German director Wim Wenders, whose latest film, “Perfect Days,” is nominated for the international Oscar, has struck a deal with sales agent Salaud Morisset to handle theatrical, festival and non-commercial distribution rights for his catalog of 25 films.
The deal with the director’s foundation, Wim Wenders Stiftung, covers 17 feature films, four feature documentaries and seven short films, including “Kings of the Road” (1976), “The American Friend” (1977), “Paris, Texas” (1984), “Wings of Desire” (1987) and “Buena Vista Social Club” (1999).
The theatrical rights in territories that have previously been sold will continue to be handled by Hanway Films.
Salaud Morisset, which is led by François Morisset, will work with the director’s foundation to “ensure the sustained relevance and preservation of [his] body of work while reaching a global audience,” the company stated. “The company plans to approach each territory with a specific strategy, actively working on special screening series and retrospectives.”
Claire Brunel, managing director of Wim Wenders Stiftung, commented: “I’m confident François and his team can carve out innovative paths to find new audiences for the Wim Wenders catalog. Sustaining and future-proofing the art of cinema as well as Wim Wenders’ work are core goals of the foundation. We want to explore and remain open to new exhibition methods and formats, to reinvent and rediscover the magic of big screen cinema again and again.”
Morisset said: “I look forward to working on guaranteeing continued visibility for this cinematic treasure trove of widely as well as lesser-known Wim Wenders gems, especially in territories with more challenging distribution landscapes and cinema infrastructures. In this time of industry wide change, Wim Wenders’ films serve as reassuring landmarks for generations of cinephiles. We look forward to supporting their discovery by many more generations of film enthusiasts around the globe.”
Salaud Morisset is best known for its representation of short films, including Jonathan Glazer’s “The Fall” and “Strasbourg 1518,” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Nimic.” Last year, it expanded its focus into feature film sales and production with films such as Cyril Aris’ documentary “Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano” and Una Gunjak’s fiction feature “Excursion.”
