Vertigo Films announces deal with Contender Home Entertainment for DVD distribution
06 March 2008
Current theatrical release WΔZ first title to fall under the deal
London, 6th March, 2008: Vertigo Films announced today that it has signed a deal with Contender Home Entertainment to handle DVD distribution for its forthcoming theatrical releases.
The deal covers the DVD releases of Vertigo Films' up coming slate of 9 pictures produced or acquired that they release theatrically. The first release that the two companies partner on will be their current highly acclaimed serial killer thriller WΔZ, starring Stellan Skarsgård, Ashley Walters, Melissa George and Selma Blair.
Other titles covered under the agreement are Rupert Wyatt's highly acclaimed prison thriller THE ESCAPIST, the stylish U.S. indie rom-com IN SEARCH OF A MIDNIGHT KISS, the co-production with MySpace and the UK's first user-generated film FAINTHEART. Also included will be the debut feature from Sundance-winning* director Simon Ellis DOGGING: A LOVE STORY, SHOTGUN STORIES from first time Director Jeff Nichols, Kenny Glenaan's SUMMER, Tom Shankland's THE DAY, and Nicolas Winding Refn's BRONSON that details the life of Britain's most notorious prisoner, Charles Bronson.
The deal was negotiated between Vertigo Films' Producer and Head of Distribution, Rupert Preston, and Director, Contender Home Entertainment, Jon Bourdillon. DVD marketing will be overseen by Head of Marketing for Contender Home Entertainment, Matt Brightwell.
Commenting on the deal, Vertigo's Rupert Preston said: "I'm thrilled that Contender Home Entertainment will handle the distribution of Vertigo Films DVD releases. The team share the same passion and vision for film marketing which will lead to stand out campaigns and significant DVD sales."
Contender's Jon Bourdillon follows: "We are very pleased that Vertigo Films have chosen Contender Home Entertainment as their home entertainment partner. Their decision reflects well on the Contender Sales & Marketing team."
Adds Contender's Matt Brightwell: "We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with Vertigo Films on such a diverse slate of titles, all of which have fantastic DVD potential, and we look forward to realising that potential and making a real impact on the DVD market."
For more information please contact:
Vertigo Films:
Wahida Begum
T: +44 (0)207 428 7555
F: +44(0)207 485 9713
E:
mail@vertigofilms.com
Contender Home Entertainment
Matt Brightwell
Head of Marketing
T: 020 7907 3778
* Simon Ellis's short film SOFT won the international jury prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival as well as a BAFTA nomination
Notes to Editors:
Vertigo Films
Vertigo Films is a UK film and media production and distribution
company, founded in 2002 by producers Allan Niblo, James
Richardson, Rupert Preston and Director Nick Love.
Forthcoming productions for 2008 include Tom Shankland's horror
film The Day, Bronson directed by Danish award winner Nicolas
Winding Refn, The Trail directed by Rupert Wyatt and two films by
Nick Love - a contemporary remake of The Sweeney and an untitled
project. Vertigo will be also releasing several movies in 2008 -
the Vertigo produced Faintheart - the first user generated feature
made in conjunction with MySpace and Film4, Sundance entry The
Escapist, the award winning Shotgun Stories, forthcoming feature
from director Kenny Glenann SUMMER starring Robert Carlyle, and
DOGGING: A LOVE STORY.
www.vertigofilms.com
Contender Entertainment Group (CEG)
Contender Entertainment Group (CEG) was founded in 1995 and was
acquired by Entertainment One Ltd in the summer of 2007,
immediately making it one of the leading film companies in the
UK.
www.contendergroup.com
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE: ETO)
Admitted to trading on AIM on 29 March 2007, Entertainment One
Ltd’s strategy is to build a leading international
independent entertainment content ownership and distribution
business which acquires filmed product for distribution in
theatrical, television, cable, satellite and DVD markets throughout
the world. Entertainment One is the largest distributor of
home entertainment products in the Canadian market. With the
acquisition of Seville Entertainment in Canada, it will become an
increasing presence in the theatrical and international sales
markets as well. Entertainment One also owns Contender, one
of the leading independent UK distributors of filmed entertainment,
Koch Entertainment, the largest independent record label in North
America and a leading independent distributor of music and video in
the United States, and RCV Entertainment, the leading independent
Benelux film distributor.
www.entertainmentonegroup.com