Kahli Small, who worked on the films Bohemian Rhapsody and Milk, died on Sunday. She was 53.
She began her career with Focus Features, joining in 2003 as a production executive who contributed to the creation of the films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Milk and Eastern Promises, among 20 films. She spent her last four years there as an Evp.
From there, she joined production company Gk Films as Evp of production and development, helping to develop Bohemian Rhapsody into an Academy Award winner.
Small then joined NBC as Svp of drama development, and rose to Evp at the network.
“This is heartbreaking. Kahli Small was first and foremost a filmmaker’s executive,” said a statement from Focus Features CEO James Schamus, co-founder David Linde, and former president John Lyons. “For Kahli, a project was only worth championing if it commanded true passion from great talent. And champion she did: every...
She began her career with Focus Features, joining in 2003 as a production executive who contributed to the creation of the films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Milk and Eastern Promises, among 20 films. She spent her last four years there as an Evp.
From there, she joined production company Gk Films as Evp of production and development, helping to develop Bohemian Rhapsody into an Academy Award winner.
Small then joined NBC as Svp of drama development, and rose to Evp at the network.
“This is heartbreaking. Kahli Small was first and foremost a filmmaker’s executive,” said a statement from Focus Features CEO James Schamus, co-founder David Linde, and former president John Lyons. “For Kahli, a project was only worth championing if it commanded true passion from great talent. And champion she did: every...
- 5/30/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Kahli Small, a veteran film executive who worked on “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Milk,” died on Sunday. She was 53.
Small joined Focus Features as a production exec in 2004 and contributed to the production of several films, including “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Milk” and “Eastern Promises.” She also worked on “Sin Nombre” and advocated strongly for then-first-time filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga. She later joined the production company Gk Films as executive vice president of production and development, and was involved in the development of the Oscar-winning movie “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Like many independent film executives, she later moved into television, becoming senior vice president of drama development at NBC and later an executive vice president at the network.
“This is heartbreaking. Kahli Small was first and foremost a filmmaker’s executive,” Focus Features CEO James Schamus, co-founder David Linde and former president John Lyons said. “For Kahli, a project was only...
Small joined Focus Features as a production exec in 2004 and contributed to the production of several films, including “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Milk” and “Eastern Promises.” She also worked on “Sin Nombre” and advocated strongly for then-first-time filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga. She later joined the production company Gk Films as executive vice president of production and development, and was involved in the development of the Oscar-winning movie “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Like many independent film executives, she later moved into television, becoming senior vice president of drama development at NBC and later an executive vice president at the network.
“This is heartbreaking. Kahli Small was first and foremost a filmmaker’s executive,” Focus Features CEO James Schamus, co-founder David Linde and former president John Lyons said. “For Kahli, a project was only...
- 5/30/2019
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Kahli Small is moving to the small screen. The veteran film executive, who most recently served as executive vice president of production and development at Graham King's Gk Films, has been tapped as NBC Entertainment's senior vice president, drama development, NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke said Monday. Also read: Mark Burnett's 'The Bible' Sequel Gets Greenlight -- at NBC, Not History Small, whose history also includes eight years as a production executive at Focus Features, oversaw the development of Sony's upcoming Freddie Mercury biopic, which will star "Borat" funnyman Sasha Baron Cohen. Other...
- 7/22/2013
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Kahli Small has exited her post as Evp Production & Development at Graham King's Gk Films, a person familiar with the situation told TheWrap. There have been a number of changes at Gk Films recently, including the departure of Svp Grey Rembert and COO Bahman Naraghi in April. Last year, the company hired Abby Ex, as vice president for production & development, from The Weinstein Company. Ex reported to Small. Gk Films did not immediately return TheWrap's requests for comment. Before joining Focus, Small was head of production at Key Entertainment and an...
