Zentropa Star Directors Bier And von Trier Sell Abroad

Zentropa's sales arm TrustNordisk has announced further pre-sales on Susanne Bier's (photo) In a Better World and Lars von Trier's Melancholia, both supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond.

In a Better World (photo) was sold to Hong Kong (First Distributors), Colombia & Central America (Cineplex), Lithuania (Scanorama), South Korea (Cinus) and Japan (Longride). Previous deals were closed with the US (Sony Pictures Classics), Germany (Universum), Switzerland (Frenetic) and Brazil (California Filmes). Over 30 territories have now acquired the family drama starring Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm and Ulrich Thomsen. The Danish theatrical release is set for August 26.

Von Trier's disaster movie Melancholia starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan and Alexander Skarsgård as well as John Hurt, was sold to Switzerland (Frenetic), Italy (BIM Distribuzione), Thailand (IPA), Germany and Austria (Concorde). 

Melancholia will start shooting in Sweden's Trollhättan on July 19.