Neon Promotes Elissa Federoff to Chief Distribution Officer, Ryan Friscia to Chief Financial Officer
Neon, the indie studio behind “Anatomy of a Fall” and “Parasite,” has made a pair of key promotions.
Elissa Federoff has been named chief distribution officer, having previously served as president of distribution, while Ryan Friscia has been upped to chief financial officer, having previously served as the company’s EVP of finance and business development.
Federoff has been with Neon since its inception in 2017. In her new role, she will continue to oversee the company’s release strategy across all its titles. Recent Neon releases include Michael Mohan’s “Immaculate,” starring Sydney Sweeney, which has grossed more than $16 million; Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days,” which earned an Oscar nomination for best international feature; and “Anatomy of a Fall,” which was nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards and won the Oscar for original screenplay.
Friscia joined Neon in 2020, helping to guide the company’s financial and operational strategy, which...
Elissa Federoff has been named chief distribution officer, having previously served as president of distribution, while Ryan Friscia has been upped to chief financial officer, having previously served as the company’s EVP of finance and business development.
Federoff has been with Neon since its inception in 2017. In her new role, she will continue to oversee the company’s release strategy across all its titles. Recent Neon releases include Michael Mohan’s “Immaculate,” starring Sydney Sweeney, which has grossed more than $16 million; Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days,” which earned an Oscar nomination for best international feature; and “Anatomy of a Fall,” which was nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards and won the Oscar for original screenplay.
Friscia joined Neon in 2020, helping to guide the company’s financial and operational strategy, which...
- 5/15/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has promoted Elissa Federoff from president of distribution to chief distribution officer and Ryan Friscia from EVP, finance & business development to chief financial officer.
Federoff has been with the company since its inception in January 2017 and will continue to oversee the company’s release strategy.
The executive has steered Neon to one of its most successful periods at the box office since inception, with Sydney Sweeney starrer Immaculate earning more than $16m, 2023 Palme d’Or winner Anatomy Of A Fall taking more than $5m to become the highest-grossing specialised foreign-language release post-Covid, and Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days on more than $3.7m.
Federoff has been with the company since its inception in January 2017 and will continue to oversee the company’s release strategy.
The executive has steered Neon to one of its most successful periods at the box office since inception, with Sydney Sweeney starrer Immaculate earning more than $16m, 2023 Palme d’Or winner Anatomy Of A Fall taking more than $5m to become the highest-grossing specialised foreign-language release post-Covid, and Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days on more than $3.7m.
- 5/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
Opening soon in a theater near you are “Run Lola Run,” “Interstellar,” “Hereditary,” “Split,” and “Spirited Away.” They join fellow comeback kids “Oldboy,” “Stop Making Sense,” “Coraline,” “Amelié,” and Pixar’s pandemic-era films making their theatrical returns.
Last year’s strikes can take credit for some of this nostalgia: With distributors forced to delay films, theaters are desperate for product. However, desperation is not the only mother of this invention. A24, Neon, and other specialty distributors are treating re-releases as a way to reach younger audiences.
Last year, Neon re-released Park Chan-wook’s 2003 film “Oldboy” to $2.1 million worldwide. At a CinemaCon panel April 8, Neon distribution president Elissa Federoff credited its success to a young audience eager to see it on a big screen for the first time. “What is old is new for these younger audiences,” she said.
A24 is reaching into its own library to bolster its brand, rereleasing...
Last year’s strikes can take credit for some of this nostalgia: With distributors forced to delay films, theaters are desperate for product. However, desperation is not the only mother of this invention. A24, Neon, and other specialty distributors are treating re-releases as a way to reach younger audiences.
Last year, Neon re-released Park Chan-wook’s 2003 film “Oldboy” to $2.1 million worldwide. At a CinemaCon panel April 8, Neon distribution president Elissa Federoff credited its success to a young audience eager to see it on a big screen for the first time. “What is old is new for these younger audiences,” she said.
A24 is reaching into its own library to bolster its brand, rereleasing...
- 4/25/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
A common theme at CinemaCon over the years has been the need for distributors and exhibitors to collaborate more closely and the notion rose to the fore in a CinemaCon session dedicated to mid-budget films on Monday.
Focus Features president of distribution Lisa Bunnell and her counterpart at Neon, Elissa Federoff, argued that films like The Holdovers, Anatomy Of A Fall, and Immaculate need room to breathe and open on a smaller footprint and build word of mouth before expanding wider when a broader audience is ready to watch them.
“We need to be patient with these movies and understand...
Focus Features president of distribution Lisa Bunnell and her counterpart at Neon, Elissa Federoff, argued that films like The Holdovers, Anatomy Of A Fall, and Immaculate need room to breathe and open on a smaller footprint and build word of mouth before expanding wider when a broader audience is ready to watch them.
“We need to be patient with these movies and understand...
- 4/8/2024
- ScreenDaily
The wrestling drama The Iron Claw has quietly grossed $31.5 million domestically at the box office since its Christmas launch, a veritable fortune for an independent film in the post-pandemic age and one of the best showings ever for distributor A24. And it isn’t the only specialty movie doing impressive business these days thanks to a powerful new ally: younger adults.
For years, art house movies relied on the “elderverse,” as one indie executive puts it — i.e., moviegoers over age 35 or 40. But that relationship collapsed during the Covid-19 crisis and has yet to be fully restored. At the same time, the 18-to-34 crowd started snubbing once-surefire genres like superhero fare and began venturing beyond their comfort zone. “Also, people are realizing that streaming is leveling off. There’s less good content to watch at home,” adds Neon distribution chief Elissa Federoff.
“This is the strongest I can remember seeing...
For years, art house movies relied on the “elderverse,” as one indie executive puts it — i.e., moviegoers over age 35 or 40. But that relationship collapsed during the Covid-19 crisis and has yet to be fully restored. At the same time, the 18-to-34 crowd started snubbing once-surefire genres like superhero fare and began venturing beyond their comfort zone. “Also, people are realizing that streaming is leveling off. There’s less good content to watch at home,” adds Neon distribution chief Elissa Federoff.
“This is the strongest I can remember seeing...
- 1/26/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ava DuVernay’s Origin’s theatrical debut grossed a solid $875k on 130 screens with a $7k per-theater average said to be better than Neon anticipated.
The distributor is “thrilled” with the number.
“Working in close collaboration with Ava and her team at Array we’ve built a multi-tiered release plan that began with a high-profile December qualifying run in NY and LA taking full advantage of the Awards corridor, and now expanding nationally in a less crowded marketplace, priming Origin for wider cross-over appeal,” said Neon distribution chief Elissa Federoff.
“It’s heartwarming to see this film connecting with audiences,” she added.
The film starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is based on The New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson’s 2020 book Caste. Her exploration of the historical roots of racism in ways that it’s not quite ever been done before, was a bestseller.
Its short qualifying run in December...
The distributor is “thrilled” with the number.
“Working in close collaboration with Ava and her team at Array we’ve built a multi-tiered release plan that began with a high-profile December qualifying run in NY and LA taking full advantage of the Awards corridor, and now expanding nationally in a less crowded marketplace, priming Origin for wider cross-over appeal,” said Neon distribution chief Elissa Federoff.