- 9/7/2012
- by Liza Foreman
- The Wrap
Gk Films COO Bahman Naraghi and Svp Grey Rembert have left the company. Naraghi stepped down to pursue producing interests outside of the Graham King-run company while Rembert, whose focus was developing books, was laid off. Development execs Kahli Small and recently hired Abby Ex will continue in their roles. Films going into production in 2012 include the musical Jersey Boys, an untitled Freddie Mercury biopic starring Sacha Baron Cohen and the comedy Little White Corvette, which King will oversee directly. Since the success of the animated Paramount film Rango, released in March 2011, King's company has had three sizable box office disappointments. The
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- 4/3/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Graham King has lured seven-year Focus Features production exec Kahli Small to join Gk Films as Evp of Production and Development. Based in Santa Monica, she reports directly to King. Small supervised Focus projects Milk, Eastern Promises and The American. This past year, Gk Films produced Gore Verbinski's animated Rango, voiced by frequent Gk Films collaborator Johnny Depp, for Paramount; Ben Affleck's The Town for Warner Bros., and The Tourist, starring Depp for Sony. King also has a long relationship with Martin Scorsese, whose 3-D Hugo Cabret is due November 23 from Paramount. Gk Films' distribution company FilmDistrict will release writer-director William Monahan's crime drama London Boulevard starring Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley and Depp production The Rum Diary, in which he stars. Depp's Infinitum ...
- 5/2/2011
- Thompson on Hollywood
Graham King's Gk Films has hired Focus Features exec Kahli Small to be executive vice president of production and development. She will report directly to King and will work out of Gk's Santa Monica headquarters. Kahli is a seven-year vet of Focus Features and most recently held the title of executive vice president of production and development. Her projects have included the Oscar-nominated Harvey Milk biopic Milk, the David Cronenberg-directed Viggo Mortensen-starrer Eastern Promises, and The American, which starred George Clooney. Before Focus, she was head of production at Key Entertainment, and was an exec at MGM. "Her reputation in the industry and track record for success are exactly the qualities that we are looking for in executives as we expand our company," King said in a statement. The appointment comes at a time when Gk (run by King and partner Tim Headington) are gearing up on several major projects.
- 5/2/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Kahli Small has been named executive VP of production and development at Graham King's Gk Films. Moving over from Focus Features, she'll will report directly to King. Before becoming executive VP at Focus, she was senior VP, production and VP, production. She worked at Focus for seven years. At Focus, she was supervising executive on "Milk," "Eastern Promises" and "The American." Prior to working at Focus, she was an independent producer and head of production at Key Entertainment, a co-financing and production company. She's also been a production executive at MGM.
- 5/2/2011
- by Joshua L. Weinstein
- The Wrap
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Production began today on Paul Weitz’s as-yet-untitled film adaptation of Nick Flynn’s 2004 memoir entitled “Another Bulls—t Night in Suck City.”
The Focus Features stars Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore, Paul Dano, Dale Dickey (“Winter’s Bone”), Lili Taylor and Olivia Thirlby. It tells the story of Nick Flynn (Dano), a young writer who takes a job at a homeless shelter where he discovers his long-absent father Jonathan (De Niro) seeking a bed. Moore portrays the writer’s mother Jody, while Thirlby portrays Denise, a worker at the shelter.
“Nick’s memoir was emotional, ruefully funny, and powerfully moving. Paul’s movie looks to honor Nick’s experiences – and his father’s. We are privileged to be working with these filmmakers and talent to tell this story,” said Focus CEO James Schamus.
Weitz commented, “I’ve been working on this script for seven years,...
Hollywoodnews.com: Production began today on Paul Weitz’s as-yet-untitled film adaptation of Nick Flynn’s 2004 memoir entitled “Another Bulls—t Night in Suck City.”
The Focus Features stars Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore, Paul Dano, Dale Dickey (“Winter’s Bone”), Lili Taylor and Olivia Thirlby. It tells the story of Nick Flynn (Dano), a young writer who takes a job at a homeless shelter where he discovers his long-absent father Jonathan (De Niro) seeking a bed. Moore portrays the writer’s mother Jody, while Thirlby portrays Denise, a worker at the shelter.
“Nick’s memoir was emotional, ruefully funny, and powerfully moving. Paul’s movie looks to honor Nick’s experiences – and his father’s. We are privileged to be working with these filmmakers and talent to tell this story,” said Focus CEO James Schamus.
Weitz commented, “I’ve been working on this script for seven years,...
