bumblebee defends the lawn at the Carlton Hotel.

Paris-based SND will rep international rights to "The Challenges of Reconciliation," a behind-the-scenes look at Clint Eastwood's vision of the South Africa forged by Nelson Mandela.

Foreign sales deal comes as SND, owned by Gallic broadcast net M6, has just tapped coin from a European private equity fund to close financing on CG-animated movie "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," directed by John Boorman, and Jimmy Hibbert's toon "The Magic Roundabout: The Beginning."

Both animated pics go into production in June.

"Reconciliation," a docu-feature, was shot as Eastwood lensed his Warner Bros.-backed "The Human Factor," which stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar in the story of how the South Africa-hosted 1995 Rugby World Cup helped unite the nation. Docu is directed by Michael Henry Wilson, who co-wrote and co-helmed "A Personal Journey Through American Movies With Martin Scorsese." Wilson also helmed docu profile "Clint Eastwood: A Life in Film."

"Reconciliation" is produced by High Wire Prods. and co-produced by Araprod.

"The idea is to show how a great movie figure and a great political and historical figure both care about the ideas of justice and reconciliation in their respective careers," said Lionel Uzan, SND director of international sales and acquisitions.

"Reconciliation" aims to be at next year's Cannes, on the cusp of the South Africa-hosted 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament.

"Oz" will be delivered 2011, Uzan said.

Produced by Laurent Rodon and Claude Gorsky at France's Films Actions and John Boorman's longtime associate Kieran Corrigan, and currently in pre-production, "Oz" is written by Boorman, Ron Mita and Jim McClain ("Robots").

Beyond international rights, SND has taken rights to France on both "Oz" and "Roundabout."