“It’s heartwarming to see this film connecting with audiences,” she added.
The film starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is based on The New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson’s 2020 book Caste. Her exploration of the historical roots of racism in ways that it’s not quite ever been done before, was a bestseller.
Its short qualifying run in December...
- 1/21/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
A winter freeze has set in at the domestic box office as theater owners and studios grapple with a slowdown in product due to last year’s labor strikes and resulting production delays.
For the Jan. 19-21 weekend, Paramount’s Mean Girls musical stayed in first place in its second outing with an estimated $11.7 million from 3,826 locations for a domestic total of $50 million. The Tina Fey-penned musical fell more than the filmmakers would have liked, dropping 59 percent.
The only new wide release was Bleecker Street’s I.S.S., a thriller about warring astronauts in their rival space stations. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the film stars Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina.
I.S.S., playing in 2,250 locations, all but crashed to earth with a $3 million domestic debut to come in at No. 7. The pic could have a second life on home entertainment, as well as do solid business in some overseas markets.
For the Jan. 19-21 weekend, Paramount’s Mean Girls musical stayed in first place in its second outing with an estimated $11.7 million from 3,826 locations for a domestic total of $50 million. The Tina Fey-penned musical fell more than the filmmakers would have liked, dropping 59 percent.
The only new wide release was Bleecker Street’s I.S.S., a thriller about warring astronauts in their rival space stations. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the film stars Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina.
I.S.S., playing in 2,250 locations, all but crashed to earth with a $3 million domestic debut to come in at No. 7. The pic could have a second life on home entertainment, as well as do solid business in some overseas markets.
- 1/21/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The “Mean Girls” movie musical topped a sleepy box office as “I.S.S.,” a sci-fi thriller that takes place aboard the International Space Station, misfired in its opening weekend.
“Mean Girls” added $11.7 million in its second weekend of release, bringing its domestic tally to $50 million. Ticket sales dropped a steep 59% from its debut. However, the film’s decline is cushioned by its modest $36 million budget, which makes its box office performance outsized.
Overall, it’s been a desolate weekend for the movie theater business. To punctuate the box office doldrums, three movies in the top five were released around Christmas.
“With no big studio release, this weekend is the kind of ‘hole’ in the 2024 release schedule left by the strikes and pandemic,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research.
This weekend’s only newcomer “I.S.S.” crash-landed in seventh place, collecting just $3 million from 2,520 theaters in its debut.
“Mean Girls” added $11.7 million in its second weekend of release, bringing its domestic tally to $50 million. Ticket sales dropped a steep 59% from its debut. However, the film’s decline is cushioned by its modest $36 million budget, which makes its box office performance outsized.
Overall, it’s been a desolate weekend for the movie theater business. To punctuate the box office doldrums, three movies in the top five were released around Christmas.
“With no big studio release, this weekend is the kind of ‘hole’ in the 2024 release schedule left by the strikes and pandemic,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research.
This weekend’s only newcomer “I.S.S.” crash-landed in seventh place, collecting just $3 million from 2,520 theaters in its debut.
- 1/21/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Searchlight Pictures’ Poor Things from Yorgos Lanthimos earned a stellar $72K per-screen average opening weekend at nine theaters in four markets, for an estimated three-day total of $644K. In a competitive season, this marks the fall’s best limited opening on ten or fewer screens and is in the year’s top three.
The big two for 2023 were heavy hitters Asteroid City by Wes Anderson, from Focus Features, which had a $100k+ PSA in six theaters in June; and A24’s Beau Is Afraid by Ari Aster that took in $80K per screen last spring at four locations. Both had notable activations like Focus’ takeover of the Landmark Sunset, and Beau starting out on Imax. For Poor Things, Lanthimos and the film’s stars Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and Ramy Youssef have been doing sold out Q&As around NYC over the weekend.
In an abundance of riches this weekend,...
The big two for 2023 were heavy hitters Asteroid City by Wes Anderson, from Focus Features, which had a $100k+ PSA in six theaters in June; and A24’s Beau Is Afraid by Ari Aster that took in $80K per screen last spring at four locations. Both had notable activations like Focus’ takeover of the Landmark Sunset, and Beau starting out on Imax. For Poor Things, Lanthimos and the film’s stars Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and Ramy Youssef have been doing sold out Q&As around NYC over the weekend.
In an abundance of riches this weekend,...
- 12/10/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
“We have seen titles doing the best they’ve ever done before in this ‘unhealthy’ marketplace.”
In a keynote address at Sunday’s (November 12) IDFA distribution panel Neon’s president of distribution Elissa Federoff gave a surprisingly upbeat assessment of prospects for the US and global independent documentary sector.
While acknowledging the market is “down” and that there are fewer titles being released that in the pre-Covid period, Federoff claimed that “in many ways, the box office is healthier than ever”.
Box office has decreased by around 20% since 2019 which the executive suggested was largely because there are 20% fewer titles being released.
In a keynote address at Sunday’s (November 12) IDFA distribution panel Neon’s president of distribution Elissa Federoff gave a surprisingly upbeat assessment of prospects for the US and global independent documentary sector.
While acknowledging the market is “down” and that there are fewer titles being released that in the pre-Covid period, Federoff claimed that “in many ways, the box office is healthier than ever”.
Box office has decreased by around 20% since 2019 which the executive suggested was largely because there are 20% fewer titles being released.
- 11/14/2023
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
28 selected projects pitched to sales agents and distributors.
A new documentary project from Prayers For The Stolen director Tatiana Huezo was among the prize-winners at the fifth edition of European Work in Progress (Ewip), held in Cologne October 17-19.
An international jury including mk2 films’ head of acquisitions Olivier Barbier, Directors’ Fortnight artistic director Julien Rejl and German director-producer-actress Saralisa Volm awarded in-kind prizes worth a total of €60,000, after the 28 selected projects had been pitched to sales agents and distributors.
The K13 Studios award of €10,000 in Dolby Atmos mixing went to Huezo’s documentary The Echo, a documentary about children...
A new documentary project from Prayers For The Stolen director Tatiana Huezo was among the prize-winners at the fifth edition of European Work in Progress (Ewip), held in Cologne October 17-19.
An international jury including mk2 films’ head of acquisitions Olivier Barbier, Directors’ Fortnight artistic director Julien Rejl and German director-producer-actress Saralisa Volm awarded in-kind prizes worth a total of €60,000, after the 28 selected projects had been pitched to sales agents and distributors.
The K13 Studios award of €10,000 in Dolby Atmos mixing went to Huezo’s documentary The Echo, a documentary about children...
- 10/19/2022
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Click here to read the full article.
Top Gun: Maverick isn’t the only 2022 movie to fly higher than imagined.
The other is A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, which has earned a spectacular 68.3 million-plus domestically in a much-needed boost for the specialty film business, which has yet to recover fully from the Covid-19 crisis. Everything Everywhere opened March 25 in only 10 theaters, the majority of which were in New York and Los Angeles.
