The European Film Market (EFM), held in Berlin, is a dynamic hub for international film sales, showcasing a diverse array of projects ranging from highly anticipated adaptations to original thrillers and dramas. This year's market is particularly notable for the global sales launch of the live-action adaptation of the acclaimed soccer manga, “Blue Lock,” through Goodfellas’ sports label Round 12.

The “Blue Lock” film, with a theatrical release set for August 7 in Japan across approximately 350 screens by Toho, is strategically timed to coincide with the Soccer World Cup. This live-action take on the popular manga, which has sold over 50 million copies across 24 languages globally, centers on protagonist Yoichi Isagi, played by Fumiya Takahashi. The narrative follows 300 high school soccer players who enter a ruthless secret training facility, devised by the eccentric Jinpachi Ego (portrayed by Japan Academy Film Prize winner Masataka Kubota), with the singular goal of forging the world’s greatest striker. The stakes are high, as only one player will succeed, while elimination means permanent exclusion from Japan’s National Team. The film is directed by Yusuke Taki, known for Netflix’s “In Love and Deep Water,” and features a comprehensive ensemble cast including Kaito Sakurai, Joey Iwanaga, and Yuki Kura. Produced by Kodansha and Credeus, with support from the Japan Football Association and J.League, the project highlights significant international interest, building on the success of its 2022 anime series and the theatrical feature “Blue Lock: Episode Nagi,” which grossed $23.3 million worldwide.

Beyond “Blue Lock,” the EFM is attracting buyers with a rich assortment of star-studded productions. Emma Roberts leads the cast in Stephen Cognetti’s horror film “A Body in the Woods,” where she plays Alice Lincoln, a woman confronting unsettling disturbances in a remote cabin plagued by witch legends. Michael Shannon takes on the titular villain role in John Erick Dowdle’s contemporary take on “Doctor Caligari’s Cabinet of Wonders,” involving a mesmerist, a sleepwalker, and a trail of grisly murders. Kristen Stewart and Woody Harrelson star in Quentin Dupieux’s “Full Phil,” a comedic tale of a business magnate attempting to reconnect with his daughter in Paris, only for their trip to be disrupted by various eccentricities.

High-profile actors continue to headline other offerings. Daisy Ridley is Dr. Rosalind Carver in Pierre Morel’s thriller “The Good Samaritan,” where a rescue at sea spirals into a deadly conspiracy in Indonesia. Javier Bardem and Kate Hudson team up for Elizabeth Chomko’s romantic comedy “Hello & Paris,” exploring a transatlantic exchange between a landscape architect and a novelist. Benedict Cumberbatch is attached to Babak Anvari’s war drama “Last Flight,” depicting a young Afghan man’s desperate fight for safe passage during wartime. Ana de Armas portrays an ambitious fitness influencer, Emma Kent, in J Blakeson’s “Sweat,” navigating the perilous pursuit of fame in a story inspired by a Polish film.

The market also features distinctive genre pieces such as Adrian Chiarella’s “Leviticus,” a horror film about two teenage boys escaping a violent entity, and JT Mollner’s “Skeletons,” a creature horror told from a young boy’s perspective discovering a disturbing secret about his mother. Laika’s stop-motion animated feature “Wildwood,” boasting a voice cast including Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, and Awkwafina, tells the story of a teenager rescuing her baby brother from crows in an enchanted forest. Additionally, Simon Woods’ “The Worst” brings together Keira Knightley, Alicia Vikander, and Jamie Dornan in a socialite gathering where dark secrets unravel. The European Film Market thus underscores its pivotal role in bringing diverse and compelling cinematic narratives to global audiences, solidifying its reputation as a crucial event for the film industry.