Art-house film agent Fortissimo, which brought quality Asian cinema to the world, closes after 25 years
Company had played a pivotal role in bringing work by Wong Kar-wai and Fruit Chan to a wider audience, but says it struggled to adapt to ‘the new realities and dynamics’ in the film business
One of the world’s most esteemed sales agents of Asian and art-house films has filed for voluntary bankruptcy under the rules and laws of the Netherlands, marking the end of a 25-year run in the business. Fortissimo Films’ court filing on Tuesday was approved, and an administrator has been appointed by the court to take over and decide on the company’s next moves.
Fortissimo had long been revered for its cutting-edge taste for specialist titles. Over the years, it has marketed a variety of modern classics, from Wong Kar-wai’s 2046 (2004) to the 2014 Berlin Golden Bear winner Black Coal, Thin Ice.
Other notable titles in its impressive catalogue include Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus (2006), and documentaries such as Super Size Me (2004), Capturing the Friedmans (2003), and Martin Scorsese’s Shine a Light (2008).