Those two cities, along with locales including San Francisco or Chicago, have always been the breeding ground for indie titles, which depend upon word of mouth to attract moviegoers, versus a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign required for a nationwide release.
Everything Everywhere was so popular that it ultimately played in 2,220 locations and stayed on the marquee for months.
When the pandemic struck in early 2020, specialty companies could no longer rely on a traditional platform release and had...
Top Gun: Maverick isn’t the only 2022 movie to fly higher than imagined.
The other is A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, which has earned a spectacular 68.3 million-plus domestically in a much-needed boost for the specialty film business, which has yet to recover fully from the Covid-19 crisis. Everything Everywhere opened March 25 in only 10 theaters, the majority of which were in New York and Los Angeles.
Those two cities, along with locales including San Francisco or Chicago, have always been the breeding ground for indie titles, which depend upon word of mouth to attract moviegoers, versus a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign required for a nationwide release.
Everything Everywhere was so popular that it ultimately played in 2,220 locations and stayed on the marquee for months.
When the pandemic struck in early 2020, specialty companies could no longer rely on a traditional platform release and had...
- 8/19/2022
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Theatrical release coming in 2023.
Cinema Guild has acquired North American rights from Finecut to Hong Sang-Soo’s Walk Up ahead of its world premiere net month at TIFF.
The prolific South Korean filmmaker’s latest stars Kwon Haehyo as a film director who goes with his daughter Jeongsu (Park Miso) to a building owned by an old friend (Lee Hyeyoung).
The director steps outside for a work call, only to return to the same place, albeit set in a different time.
Walk Up will also play in competition at San Sebastián. Cinema Guild will open the film theatrically next year...
Cinema Guild has acquired North American rights from Finecut to Hong Sang-Soo’s Walk Up ahead of its world premiere net month at TIFF.
The prolific South Korean filmmaker’s latest stars Kwon Haehyo as a film director who goes with his daughter Jeongsu (Park Miso) to a building owned by an old friend (Lee Hyeyoung).
The director steps outside for a work call, only to return to the same place, albeit set in a different time.
Walk Up will also play in competition at San Sebastián. Cinema Guild will open the film theatrically next year...
- 8/8/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Season 3 of ’The Kingdom Exodus’ set to premiere at Venice Film Festival.
Danish director Lars von Trier has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, his producer has confirmed.
A statement from Louise Vesth of Zentropa said von Trier was “in good spirits” and receiving treatment in the run-up to the Venice world premiere of The Kingdom Exodus (Riget), Season 3 of his series that debuted in 1994.
“In agreement with Lars von Trier we want to inform you that Lars was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease just before the summer holidays,” the statement said.
“In order to avoid any speculation about his...
Danish director Lars von Trier has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, his producer has confirmed.
A statement from Louise Vesth of Zentropa said von Trier was “in good spirits” and receiving treatment in the run-up to the Venice world premiere of The Kingdom Exodus (Riget), Season 3 of his series that debuted in 1994.
“In agreement with Lars von Trier we want to inform you that Lars was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease just before the summer holidays,” the statement said.
“In order to avoid any speculation about his...
- 8/8/2022
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Managing director of German film company tells Screen about post-rebranding plans.
Koch Films managing director Stefan Kapelari has talked up the German media company’s plans to expand internationally and to push into production following its rebrand last week as Plaion Pictures.
“Koch Films has developed from a sales organisation primarily active in German-speaking Europe to an international film company. The new brand Plaion Pictures stands for our international plans and ambitions,” said Kapelari.
These plans include the possibility of expanding into new film markets such as the UK, France and Spain, and to develop its own IP.
Koch Films...
Koch Films managing director Stefan Kapelari has talked up the German media company’s plans to expand internationally and to push into production following its rebrand last week as Plaion Pictures.
“Koch Films has developed from a sales organisation primarily active in German-speaking Europe to an international film company. The new brand Plaion Pictures stands for our international plans and ambitions,” said Kapelari.
These plans include the possibility of expanding into new film markets such as the UK, France and Spain, and to develop its own IP.
Koch Films...
- 8/8/2022
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Neon’s head of distribution discusses trends in theatrical at Locarno Pro.
Neon head of distribution Elissa Federoff was one of the high-profile guests at the Locarno Film Festival’s industry programme Locarno Pro, delivering a keynote at the StepIn think tank and speaking “in conversation” about original language film distribution in the US.
Launched in 2017, independent distributor Neon has famously acquired three movies — 2019’s Parasite, 2021’s Titane and 2022’s Triangle of Sadness — that have gone on to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Parasite was the first non-English language feature to win best film at the Academy Awards.
Neon head of distribution Elissa Federoff was one of the high-profile guests at the Locarno Film Festival’s industry programme Locarno Pro, delivering a keynote at the StepIn think tank and speaking “in conversation” about original language film distribution in the US.
Launched in 2017, independent distributor Neon has famously acquired three movies — 2019’s Parasite, 2021’s Titane and 2022’s Triangle of Sadness — that have gone on to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Parasite was the first non-English language feature to win best film at the Academy Awards.
- 8/8/2022
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
The rules of engagement between U.S. studios and streamers and European producers are starting to change.
That was a key takeaway from the Locarno Film Festival’s StepIN think tank on the state of the indie film industry, where on Wednesday some 50 European and international invited industry players participated in a daylong event involving working sessions to exchange thoughts on practices and business models and propose new ideas and strategies.
“The old model that the global streamers used to apply of ‘all or nothing’ and wanting to own everything forever has really now developed into a much more flexible approach,” said Carlo Dusi, head of London-based Endor Productions, who was the notetaker of the round table on New Opportunities for Film Financing and Production, presenting his group’s conclusions.
They are now open “to look at ways in which to acquire or co-commission against multiple territories, taking licenses instead...
That was a key takeaway from the Locarno Film Festival’s StepIN think tank on the state of the indie film industry, where on Wednesday some 50 European and international invited industry players participated in a daylong event involving working sessions to exchange thoughts on practices and business models and propose new ideas and strategies.
“The old model that the global streamers used to apply of ‘all or nothing’ and wanting to own everything forever has really now developed into a much more flexible approach,” said Carlo Dusi, head of London-based Endor Productions, who was the notetaker of the round table on New Opportunities for Film Financing and Production, presenting his group’s conclusions.
They are now open “to look at ways in which to acquire or co-commission against multiple territories, taking licenses instead...
- 8/5/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
The Locarno Film Festival’s StepIN think tank on the state of the indie film industry is set to take the pulse of the theatrical landscape, the flow of production, how film festivals and markets are faring and where things stand on gender equality and social impact.
After a taking a break last year from its strictly business focus to zero in mainly on mental health and envisioning a more humane work environment, the Swiss fest’s unique initiative is back to delving into the industry’s most pressing operational issues and what lies ahead.
“Now that the worst moments of the global pandemic seem behind us — and after a Cannes Film Festival in full gear — the film industry is questioning its future,” said StepIN project manager Marcello Paolillo, who is an Italian producer.
