"Love" Spat turns Legal

Emmanuel Benbihy, producer of the "Love Cities" series currently including "Paris, Je t'aime" and "New York, I Love You," is taking the production of film project "Love Berlin - How We Met" to trial for copyright infringement and unfair competition, according to "The Hollywood Reporter: The Daily Cannes."  The principles on "Love Berlin," Visitor Pictures, Sherazade Films, and the Very Useful Co., are filing a countersuit.  One can understand Benbihy's unhappiness with the "Love Berlin" project, as it would create some consumer confusion, especially as the project includes some of the same producers that worked with Benbihy on the other "Love Cities" projects, and is very similar in format.  "Love Berlin" plans to shoot ten short pieces on people and their relationships with each other and the city.  Telepool, a world sales agent for "Love Berlin" was served a notice of seizure on Tuesday. Since the film is not scheduled to start filming until later this year and no pre-sales have yet been made, there was not much to seize, only a photograph of the booth at the marche and the flyer promoting the film.  However, a Telepool executive stated they are still conducting business as usual in relation to "Love Berlin."  One will have to wait and see if filming begins as scheduled with all the legal issues attached to the project.  Other cities Benbihy is planning to work with are Shanghai, Jerusalem and Rio.  

-Melissa Evanko