Seville Pictures and Maximum Film Distribution join forces in Canada for theatrical distribution
10 March 2008
JOINT VENTURE CREATES SINGLE SALES AND
MARKETING
TEAM FOR THEATRICAL RELEASING IN CANADA
Toronto, Canada, March 10, 2008: New and rapidly expanding Canadian film distribution companies, Maximum Film Distribution (Maximum) and Entertainment One (E1) subsidiary Seville Pictures (Seville) announced today the creation of a joint venture for the theatrical release of their feature films in Canada. The deal is effective immediately and is designed to create an administrative joint venture structure for all marketing, advertising, publicity, promotions, sales, reporting and collections functions related to the Canadian theatrical distribution of Maximum Films and E1’s Seville Pictures.
Under the agreement, each company will retain control over all aspects of the theatrical release of their respective films, and each company’s films will continue to be released under their own Maximum and Seville labels. The companies will continue to acquire films independently or, where warranted, in partnership.
The joint endeavour will be managed by David Reckziegel, Co-President of Seville Pictures and by Bryan Gliserman, Managing Director of Maximum Films.
“Seville and Maximum jointly acquired some films in the past few months. This joint venture expands on this relationship allowing both companies to benefit from synergies, at a time when the balance of power in the Canadian film distribution marketplace is being redefined.” said Seville Co-President David Reckziegel.
Maximum Managing Director Bryan Gliserman added, “We are very pleased to be joining forces with Seville. The agreement allows both parties to combine resources to create a stellar distribution team with terrific synergy. The result will be maximum box office impact.”
The joint venture will handle motion pictures from each company’s current and future suppliers including Summit Entertainment, Lakeshore Entertainment, Cinetic Media, Magnolia Pictures, and IFC amongst others. The deal was negotiated by Patrice Theroux and David Reckziegel of Seville Pictures; and Mark Musselman and Bryan Gliserman of Maximum Film Distribution.
Most recently, Seville released the Genie nominated feature SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL and the box-office success LE DERNIER CONTINENT, from documentary director Jean Lemire. Each of these films grossed over $1 million in Canada.
Upcoming pictures from Seville include the American remake of the German hit FUNNY GAMES (March 14) from writer/director Michael Haneke and starring Oscar® Nominees Naomi Watts and Tim Roth; NEVER BACK DOWN (March 14) featuring Sean Faris and Oscar® Nominee Djimon Hounsou; the genre-bending Japanese SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO (August 8) from Takashi Miiki that premiered at the Venice Film Festival; ASSASSINATION OF A HIGHSCHOOL PRESIDENT starring Golden Globe® winner Bruce Willis (August 8); BAFTA® winning director Peter Hewitt’s THE LONELY MAIDEN (October 17) starring Academy Award® winners Morgan Freeman and Christopher Walken; SPLICE from Genie® nominated director Vincenzo Natali and starring Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody and Terry Gilliam’s THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS featuring an all-star cast including Heath Ledger in his final role.
Maximum’s upcoming releases include ADORATION written and directed by Academy Award® nominated Atom Egoyan, starring Rachel Blanchard, Scott Speedman and Arsinée Khanjian; MY WINNIPEG, written and directed by Guy Maddin, winner of the Best Canadian Feature Film Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. PATHOLOGY (April 18) starring Milo Ventimiglia; the Toronto Film Festival Opening Film FUGITIVE PIECES (May 2), based on the international best seller by Anne Michaels, directed by Genie® award winning Jeremy Podeswa, and produced by Golden Globe nominee Robert Lantos. SUNSHINE CLEANING featuring Golden Globe® and Academy Award® nominated actresses Amy Adams and Emily Blunt; Gus Van Sant’s PARANOID PARK; Shira Geffen’s Isreali film JELLYFISH (Muduzot), winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s Golden Camera in 2007; Kenneth Brannagh’s THE MAGIC FLUTE; Isabel Coixet’s ELEGY featuring Oscar® winner Ben Kingsley and Academy Award® nominated actress Penelope Cruz; Stephen Leslie’s comedy-horror pic RELEASE, to be produced by Damian Jones (THE HISTORY BOYS); and HENRY POOLE IS HERE starring Luke Wilson, George Lopez and Radha Mitchell.
For further information, please contact:
DDA Public Relations
Lawrence Atkinson
E:
lawrence.atkinson@ddapr.com
T: +44 (0) 20 7932 9800
Alice Gledhill Hall
E:
alice.gledhillhall@ddapr.com
T: +44 (0) 20 7932 9800
Note to the Editors:
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE: ETO) AIM listed, Entertainment One Ltd's strategy is to build a leading global independent entertainment content ownership and distribution business which acquires films, television programs and music content and exploits these rights in all media throughout the world. Entertainment One is one of the world’s leading international entertainment companies with operations in Canada, the U.S, Benelux and the UK, where it distributes, acquires and owns filmed entertainment and music content in all medias. Entertainment One also owns Koch Entertainment, the largest independent record label in North America and a leading independent distributor of music and video in the United States. www.entertainmentonegroup.com
Maximum Film Distribution Inc. Maximum Film Distribution is a full service Canadian motion picture distributor. Maximum acquires Canadian rights to quality motion pictures from Canada, the United States and the rest of the world. Maximum has forged strategic partnerships with both domestic and international producers, distributors and film sales agents. Current suppliers include Lakeshore Entertainment, Cinetic Media, IFC, Magnolia Pictures/HDNet Films and Fortissimo Films. Maximum distributes its films in both the English and French language, across all media.