You know, it’s been far too long since we’ve talked about the controversy surrounding the release of “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.” Checking our extensive “tag” on the film (which goes over 6 pages of news items), it looks like it’s been about a month since we’ve discussed Terry Gilliam’s latest film. So, what’s new in regards to the rights issue? Surprise, surprise, there was another court case with the two sides interpreting it completely differently.
Recently, ex-‘Don Quixote’ producer Paulo Branco won a case in Spain, which stated that the contract he signed with Terry Gilliam was improperly terminated. Now, if you’re Branco, you believe that this means you are the sole rights holder to the film and any money received since the film’s production belongs to you. Now, in the case of Tornasol, Entre Chien et Loup, Kinology and Ukbar (and Gilliam), since they actually financed the production, they believe that Branco has a claim for damages, but not the rights.
And so the story goes, on and on.
Branco released a statement after the most recent ruling saying, “Alfama Films and Leopardo Filmes will assert their right to compensation for all damages and request reimbursement of all monies illegally collected by all who participated in this operation of usurping rights that do not belong to them.”
And in response, the true financiers of the project released another statement (via Deadline) that claim the exact opposite:
“The Spanish ruling of July 13 is not a final judgment as it will be appealed, therefore it is not definitive. Moreover, Alfama and Leopardo didn’t make any financial contribution to the film, so they are not the producers.
“All contracts signed by the co-producers of ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ are valid for exploitation. The film’s producers Tornasol, Entre Chien et Loup, Kinology and Ukbar are responsible for its financing alongside other financiers. Alfama has to stop sending malicious interpretations of the French, English and Spanish judgments.”
Look, we’ve been covering the legal proceedings regarding this film for months now, and it feels like the two parties are just going in circles. Luckily for film fans in certain European countries, “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” has already been released and continues its expansion. However, all this bickering between parties means that for the rest of the world, we have to wait even longer to see Gilliam’s passion project.
The next course of action is obvious. Cage match. Let’s finish this now, please. Thanks!