As Paolillo puts it in his introduction, the basic overarching theme at StepIN is “Putting The...
After a taking a break last year from its strictly business focus to zero in mainly on mental health and envisioning a more humane work environment, the Swiss fest’s unique initiative is back to delving into the industry’s most pressing operational issues and what lies ahead.
“Now that the worst moments of the global pandemic seem behind us — and after a Cannes Film Festival in full gear — the film industry is questioning its future,” said StepIN project manager Marcello Paolillo, who is an Italian producer.
As Paolillo puts it in his introduction, the basic overarching theme at StepIN is “Putting The...
- 8/2/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
For its 75th edition, Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival, long known as a global indie cinema temple, is looking to the future while repositioning itself as a forward-thinking hub for a wider range of movies, including studio and streamer titles, with broad audience appeal.
“We believe that entertainment can be both serious and fun: I don’t see an opposing scenario where entertainment is only cheap, and seriousness is only extremely highbrow,” says the fest’s artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro.
Now on his second edition at the fest’s helm, the Italian critic is putting his stamp on Locarno with a lineup that, along with straightforward auteur movies of various kinds, increasingly includes comedies and genre films. The fest’s eclectic nature is illustrated by t he choice of the opener, Sony ’s frothy action thriller “Bullet Train,” directed by David Leitch, which Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be tubthumping on Aug.
“We believe that entertainment can be both serious and fun: I don’t see an opposing scenario where entertainment is only cheap, and seriousness is only extremely highbrow,” says the fest’s artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro.
Now on his second edition at the fest’s helm, the Italian critic is putting his stamp on Locarno with a lineup that, along with straightforward auteur movies of various kinds, increasingly includes comedies and genre films. The fest’s eclectic nature is illustrated by t he choice of the opener, Sony ’s frothy action thriller “Bullet Train,” directed by David Leitch, which Aaron Taylor-Johnson will be tubthumping on Aug.
- 7/30/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Studio brass wowed theater owners this week with Maverick: Top Gun, Avatar: The Way of Water and Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse among other tentpoles. But they were also clear at the just-wrapped CinemaCon that a reviving box office requires a wide breadth of content.
“If we narrow what we bring to theaters, our audience will get smaller,” said Jim Orr, head of domestic theatrical distribution for Universal Pictures. “We need an industry that creates and impacts culture every single weekend [with] personal stories, original ideas,” he said — a sentiment that echoed across the four-day confab in Las Vegas.
Universal, short on superheroes, got plenty of traction with Jurassic World Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Halloween Ends and films like She Said and Nope. Its specialty distributor, Focus Features, promised to win back elusive older demos with Downton Abbey: A New Era, and showcased a slate including Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,...
“If we narrow what we bring to theaters, our audience will get smaller,” said Jim Orr, head of domestic theatrical distribution for Universal Pictures. “We need an industry that creates and impacts culture every single weekend [with] personal stories, original ideas,” he said — a sentiment that echoed across the four-day confab in Las Vegas.
Universal, short on superheroes, got plenty of traction with Jurassic World Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Halloween Ends and films like She Said and Nope. Its specialty distributor, Focus Features, promised to win back elusive older demos with Downton Abbey: A New Era, and showcased a slate including Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,...
- 4/29/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
David Cronenberg dared CinemaCon attendees to sleep well tonight.
The director, an architect of the body horror genre with “A History of Violence,” “Dead Ringers” and “The Fly,” made his first-ever trip to Las Vegas to showcase his next grisly film “Crimes of the Future,” testing the stomachs of movie theater owners across the nation.
“It seems an appropriate place to launch our attack on the world with ‘Crimes of the Future,'” Cronenberg told the crowd at Caesars Palace in reference to Sin City.
Though Cronenberg says he started writing the screenplay 20 years ago, Neon, the film’s distributor, called “Crimes of the Future” an “evolution of David’s work: past, present and future.” Without detailing any specifics, it will contain “key references to his previous films.”
As for the never-before-seen footage, it begins with a man who has several sets of ears on his head and concludes as...
The director, an architect of the body horror genre with “A History of Violence,” “Dead Ringers” and “The Fly,” made his first-ever trip to Las Vegas to showcase his next grisly film “Crimes of the Future,” testing the stomachs of movie theater owners across the nation.
“It seems an appropriate place to launch our attack on the world with ‘Crimes of the Future,'” Cronenberg told the crowd at Caesars Palace in reference to Sin City.
Though Cronenberg says he started writing the screenplay 20 years ago, Neon, the film’s distributor, called “Crimes of the Future” an “evolution of David’s work: past, present and future.” Without detailing any specifics, it will contain “key references to his previous films.”
As for the never-before-seen footage, it begins with a man who has several sets of ears on his head and concludes as...
- 4/26/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin and Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Distributor also teases Sundance acquisition Fire Of Love.
“Caesars Palace seems an appropriate place to launch our attack on the world with Crimes Of The Future,” David Cronenberg told CinemaCon prior to teeing up the first-look trailer to his Cannes Competition selection during Tuesday’s (April 26) CinemaCon presentation.
Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, and Viggo Mortensen star in the Canadian auteur’s latest feature and the trailer confirmed his return to the body horror aesthetic that established his reputation for avant-garde, provocative work. The trailer will not be available beyond CinemaCon until next week.
Cronenberg said he first wrote the screenplay...
“Caesars Palace seems an appropriate place to launch our attack on the world with Crimes Of The Future,” David Cronenberg told CinemaCon prior to teeing up the first-look trailer to his Cannes Competition selection during Tuesday’s (April 26) CinemaCon presentation.
Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, and Viggo Mortensen star in the Canadian auteur’s latest feature and the trailer confirmed his return to the body horror aesthetic that established his reputation for avant-garde, provocative work. The trailer will not be available beyond CinemaCon until next week.
Cronenberg said he first wrote the screenplay...
- 4/26/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
While the likes of Spider-Man and Black Adam may get the headlines, CinemaCon continued its efforts to highlight all forms of movies with Tuesday’s presentation by indie distributor Neon, whose team led by distribution chief Elissa Federoff showcased a pair of films that defined the phrase “shock and awe.”
On the “shock” side was “Crimes of the Future,” a disturbing return by “Videodrome” filmmaker David Cronenberg to the body horror genre that he is considered to be the master of. Cronenberg himself appeared on the CinemaCon stage to present what he jokingly called the start of his “attack on the world.”
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux, the provocative film takes place in a distant future where environmental degradation has begun to affect human evolution, causing the body to grow extra organs. Avant-garde artist Saul Tenser (Mortensen) uses his extra organs to sell out shows in which...
On the “shock” side was “Crimes of the Future,” a disturbing return by “Videodrome” filmmaker David Cronenberg to the body horror genre that he is considered to be the master of. Cronenberg himself appeared on the CinemaCon stage to present what he jokingly called the start of his “attack on the world.”
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Kristen Stewart and Lea Seydoux, the provocative film takes place in a distant future where environmental degradation has begun to affect human evolution, causing the body to grow extra organs. Avant-garde artist Saul Tenser (Mortensen) uses his extra organs to sell out shows in which...
