Brian de Palma's 'Passion,' Kate Hudson Actioner 'Everly' Secure German Release

COLOGNE, Germany - German indie distributors Splendid, Ascot Elite and Koch Media picked up multiple titles at the European Film Market in Berlin this year, with high-profile pics including Kate Hudson-starrer Everly and Brian de Palma's Passion securing German theatrical deals.

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Splendid snatched up Everly - Hudson's first move into the action genre from Sierra/Affinity - for German-speaking Europe and Benelux and nabbed two other star-driven titles: sci-fi thriller The Colony featuring Laurence Fishburne and Bill Paxton and Dwayne Johnson-vehicle Empire State.

Ascot Elite snatched theatrical and home entertainment rights for Brian de Palma's revenge thriller Passion featuring Rachel McAdams, Noomi Rapace and Dominic Cooper from Said Ben Said's SBS Productions. Passion is set to begin production in Berlin March 5.

Ascot also beat out competitors for German rights to horror title Wer from The Devil Inside director William Brent Bell, which Sierra/Affinity is selling worldwide. The feature, which will be shot in the same faux documentary style of Devil Inside, follows an American lawyer who sets out to represent a defendant in France accused of a gruesome murder and whom local residents believe is a werewolf.

“Freezing Berlin turned out to be a hot ticket for us and we’re very pleased with the discovery of all these unique and commercial gems that will further strengthen our position," said Ascot Elite COO Stephan Giger.

Other Ascot buys included Filth, an adaptation of the Irvine Welsh novel starring James McAvoy as a drug-addled Glasgow cop, from Sierra/Affinity and co-producer Egoli Tossell; and the rom com Don Jon's Addiction starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, which Voltage Pictures is selling worldwide.

Koch Media's Berlin shopping spree included Inferno Entertainment's beat generation thriller Kill Your Darlings starring Daniel Radcliffe as Alan Ginsberg and IM Global's Plush, an erotic thriller set in the L.A. music scene from Twilight helmer Catherine Hardwicke featuring Evan Rachel Wood.