European film distributor, Newen Connect, has amassed a sizeable number of sales for its recent slate of comedies, feeding cinemagoers’ continuing appetite for feel-good movies. Three of its most recent titles – “Family Therapy” (“Jamais sans mon psy“), “Open Season” (“Chasse Gardée“) and “Lucky Punch” (“Challenger“) – have between them been picked up by distributors in over 50 markets, with some of the titles also being remade locally in certain territories.

Alice Damiani, SVP International Film Sales, Newen Connect said:

The long-standing partnership between TF1 and UGC and the resulting warm comedies that come out of this relationship continue to hit the mark with cinemagoers. We are delighted that our catalogue of gentle-humoured titles are not only attracting global distributors in such large numbers, but also that these movies have at their heart such universal themes that they are ripe for developing as local versions.

Leading the international sales is the Arnaud Lemort comedy “Family Therapy” (“Jamais sans mon psy“), produced by Atelier de Production and coproduced by TF1 Studio, UGC & TF1 Films Production. It has sold to over thirty markets, including Benelux (Paradiso), Switzerland (Pathé Films), Italy (Movies Inspired), Spain (A Contracorriente Films), Germany & Austria (Lighthouse), Czech Republic & Slovakia (Donart), Hungary & Romania (Vertigo Media), Ukraine (Total Film Distribution), Bulgaria (Beta Film), Estonia (Estin Film), Israel (Forum Film), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Greece (Spentzos), Canada (TVA Films), Middle-East (Grand Entertainment), Airlines (Skeye). Starring Christian Clavier (Serial (Bad) Weddings, Asterix and Obelix), Baptiste Lecaplain (The Exes, New York), Claire Chust (Instant Family, Miss), Cristiana Réali, Rayane Bensetti (Let’s Dance, In the Game), this family comedy follows the deeply anxious Damien Leroy (Lecaplain), who is challenged by his therapist Dr Beranger (Clavier) to find a woman to share his life. When Damien does just that and finds the love of his life in Alice (Chust), he soon discovers that his father-in-law is none other than his therapist, out to make his life a living hell. The film will be released in France at the end of the year by UGC Distribution and TF1 Studio.

Following its release in December 2023, charming comedy “Open Season” has not only generated two million ticket sales since opening but has also been sold to distributors in 20 markets including Benelux (Vertigo Films); Spain (Flins & Piniculas); Portugal (FILMS4YOU); Switzerland (Pathé Films) Germany & Austria (ZDF Enterprises), Poland (Telewizja Puls), Ukraine (Svoe Kino), Greece (Videorama), Canada (A-Z Films), Airlines (Skeye). The title will also be available across Eastern Europe thanks to a deal with Prorom. Additionally, rights have been sold to make local versions of “Open Season” in Germany, Italy and Spain.

The plot centres around Adelaide (Camille Lou, SPOILED BRATS, MARRY ME, DUDE), Simon (Hakim Jemili, A GOOD DOCTOR) and their two young kids, who dream of having a peaceful house of their own with a garden. Chancing on a beautiful home of their dreams, and their price bracket, the family snap it up and begin renovating, only to discover that the deed of sale allows the entire village to hunt on their property. It is produced by Starman Films and Curiosa Films and coproduced by TF1 Studio and UGC.

Having launched only last month at the Cannes Film Festival, Varante Soudjian’s “Lucky Punch” (“Challenger“) is the third title from Newen Connect’s catalogue that has also garnered great sales in six markets including Benelux (Vertigo Films), Switzerland (Pathe Films), Canada (A-Z Films), Bulgaria (Beta Film) and Ukraine (Svoe Kino). With a cast that includes Alban Ivanov (A Very Bad Friend, Sink or Swim, C’est La Vie), Audrey Pirault, Moussa Maaskri, Pierre-François Martin-Laval, the film follows the fate of small-time boxer Mika, whose lucky knock-out goes viral and leads him to a match against the European Champion that could make his dreams come true – if it doesn’t kill him first! The film is produced by Alef Two with Les Enfants Terribles, and UGC Images, and will be released in France by UGC Distribution on the 23rd of October.