- 4/26/2022
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Film Independent today announced the names of the 30 filmmakers, from 11 nations, selected to participate in its 2022 Global Media Makers LA Residency, taking place in person this month.
The filmmakers and projects chosen are Sumon Delwar (My Cousin), Ali El Arabi and Ahmed El Zoghby (The Legend of Zeinab and Noah), Prantik Basu (Dengue), Archana Borhade and Mangesh Joshi (Purjey (Parts)), Sriram Raja and Deyali Mukherjee (New Sweetness), Kushal Batunge (They Call Her Mafia), Gaby Zarazir and Michael Zarazir, Lamia Chraibi and Hicham Lasri (Meskoun), Anup Poudel and Abinash Bikram Shah (Elephants in the Fog), Rajan Kathet and Sunir Pandey (No Winter Holidays), Fizza Ali Meerza and Nabeel Qureshi (There Was a Boy), Suzannah Mirghani (Cotton Queen), Amjad Abu Alala and Mohamed Kordofani (Goodbye Julia), Lotfi Achour and Anissa Daoud (Red Path), Rashid Abdelhamid and Ismahane Lahmar (A Respectable Family), Sezen Kayhan and Beste Yamalıoğlu (Women with...
The filmmakers and projects chosen are Sumon Delwar (My Cousin), Ali El Arabi and Ahmed El Zoghby (The Legend of Zeinab and Noah), Prantik Basu (Dengue), Archana Borhade and Mangesh Joshi (Purjey (Parts)), Sriram Raja and Deyali Mukherjee (New Sweetness), Kushal Batunge (They Call Her Mafia), Gaby Zarazir and Michael Zarazir, Lamia Chraibi and Hicham Lasri (Meskoun), Anup Poudel and Abinash Bikram Shah (Elephants in the Fog), Rajan Kathet and Sunir Pandey (No Winter Holidays), Fizza Ali Meerza and Nabeel Qureshi (There Was a Boy), Suzannah Mirghani (Cotton Queen), Amjad Abu Alala and Mohamed Kordofani (Goodbye Julia), Lotfi Achour and Anissa Daoud (Red Path), Rashid Abdelhamid and Ismahane Lahmar (A Respectable Family), Sezen Kayhan and Beste Yamalıoğlu (Women with...
- 4/13/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Films from Belfast to Drive My Car, from The Worst Person In The World to Nightmare Alley saw ticket sales pop after Academy Award nominations and as distributors kick into high gear for this weekend and beyond, juggling theater counts and ramped up media campaigns that now have a shiny new imprimatur.
For Neon’s The Worst Person Person In The World, “TV, digital, radio, print all kick into high gear as a consumer facing academy campaign, highlighting the film’s double Oscar nomination, some of the best reviews of the year and buzzy, strong word of mouth, ” said distribution chief Elissa Federoff. “It’s always a gamble to open this late in the Oscar season, but when it works, it really works.” The Joachim Trier Best International Feature nominated film from Norway in week 2.
New specialty releases this weekend — Johnny Depp-starrer Minamata from Samuel Goldwyn, The Sky Is Everywhere from Apple and A24,...
For Neon’s The Worst Person Person In The World, “TV, digital, radio, print all kick into high gear as a consumer facing academy campaign, highlighting the film’s double Oscar nomination, some of the best reviews of the year and buzzy, strong word of mouth, ” said distribution chief Elissa Federoff. “It’s always a gamble to open this late in the Oscar season, but when it works, it really works.” The Joachim Trier Best International Feature nominated film from Norway in week 2.
New specialty releases this weekend — Johnny Depp-starrer Minamata from Samuel Goldwyn, The Sky Is Everywhere from Apple and A24,...
- 2/11/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Neon’s The Worst Person In the World racked up a few bests this weekend with a cume of $135,042 at four NY/LA theaters for a popping per screen average of $33,768.
The poignant comedy from Norway by Joachim Trier that premiered at Cannes (star Renate Reinsve took Best Actress) has great word of mouth. It’s shortlisted for Best International Film as Oscar nods loom and scored two BAFTA nominations, Best Foreign Language Film and Actress for Reinsve.
Experiencing the film “in a cinema with an audience was one of the best times I’ve had all year. Seeing packed theaters in NY and LA felt so good, and was a true signifier for the return of the platform release and our specialty box office. I couldn’t be more pleased to see the heartfelt embrace for this film and independent cinema overall,” Neon distribution chief Elissa Federoff said Sunday.
The poignant comedy from Norway by Joachim Trier that premiered at Cannes (star Renate Reinsve took Best Actress) has great word of mouth. It’s shortlisted for Best International Film as Oscar nods loom and scored two BAFTA nominations, Best Foreign Language Film and Actress for Reinsve.
Experiencing the film “in a cinema with an audience was one of the best times I’ve had all year. Seeing packed theaters in NY and LA felt so good, and was a true signifier for the return of the platform release and our specialty box office. I couldn’t be more pleased to see the heartfelt embrace for this film and independent cinema overall,” Neon distribution chief Elissa Federoff said Sunday.
- 2/6/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
As theatrical markets find surer footing after nearly 18 months of stops and starts – with the threat of further lockdowns still present – industry pros now face a set of concerns quite different from those of last year: How best to build on the the recent gains in VOD models while incorporating them into more traditional frameworks?
Indeed, the stark difference between the distribution landscape of 2020 and that of 2021 was nowhere more apparent than at a recent IDFA VOD panel that brought back the same participants from a similar focused panel last year, short of one big difference – this time all but one was there in person.
“Last year we were all trying to figure out the technology,” said Modern Films CEO Eve Gabereau. “[Then,] it seems everyone had a platform. Now we need to start standardizing it, [and asking different questions:] Who is it for? How to access it? What are their benefits? Right now we need to talk about marketing,...
Indeed, the stark difference between the distribution landscape of 2020 and that of 2021 was nowhere more apparent than at a recent IDFA VOD panel that brought back the same participants from a similar focused panel last year, short of one big difference – this time all but one was there in person.
“Last year we were all trying to figure out the technology,” said Modern Films CEO Eve Gabereau. “[Then,] it seems everyone had a platform. Now we need to start standardizing it, [and asking different questions:] Who is it for? How to access it? What are their benefits? Right now we need to talk about marketing,...
- 11/27/2021
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Federoff was talking via Zoom at the International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA).
Elissa Federoff, president of distribution at US outfit Neon, has given details of the innovative release strategy the company is planning for Thai auteur’s Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria in January.
The idea, she said, is to use a variation on the old roadshow model, showing the film in one city at a time.
“Memoria is this really incredible, transcendental experience as a film so we’ve created this release pattern that has never been done before,” Federoff explained. “ We will show this only in theatres, one theatre at a time,...
Elissa Federoff, president of distribution at US outfit Neon, has given details of the innovative release strategy the company is planning for Thai auteur’s Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria in January.
The idea, she said, is to use a variation on the old roadshow model, showing the film in one city at a time.
“Memoria is this really incredible, transcendental experience as a film so we’ve created this release pattern that has never been done before,” Federoff explained. “ We will show this only in theatres, one theatre at a time,...
