EXCLUSIVE: Ireland-UK producer Mike Downey and Istanbul-based Emir Külal Haznevi have joined forces on boutique film financing outfit Saudade Ink to develop, produce and invest in arthouse cinema from across the world.
Downey and Haznevi estimate that they will make investments in five to eight productions from leading international auteur directors per year, with some seed funding for development. Related Stories News Paramount Wins Florence Pugh Feature 'The Midnight Library' For $36M News 'Pray For Me: Pope Francis Story': Vatican-Backed Doc Lands Sales Out Of Cannes
The pair will be in Cannes this year scouting for potential investments and also as the executive producers of Cannes Palme d’Or contenders Parallel Tales by Asghar Farhadi and All of a Sudden by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Watch on Deadline
Downey was previously CEO of London and Dublin-based Film and Music Entertainment and is no stranger to the film financing game having produced over 100 films and launched his first production company on the German Stock Market at the DAX Neuer Markt during its hey-day.
He and Downey are also currently developing his first feature-length film The Sun, The Moon and The Eleven Stars as a director.
The pair Saudade Ink as a script driven venture, pointing to their past work connecting them with a range of writers including James Ellroy, the late Gunter Grass, Lee Hall (Billy Elliot), Colm Toibin, David Grossman, Thomas Keneally (Schindler’s List), IDA writer Rebecca Lenckiewicz, VICE Group founder and CEO Shane Smith.
The partnership is non-exclusive and Haznevi and Downey will still run their own individual slates through their respective companies Saudade and Downey Ink.
Haznevi has a number of projects currently in production and development. Downey continues his partnership with Sarka Cimbalova’s Prague-based Marlene Film with whom he partnered on the last three Agnieszka Holland films, Franz, Green Border and Charlatan.
No stranger to working with hi-end art house talent, Downey worked closely with a wide range of film makers during his 25 year presence on the board of the European Film Academy collaborating with the likes of Wim Wenders, Istvan Szabo, Sir Ben Kingsley, Pawel Pawlikowski, David Mackenzie, Krysztof Zanussi, Krzysztof Zulawski, Humbert Balsam, Francis Boespflug, Ildiko Enyedi, Agnes Jaoui, Mika Kaurismaki, Cedric Klapisch, Domenico Procacci, and Jim Sheridan.
Source: deadline.com