- 3/8/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
Academy Award winner and jack of all trades actor George Clooney is going back in front of the camera once again starring in Anton Corbijn’s “The American”. Focus Features’ most recent suspecnse thriller begins filming in Italy, which is actually based off of a novel called A Very Private Gentlemen.
Alone among assassins, Jack (played by Mr. Clooney) is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact Larry (Bruce Altman of this fall’s Peter and Vandy) that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten of Focus’ award-winning In Bruges), is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself,...
Alone among assassins, Jack (played by Mr. Clooney) is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact Larry (Bruce Altman of this fall’s Peter and Vandy) that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten of Focus’ award-winning In Bruges), is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself,...
- 9/28/2009
- by Melissa Molina
- Atomic Popcorn
Noah Baumbach made one of my favorite rewatchable films ever … Kicking and Screaming. And no, I’m not talking about the Will Ferrell flick. So, because of that, I will always watch anything Baumbach does, even Mr. Jealousy and Highball.
Now comes word Baumbach is joining forces with Stiller.
Here’s the press release from Focus Features …
Production began last week in Los Angeles on the untitled film starring Ben Stiller for writer/director Noah Baumbach, an Academy Award nominee for his original screenplay of The Squid and the Whale (which he also directed). Scott Rudin, an Academy Award winner as producer of No Country for Old Men, and Jennifer Jason Leigh are producing the movie, to which Focus Features holds worldwide rights. Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today.
Mr. Baumbach has written the original screenplay from a story conceived by Ms. Leigh and himself. At a crossroads in his life,...
Now comes word Baumbach is joining forces with Stiller.
Here’s the press release from Focus Features …
Production began last week in Los Angeles on the untitled film starring Ben Stiller for writer/director Noah Baumbach, an Academy Award nominee for his original screenplay of The Squid and the Whale (which he also directed). Scott Rudin, an Academy Award winner as producer of No Country for Old Men, and Jennifer Jason Leigh are producing the movie, to which Focus Features holds worldwide rights. Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today.
Mr. Baumbach has written the original screenplay from a story conceived by Ms. Leigh and himself. At a crossroads in his life,...
- 4/2/2009
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
Werner Herzog will write and direct The Piano Tuner, a lush Victorian-era drama about a Brit's journey to war-torn Burma, for Focus Features. Mandalay Independent Pictures' Cathy Schulman is a producer on the project.
Based on Daniel Mason's 2002 debut novel, the story centers on Edgar Drake, a man sent to a remote village in the late 1800s to repair an eccentric military man's piano. Drake falls in love with a Burmese woman and her country, but as the officer wins over locals through music and medicine, things grow treacherous when his troops begin to suspect him of treason.
Tuner is right up the intense helmer's alley. Herzog has directed several films about men venturing into exotic locales (Rescue Dawn, Grizzly Man, Fitzcarraldo), but this will be his biggest English-language costume drama in more than four decades as a filmmaker.
The original screen adaptation by Peter Buchman is being rewritten by Herzog. Focus Features executives John Lyons and Kahli Small will oversee the project for the studio.
Based on Daniel Mason's 2002 debut novel, the story centers on Edgar Drake, a man sent to a remote village in the late 1800s to repair an eccentric military man's piano. Drake falls in love with a Burmese woman and her country, but as the officer wins over locals through music and medicine, things grow treacherous when his troops begin to suspect him of treason.
Tuner is right up the intense helmer's alley. Herzog has directed several films about men venturing into exotic locales (Rescue Dawn, Grizzly Man, Fitzcarraldo), but this will be his biggest English-language costume drama in more than four decades as a filmmaker.
The original screen adaptation by Peter Buchman is being rewritten by Herzog. Focus Features executives John Lyons and Kahli Small will oversee the project for the studio.
Focus Features is staffing up its production department as part of its effort to increase its film slate for Focus and its genre division Rogue Pictures. Co-presidents David Linde and James Schamus said Thursday that Focus has hired Jill Morris as senior vp production from the Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group. She will relocate to the East Coast, reporting to president of production John Lyons. Focus also announced the promotion of Kahli Small to senior vp production and David Gerson to creative executive. Gerson also will work out of New York but Small will remain based in Los Angeles.
- 8/25/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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