- 11/23/2021
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
IndieWire and Variety announced today a planned virtual panel discussion about the state of independent film in the streaming era, featuring executives from specialty distributors and streaming services.
The online panel, titled “The State of Independent Film in the Streaming Era,” is part of the Variety & IndieWire Streaming Room presented by Vuulr and will take place July 13 at 9:30 a.m. Pt. Moderated by IndieWire Executive Editor Eric Kohn, the panel will feature Neon President of Distribution Elissa Federoff, IFC Films President Arianna Bocco, Pops Head of Ott Marissa Hanafi, Vuulr CEO of The Americas Thomas Hughes, and Struum co-founder and CEO Lauren DeVillier.
The conversation will cover how studios, producers, and their partners are pivoting to new development, sales, and distribution strategies to advance independent filmmaking within a fast-evolving industry landscape. Panelists will discuss how audiences’ move to digital viewing is impacting distribution, the new opportunities created for buying...
The online panel, titled “The State of Independent Film in the Streaming Era,” is part of the Variety & IndieWire Streaming Room presented by Vuulr and will take place July 13 at 9:30 a.m. Pt. Moderated by IndieWire Executive Editor Eric Kohn, the panel will feature Neon President of Distribution Elissa Federoff, IFC Films President Arianna Bocco, Pops Head of Ott Marissa Hanafi, Vuulr CEO of The Americas Thomas Hughes, and Struum co-founder and CEO Lauren DeVillier.
The conversation will cover how studios, producers, and their partners are pivoting to new development, sales, and distribution strategies to advance independent filmmaking within a fast-evolving industry landscape. Panelists will discuss how audiences’ move to digital viewing is impacting distribution, the new opportunities created for buying...
- 7/1/2021
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
IFC Films’ Arianna Bocco, Neon’s Elissa Federoff and Magnolia Pictures’ Dori Begley were speaking at the Restart Conference.
Executives from three top US indie distributors have emphasised the benefits of growing their pre-buy and production activity as a way of competing with deep-pocketed streamers and coordinating international releases.
Speaking at Screen’s Restart Conference on May 19, IFC Films president Arianna Bocco said: “All of the streaming platforms combined are such hoovers with regard to scooping up talent and projects, so there’s less and less available on the open market on the independent side with all of these distributors competing to buy finished films.
Executives from three top US indie distributors have emphasised the benefits of growing their pre-buy and production activity as a way of competing with deep-pocketed streamers and coordinating international releases.
Speaking at Screen’s Restart Conference on May 19, IFC Films president Arianna Bocco said: “All of the streaming platforms combined are such hoovers with regard to scooping up talent and projects, so there’s less and less available on the open market on the independent side with all of these distributors competing to buy finished films.
- 5/25/2021
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
The live panel featuring Arianna Bocco, Dori Begley and Elissa Federoff will take place online at 5pm BST on May 19.
IFC Films president Arianna Bocco, Magnolia Pictures EVP Dori Begley and Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff will discuss the challenges of the US market and what they are looking for from international producers at the upcoming Restart Conference (May 18-20).
Register here
The live panel, chaired by Screen International Americas editor Jeremy Kay, will take place online at 5pm BST (9am Pst) on May 19.
After a year that has forced distributors to adapt like never before, the panel will...
IFC Films president Arianna Bocco, Magnolia Pictures EVP Dori Begley and Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff will discuss the challenges of the US market and what they are looking for from international producers at the upcoming Restart Conference (May 18-20).
Register here
The live panel, chaired by Screen International Americas editor Jeremy Kay, will take place online at 5pm BST (9am Pst) on May 19.
After a year that has forced distributors to adapt like never before, the panel will...
- 5/10/2021
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
The live panel featuring Arianna Bocco, Dori Begley and Elissa Federoff will take place online at 5pm BST on May 19.
IFC Films president Arianna Bocco, Magnolia Pictures EVP Dori Begley and Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff and are set to tackle the challenges faced by US independent distributors at the upcoming Restart Conference (May 18-20).
Register here
The live panel, chaired by Screen International Americas editor Jeremy Kay, will take place online at 5pm BST (9am Pst) on May 19.
After a year that has forced distributors to adapt like never before, the panel will discuss the challenges faced by...
IFC Films president Arianna Bocco, Magnolia Pictures EVP Dori Begley and Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff and are set to tackle the challenges faced by US independent distributors at the upcoming Restart Conference (May 18-20).
Register here
The live panel, chaired by Screen International Americas editor Jeremy Kay, will take place online at 5pm BST (9am Pst) on May 19.
After a year that has forced distributors to adapt like never before, the panel will discuss the challenges faced by...
- 5/10/2021
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
“We’ve had to figure out ways to make our films just as exciting and vibrant,” Neon’s Elissa Federoff told an IDFA panel.
Releasing films during a pandemic is not a one-size-fits-all approach, said Elissa Federoff, president of distribution at US distributor Neon, during an IDFA panel on November 19 entitled ’Innovations in online distribution (beyond Covid-19)’.
Federoff explained Neon has been experimenting with several different models since the beginning of the US cinema closures in March.
“We’ve always played with different types of distribution, day and date or compressed windows,” she noted, even of pre-Covid times. “Every movie...
Releasing films during a pandemic is not a one-size-fits-all approach, said Elissa Federoff, president of distribution at US distributor Neon, during an IDFA panel on November 19 entitled ’Innovations in online distribution (beyond Covid-19)’.
Federoff explained Neon has been experimenting with several different models since the beginning of the US cinema closures in March.
“We’ve always played with different types of distribution, day and date or compressed windows,” she noted, even of pre-Covid times. “Every movie...
- 11/23/2020
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
The 41st American Film Market was the first AFM to take place online, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the the world of independent film has kept its chin up amid daunting challenges.
“I would say it’s a comfortable mixture of cautious but buoyant,” said David Garrett, CEO of Mister Smith Entertainment.
AFM opened on the morning of Nov. 9 on a surprisingly upbeat note as drugmaker Pfizer revealed early data from its coronavirus vaccine that showed it is more than 90% effective — good news that offered promise of a return to movie theaters and soundstages in early 2021. Neon’s distribution president Elissa Federoff expressed guarded optimism that North American audiences will return when the Covid-19 crisis begins abating, during the Future of Film Conference.
“People truly want to get out of the house,” she added.
The prospect of no parties on the Santa Monica Pier, no poolside meetings and no...
“I would say it’s a comfortable mixture of cautious but buoyant,” said David Garrett, CEO of Mister Smith Entertainment.
AFM opened on the morning of Nov. 9 on a surprisingly upbeat note as drugmaker Pfizer revealed early data from its coronavirus vaccine that showed it is more than 90% effective — good news that offered promise of a return to movie theaters and soundstages in early 2021. Neon’s distribution president Elissa Federoff expressed guarded optimism that North American audiences will return when the Covid-19 crisis begins abating, during the Future of Film Conference.
“People truly want to get out of the house,” she added.
The prospect of no parties on the Santa Monica Pier, no poolside meetings and no...
