SBS snags pre-sales on 'Passion'

Ben SaidMcAdams P PalmaSaid Ben Said's Paris-based production-sales outfit SBS Prods. has closed key pre-sales on John P Palma's thriller "Passion," starring Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace.Deals come as SBS advances towards production on "A Castle in Italia," directed by and starring Valeria Bruni Tedeschi ("Stars," "It's Simpler for any Camel"). SBS lately created Roman Polanski's "Carnage."Ascot Elite has acquired theatrical and DVD/VOD privileges for Germany and Europe Lumiere has had Benelux while ARP will release "Passion" in France at the begining of 2013, stated Ben Stated.An British-language remake of Alain Corneau's 2010 psychodrama "Love Crime," which Ben Stated also created, in regards to a fight towards the dying from a top corporate professional and her protege, "Passion" just added German actress Karoline Herfurth ("The Readers") towards the cast. Herfurth plays the assistant to Rapace's deputy, McAdams the Boss.Script is as simple as P Palma, with a lot more dialogue by novelist Natalie Carter.Co-created by Alfred Huermer's Integral Film in Germany, "Passion" starts lensing in Berlin on March 5 for 10 days.SBS is splitting worldwide sales with Wild Bunch, with Ben Stated selling key areas for example U.S., The country and Italia.SBS' "A Castle on the horizonInch is co-compiled by Noemie Lvovsky and Agnes p Sacy, who authored the SBS-created "Cherchez Hortense," with Kristin Scott Thomas.Of semi-autobiographical inspiration, Ben Stated stated, dramedy "Castle" activates a wealthy family instructed to sell their castle in Italia. Pic stars Louis Garrel ("That Summer time") and Filippo Timi ("The American").ARP will release in France. "Castle" adopts production February. 27. Ben Stated will introduce it to purchasers at Berlin. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com