By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Foreign Sales Powerhouse Fortissimo Films on its Way to NYC
Eugene Hernandez sends word from Cannes that foreign sales rep Fortissimo Films will open an office in New York City. The company is moving its Hong Kong point person Winnie Lau into town before the Toronto Film Festival, at which point she can get to work “fostering long-standing relationships … with Jim Jarmusch, Mira Nair, Killer Films, Hart Sharp, IFC Film and IFC Television.” As far as jumping into a pool already crowded with the likes of Cinetic Media, William Morris, Washington Square and other fish of various shapes and sizes, Fortissimo co-president Wouter Barendrecht told Hernandez that he views those companies “as greater partners, rather than competitors.”
Right. I am sure Cinetic’s John Sloss is ordering up a “welcome to the neighborhood” flower basket as I write this. While the city is probably big enough to accommodate another A-list sales agent, Fortissimo’s worldwide reach has to bulge more than few domestic producers’ eyes; Ted Hope signed up the new Todd Solondz film with Fortissimo only a week ago, for example, back when Barendrecht was still offering brow-furrowing, chin- stroking platitudes about “organic, natural growth” and the “pitfalls of radical expansion.” Now that he is actually here, I cannot imagine at least a few mid-level reps around town will not be cutting their Memorial Day barbecue beers with extra-strength Pepto-Bismol, or just skipping the light stuff altogether and running straight for the vodka while anticipating the 70- or 80-day weekends of insolvency that lay ahead. Welcome to the neighborhood, indeed.