MUMBAI: Los Angeles based Fantastic Films International (FFI) won an arbitration award currently totalling over $2.26 million against German filmmaker Uwe Boll personally and against several of his companies.
FFI was the exclusive worldwide sales agent for such Boll films as Bloodrayne, In The Name of The King, Far Cry and Postal and secured numerous distribution deals for those films. The Arbitrator found that Boll had either taken those deals out from under FFI or had otherwise failed to pay FFI commissions due for the sales in over 45 countries. The Arbitrator also awarded FFI and FFI president Roxane Barbat $200,000 in libel damages after Boll sent an email to FFI’s buyers disparaging FFI.
Lincoln Bandlow of L&G (formerly of SSAB), lead counsel for FFI, said the Arbitrator found elements of Boll’s oral testimony about events that were in direct conflict with written emails from Boll that were introduced into evidence. Other emails from Boll to Barbat revealed Boll’s objectionable business practices with statements such as: "may the best agent win" and "it is ok to sell to two buyers. The first one to pay gets the picture." The Arbitrator found Boll’s testimony to be, in large part, not credible.
"The Arbitrator’s rulings and IFTA and Los Angeles Superior Court approved award of damages to FFI is validation of our claim of breach of contract. My clients are happy to see that their hard work in securing numerous distribution deals on behalf of Mr. Boll and his films will finally be rewarded. We are currently pursuing every avenue to collect this award," said Bandlow.
