The Pool Films Launches With Digital District, Victorine Studios

As France’s role as a hub for international production continues to gain momentum, a new breed of international sales company, The Pool Films, is making its debut in the fall festival circuit with a one-stop-shop model incorporating financing, co-production, post production and filming location as part of its services.

Based in Paris, The Pool Films is being launched by international sales veteran Gilles Sousa and producer Tim Belda, with the backing of Digital District Group – the VFX house behind Netflix’s “Under Paris” and “Lupin,” among others — and the Victorine Studios. The latter is a Hollywood-style centenary venue in the French Riviera, in Nice, which has hosted many iconic films, including François Truffaut’s “Day for Night,” Marcel Carné’s “Children of Paradise” and Jacques Tati’s “My Uncle.”

Sousa, who co-founded Pulsar Content where he headed international sales following a long tenure at Bac Films, knows the festival and market circuit inside out. He’s forged close relationships with directors such as Paolo Virzì, overseeing titles including “Like Crazy” and “The Leisure Seeker,” and has worked on auteur-driven movies which premiered at Cannes, such as Joséphine Japy’s “The Wonderers,” Alice Douard’s “Love Letters” and Céline Sallette’s “Niki,” alongside elevated genre fare such as “The Deep House” by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, which sold to Blumhouse for the U.S. and Universal for international territories. Sousa also handled “Mads” by David Moreau which sold to 28 territories including English-speaking markets with Shudder/IFC.

Belda, on the other hand, brings a background in European co-productions and has collaborated with acclaimed directors such like Kike Maíllo, Santiago Mitre and Abel Ferrara. Having lived a number years in New York, Belda has managed cross-border financing…