- 11/12/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
The top distribution executive at Neon, which handled best picture winner “Parasite,” has expressed guarded optimism that audiences will return when the Covid-19 crisis begins abating.
“People truly want to get out of the house,” said distribution president Elissa Federoff during Monday’s Future of Film Conference at the start of the virtual American Film Market.
She was interviewed by Brent Lang, executive editor of film and media for Variety, a few hours after pharmaceutical company Pfizer said early data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90% effective. The news jolted the stock market with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining more than 800 points.
“We know that audiences will come back to movie theaters, that the theatrical landscape will be vibrant again,” Federoff said. “This is very exciting news about the vaccine because potentially it makes the span of time a little shorter.”
“We’ve always projected we...
“People truly want to get out of the house,” said distribution president Elissa Federoff during Monday’s Future of Film Conference at the start of the virtual American Film Market.
She was interviewed by Brent Lang, executive editor of film and media for Variety, a few hours after pharmaceutical company Pfizer said early data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90% effective. The news jolted the stock market with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining more than 800 points.
“We know that audiences will come back to movie theaters, that the theatrical landscape will be vibrant again,” Federoff said. “This is very exciting news about the vaccine because potentially it makes the span of time a little shorter.”
“We’ve always projected we...
- 11/9/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
AFM keynotes hear from Neon distribution head Elissa Federoff, Solstice Studios head Mark Gill.
Neon will release Francis Lee’s awards contender Ammonite theatrically on Friday (November 13) in the US followed by the company’s first PVoD release on December 4.
“This is our first PVoD release that we’ve done and we’re really excited about it,” said Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff during a keynote conversation on opening day of AFM 2020 Online.
“Inside this pandemic and inside this award season, this is a highly strategic way that we are releasing this film. LA is not open, New York is not open,...
Neon will release Francis Lee’s awards contender Ammonite theatrically on Friday (November 13) in the US followed by the company’s first PVoD release on December 4.
“This is our first PVoD release that we’ve done and we’re really excited about it,” said Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff during a keynote conversation on opening day of AFM 2020 Online.
“Inside this pandemic and inside this award season, this is a highly strategic way that we are releasing this film. LA is not open, New York is not open,...
- 11/9/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
AFM keynotes hear from Neon distribution head Elissa Federoff, Solstice Studios head Mark Gill.
Neon will release Francis Lee’s awards contender Ammonite theatrically on Friday (November 13) in the US followed by the company’s first PVoD release on December 4.
“This is our first PVoD release that we’ve done and we’re really excited about it,” said Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff during a keynote conversation on opening day of AFM 2020 Online.
“Inside this pandemic and inside this award season, this is a highly strategic way that we are releasing this film. LA is not open, New York is not open,...
Neon will release Francis Lee’s awards contender Ammonite theatrically on Friday (November 13) in the US followed by the company’s first PVoD release on December 4.
“This is our first PVoD release that we’ve done and we’re really excited about it,” said Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff during a keynote conversation on opening day of AFM 2020 Online.
“Inside this pandemic and inside this award season, this is a highly strategic way that we are releasing this film. LA is not open, New York is not open,...
- 11/9/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
With the Covid-19 pandemic persisting, the American Film Market is launching its 41st edition Monday — and its first as an online-only event — with a record 562 exhibitors registered from 48 countries.
The United States leads the way with 259 companies followed by Italy (59), the United Kingdom (46), Russia (25), Germany (20), France (19), Canada (17), South Korea (14), Japan (12), and Thailand (11).
AFM, usually held at beachside hotels in Santa Monica, Calif., is following in the footsteps of the Cannes Market’s shift to a virtual platform in June. The Independent Film and Television Alliance also decided to cut the number of AFM days from seven to five and to push back the event from the first week of November to avoid a conflict with the U.S. election.
A total of 1,468 buyers from 66 countries have been confirmed with the largest number coming from the United States, followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, and Canada.
The United States leads the way with 259 companies followed by Italy (59), the United Kingdom (46), Russia (25), Germany (20), France (19), Canada (17), South Korea (14), Japan (12), and Thailand (11).
AFM, usually held at beachside hotels in Santa Monica, Calif., is following in the footsteps of the Cannes Market’s shift to a virtual platform in June. The Independent Film and Television Alliance also decided to cut the number of AFM days from seven to five and to push back the event from the first week of November to avoid a conflict with the U.S. election.
A total of 1,468 buyers from 66 countries have been confirmed with the largest number coming from the United States, followed by Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, and Canada.
- 11/9/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Market runs from November 9-13.
As AFM 2020 Online gets underway for the entire week, market organisers said on Monday (November 9) that a record 562 exhibitors have registered for the virtual edition.
Exhibitors hail from 48 countries, with the majority coming from the US (259), followed by Italy (59), the UK (46), Russia (25), Germany (20), France (19), Canada (17), South Korea (14), Japan (12), and Thailand (11).
At time of writing there were 1,468 buyers from 66 countries confirmed to take part, with the US accounting for the lion’s share, followed by Japan, the UK, South Korea, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, and Canada.
Some 465 films from 184 companies representing 24 countries will screen in the AFM’s On Demand Theatre.
As AFM 2020 Online gets underway for the entire week, market organisers said on Monday (November 9) that a record 562 exhibitors have registered for the virtual edition.
Exhibitors hail from 48 countries, with the majority coming from the US (259), followed by Italy (59), the UK (46), Russia (25), Germany (20), France (19), Canada (17), South Korea (14), Japan (12), and Thailand (11).
At time of writing there were 1,468 buyers from 66 countries confirmed to take part, with the US accounting for the lion’s share, followed by Japan, the UK, South Korea, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, and Canada.
Some 465 films from 184 companies representing 24 countries will screen in the AFM’s On Demand Theatre.
- 11/9/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Cassian Elwes, Viviana Zarragoitia, Elizabeth Haggard among speakers.
AFM 2020 Online executives have announced additional speakers and added sessions on diversity, AI and documentaries to the event, which runs from November 9-13.
All in all the market is bringing more than 70 sessions and 200 speakers over five days, including panels on cultural competency in storytelling, casting for a green light, distributing documentaries, and using artificial intelligence to achieve success.
Producer Cassian Elwes, Participant Media VP of narrative film Elizabeth Haggard, and screenwriting career consultant and coach Lee Jessup will take part in AFM’s Pitch Conference.
The session ’Discover New Voices’ presented...
AFM 2020 Online executives have announced additional speakers and added sessions on diversity, AI and documentaries to the event, which runs from November 9-13.
All in all the market is bringing more than 70 sessions and 200 speakers over five days, including panels on cultural competency in storytelling, casting for a green light, distributing documentaries, and using artificial intelligence to achieve success.
Producer Cassian Elwes, Participant Media VP of narrative film Elizabeth Haggard, and screenwriting career consultant and coach Lee Jessup will take part in AFM’s Pitch Conference.
The session ’Discover New Voices’ presented...
- 11/3/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The major US talent agencies, a coalition of over 30 independent film sales agents, production companies, and financiers are coming together for a five-day online market that will coincide with this year’s American Film Market, which is also being held virtually.
