K5 International closes first look deal with PalmStar Entertainment

Posted in Company Updates and Golden Suicides and Lunar Park and Press Releases 10:28 am on November 6, 2009

Munich and London based K5 International (www.k5international.com) has just closed on a first look and partnership deal with New York and Los Angeles based PalmStar Entertainment. Under the deal terms K5’s partners Oliver Simon, Daniel Baur and Bill Stephens will handle foreign sales on PalmStar’s slate as well as actively produce select films. K5 recently executive produced and sold “Get Low” starring Academy Award winners Robert Duval and Sissey Spacek, alongside Bill Murray which gala – premiered in Toronto this year and was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics for a 2010 release. The new partnership provides K5 first look access to produce and finance production of existing and future material that PalmStar develops. Oliver Simon says of the deal “We’ve been tracking PalmStar’s progress over the last couple of years and believe they have been developing some fantastic material which we are excited to now be a part of.”

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Frakes and Stephan Paternot, PalmStar Entertainment (www.palmstar.com), is focused on developing literary driven properties and true stories, and has over a dozen projects in development including two Bret Easton Ellis projects, “Golden Suicides” which is being developed in conjunction with Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk), as well as “Lunar Park.” which they will be producing alongside with Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur through K5 Film. Earlier this year PalmStar also hired William Morris Endeavor Entertainment Global to represent the company and its films for packaging. This effort is spear headed by Graham Taylor, who said of his relationship to PalmStar “I think Kevin and Stephan have demonstrated excellent taste in material that speaks to today’s generation, and which I know we can really capitalize on. We believe that K5 is the new powerhouse out of Europe combining production and world sales. I think the partnership of Palmstar with K5 International and K5 Film is a great combination.”

Oliver Simon, Daniel Baur and Bill Stephens established K5 International a sales, distribution and financing company in January 2007 with offices in Germany and the UK. Bill handles sales and marketing from London, Oliver and Daniel oversee development, financing and production from Munich. K5 International’s first break out hit was “The Visitor” produced by Michael London and Participant Productions where Richard Jenkins was nominated for best actor for the Academy Awards in 2009. K5 International is uniquely positioned in being able to offer co-productions through its sister company K5 Film, offering producers a wide range of financing, production and international sales opportunities. With a resolute strategy of quality over quantity, K5 International seeks to represent 5 to 6 feature films per year with budgets up to $30 million. K5 Film was established in 2001 by Oliver Simon. In January 2006 Daniel Baur joined the company as his partner in all respects. K5 Film also has offices in Berlin and Cologne.

 

 

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