Zazen, Lereby raising $60 mil for 10 films

RIO P JANEIRO -- Jose Padilha, director of "Elite Squad: The Enemy Within" is joining via his Zazen Prods. label with Daniel Filho's Lereby Prods. to boost $60 million to invest in 10 Brazilian movies within the next 4 years. A personal equity fund, that the partners are putting the finishing touches, will take into account about $$ 30 million, Padilha stated throughout the Rio Festival. The fund is backed by Brazilian traders. Brazil's battery of film tax animal shelters will give another $$ 30 million, Padilha added. Movies will target South america his or her primary market. All is going to be launched in South america via Nossa Distribuidora, the groundbreaking new distrib op introduced Tuesday in the Rio Fest whose founding partners include Zazen and Lereby, plus Fernando Meirelles' 02 Filmes, Conspiracao Films, Morena Films, FL & MAM Participacoes and Vinny Films. The development drive, Padilha stated, "can help Nossa to operate. We have to produce a amount of films to ensure that Nossa has leverage to book movies with participants." Slate's first game titles is going to be introduced within the next couple of days, Padilha stated. One early production will, however, be considered a biopic on Rickson Gracie, the undefeated Mma champion. Most movies come in Portuguese. Brazilian company directors will helm these. Zazen and Lereby will produce three movies each. The relaxation is going to be co-productions with third-party companies. Receiving a typical $six million investment per pic, part that would also cover P & A costs for South america, the productions turn to be greater-finish although not astronomical for South america, where blockbuster "Elite Squad: the Enemy Within" -- the greatest-grossing pic in South america ever -- cost $ten million. "Part funded by an equity fund, the slate needs to be varied - mixing romantic comedies, action movies, dramas -Making investment safe but offering good upside possibility," Padilha stated. Padilha contended Zazen and Lereby will not have had the opportunity to mount the equity fund without Nossa. Like a distribution company, Nossa enables B.O. revenues to visit right to producers who pay Nossa a distribution fee and retain distribution privileges for their productions. "Via Nossa the revenues for producers are five-to-ten-occasions greater," Padilha stated. Nossa is modelled on Padilha's direct distribution for "Elite Squad: the Enemy Within." "I have attempted ten occasions to boost private equity finance money to create productions inside a traditional way. Nobody wanted to check out it," stated Padilha. "The moment we did direct distribution on 'Elite Squad 2' and introduced Nossa, everyone wants to get it done.Inch Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com