(Variety) Organ Transplant Comedy Drama ‘Risks and Side Effects’ Picked Up by PTI, Trailer Debuts – EFM (EXCLUSIVE)
By Leo Barraclough
Picture Tree Intl. has picked up the global sales rights on comedy drama “Risks and Side Effects,” which follows a woman’s kidney transplant journey that threatens to break-up her friendships and marriage. The sales agency will launch sales at the European Film Market (March 1-5). Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer.
Austrian helmer Michael Kreihsl wrote and directed the film, which is based on a play of the same name by Stefan Vögel. It stars Samuel Finzi (“Chess Story,” “Head Full of Honey,” “The Captain”) and Inka Friedrich (“God You’re Such a Pr—“), alongside Pia Hierzegger (“The Ground Beneath My Feet,” “Wild Mouse”) and Thomas Mraz (“The Tobacconist”).
In the film a routine check-up reveals that Pilates trainer Kathrin is suffering from kidney disease and needs a transplant. Her husband Arnold is a successful architect in the middle of a large project and is afraid of donating one of his kidneys. Götz, a friend of the couple’s, would undergo the operation immediately if it means saving Kathrin’s life – even though this causes problems with his partner Diana. Confronted by issues of life and death, the fragility of the relationships within and between the couples is laid bare.
Kreihsl’s credits include “Charms Incidents” (Charms Zwischenfälle), “Hunters in the Snow” (Heimkehr der Jäger) and “The Miracle Method” (Die Wunderübung).
“Risks and Side Effects” is produced by Jakob Pochlatko and Dieter Pochlatko for EPO Film, which is aiming for a local release in spring/summer 2021.
PTI’s EFM lineup also includes “Bulado,” which will premiere internationally at the New York Intl. Children Film Festival (March 5-14), Mexican soccer comedy “Domingo,” Danish comedy drama “Persona Non Grata,” and Sönke Wortmann’s “Contra,” which is set for an October release by Constantin Film. PTI will show the first teaser and selected scenes from “Contra” at EFM.
Other upcoming titles in post-production on PTI’s slate include “A Stasi Comedy,” which is also aiming for an autumn release in Germany with Constantin Film, as well as “The Black Square,” starring “Toni Erdmann” lead Sandra Hüller, which is also set for an autumn release.