Int'l sales brisk for Moore pic

Paramount Vantage has completed international sales of Michael Moore's follow-up to his record-busting political documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11." Vantage president Nick Meyer announced Moore's sequel-of-sorts two weeks ago on the eve of this year's Festival de Cannes, where the documentarian won the Palme d'Or in 2004.

Alex Walton, senior vp international sales at Vantage, announced sales of Moore's film to Germany, Benelux, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Scandinavia, the Czech Republic, Ex-Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, Iceland, Singapore, Indonesia, CIS, the Middle East, Portugal, Israel and India. Paramount Pictures International will distribute the film in France and Australia.

The Oscar-winning Moore has just begun production on the film, a broader examination of America's foreign policy and tarnished status in the world throughout the Bush administration. "Fahrenheit" grossed $220 million worldwide, the largest boxoffice haul for a documentary.

Vantage will co-produce and co-finance the new movie with Overture Films, which will release the film domestically.

As part of its recent international distribution deal with Overture, Vantage also repped overseas sales for "Last Chance Harvey" and "Traitor." International rights to "Harvey," starring Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman, were sold during Cannes to France, Italy, Singapore and Indonesia. Overture will release the film domestically in December. "Traitor," starring Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle and Jeff Daniels, was sold in Scandinavia. Overture will release it in the U.S. on Aug. 29.

Vantage also closed deals this year for Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" in Germany, Italy, Spain and CIS. Paramount Pictures will release the film in late 2009. (partialdiff)