The effort, which includes backing from CAA Media Finance, ICM International and Independent Group, Endeavor Content, and UTA Independent Film Group, marks a follow-up to the first major film market held during the pandemic. The agencies came together in June to hold a similar online event that coincided with the Cannes Marché du Film, a parallel event to the official one that was meant to recreate the way business has traditionally been conducted on the ground in France.
This time around, the agencies are teaming up with a wide range of sales and production companies and financiers to offer global buyers access to film screenings, early footage, and filmmaker presentations.
The effort, which includes backing from CAA Media Finance, ICM International and Independent Group, Endeavor Content, and UTA Independent Film Group, marks a follow-up to the first major film market held during the pandemic. The agencies came together in June to hold a similar online event that coincided with the Cannes Marché du Film, a parallel event to the official one that was meant to recreate the way business has traditionally been conducted on the ground in France.
This time around, the agencies are teaming up with a wide range of sales and production companies and financiers to offer global buyers access to film screenings, early footage, and filmmaker presentations.
- 10/22/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
More than 70 industry sessions confirmed to run alongside market and screenings from November 9-13.
Conversations with Neon distribution head Elissa Federoff and Solstice Studios head Mark Gill, industry panels addressing the pandemic and intimacy on set, and a look at Hollywood podcasts are among the initial line-up of AFM 2020 Online.
More than 70 industry sessions are confirmed to run alongside the market and screenings from November 9-13 which, like so many others has gone virtual during the pandemic.
The AFM’s opening Conference, The Future Of Film, will feature one-on-one conversations with Gill, whose Solstice Studios released Unhinged, the first major...
Conversations with Neon distribution head Elissa Federoff and Solstice Studios head Mark Gill, industry panels addressing the pandemic and intimacy on set, and a look at Hollywood podcasts are among the initial line-up of AFM 2020 Online.
More than 70 industry sessions are confirmed to run alongside the market and screenings from November 9-13 which, like so many others has gone virtual during the pandemic.
The AFM’s opening Conference, The Future Of Film, will feature one-on-one conversations with Gill, whose Solstice Studios released Unhinged, the first major...
- 10/21/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The American Film Market has unveiled its initial speakers, topics and programming calendar for AFM 2020 Online with sessions on Nov. 9-13 alongside the AFM’s marketplace and screenings.
The AFM’s opening conference — The Future of Film — will launch with Mark Gill, president and CEO of Solstice Studios, discussing how independent film, the marketplace and audience consumption will change in the near future. Elissa Federoff, president of distribution for Neon, will then discuss the future of feature film distribution and exhibition.
Gill had the first new film in theaters since the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown with “Unhinged,” and Federoff made history for her company with four Academy Awards for “Parasite,” which became the third highest-grossing foreign language film ever released in the U.S.
This year’s lineup will take place wholly online and will bring 200 speakers to two stages for conferences, panels, conversations, workshops, podcasts and presentations. John Cena, SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris,...
The AFM’s opening conference — The Future of Film — will launch with Mark Gill, president and CEO of Solstice Studios, discussing how independent film, the marketplace and audience consumption will change in the near future. Elissa Federoff, president of distribution for Neon, will then discuss the future of feature film distribution and exhibition.
Gill had the first new film in theaters since the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown with “Unhinged,” and Federoff made history for her company with four Academy Awards for “Parasite,” which became the third highest-grossing foreign language film ever released in the U.S.
This year’s lineup will take place wholly online and will bring 200 speakers to two stages for conferences, panels, conversations, workshops, podcasts and presentations. John Cena, SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris,...
- 10/21/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Keep your budgets low and have faith in the resilience of arthouse cinema and theaters, film festivals and markets. But also be ready to engage with streamers that could become an integral part of new indie business models in the post-pandemic landscape.
Those were some of the upbeat tips that surfaced from the Locarno Film Festival’s StepIn industry think tank, where film industry operators who form the core of Europe’s indie ecosystem come together to trash out the most pressing issues they are contending with. StepIn went online this year due to the pandemic with webinars on the future of the theatrical experience, production, film festivals and markets.
The three sessions — moderated by Variety journalists and hosted by the Variety Streaming Room platform — streamed Aug. 5, 6 and 7.
Here are five takeaways from the sessions:
1. Keep budgets low
Brazilian producer Rodrigo Teixeira, who has been instrumental in bringing to the...
Those were some of the upbeat tips that surfaced from the Locarno Film Festival’s StepIn industry think tank, where film industry operators who form the core of Europe’s indie ecosystem come together to trash out the most pressing issues they are contending with. StepIn went online this year due to the pandemic with webinars on the future of the theatrical experience, production, film festivals and markets.
The three sessions — moderated by Variety journalists and hosted by the Variety Streaming Room platform — streamed Aug. 5, 6 and 7.
Here are five takeaways from the sessions:
1. Keep budgets low
Brazilian producer Rodrigo Teixeira, who has been instrumental in bringing to the...
- 8/10/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Warner Bros.’ game-changing plans for the international-led roll-out of Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” are helping distributors such as Neon hammer out their own release strategies into the fall.
Speaking as part of a Variety Streaming Room event with the Locarno Film Festival’s StepIn industry program, Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff said the global release — which will see the thriller launch in countries such as the U.K., France, Korea and Turkey a week ahead of the Sept. 3 U.S. release — is “great re-strategizing and pivoting” on the part of the studio.
“It’ll be really good for the U.S. to see how that goes because we’re trying to make plans of our own and the best thing we’ve had to look at, science-wise and industry-wise, are other parts of the world and seeing how they’re moving forward,” added the executive, noting that some of...
Speaking as part of a Variety Streaming Room event with the Locarno Film Festival’s StepIn industry program, Neon president of distribution Elissa Federoff said the global release — which will see the thriller launch in countries such as the U.K., France, Korea and Turkey a week ahead of the Sept. 3 U.S. release — is “great re-strategizing and pivoting” on the part of the studio.
“It’ll be really good for the U.S. to see how that goes because we’re trying to make plans of our own and the best thing we’ve had to look at, science-wise and industry-wise, are other parts of the world and seeing how they’re moving forward,” added the executive, noting that some of...
- 8/6/2020
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
The Locarno Film Festival’s unique StepIn industry think tank, which is going online this year due to the pandemic, will delve into the future of the theatrical experience, production, film festivals and markets.
A high-caliber roster of industry executives has been recruited for the sessions, which aim to provide food for thought and a sharp picture of the post-pandemic landscape.
The three sessions — moderated by Variety journalists and hosted by the Variety Streaming Room platform — will stream Aug. 5, 6 and 7.
Speakers include Brazilian producer Rodrigo Teixeira; U.S. writer, director and actor Kasi Lemmons (“Harriet”); Elissa Federoff, president of distribution at U.S. outfit Neon; Daniel Battsek, director of the U.K.’s publicly owned Film4; Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera; Marche du Cannes executive director Jérôme Paillard; Sundance Film Festival director Tabitha Jackson, and many more.
“It’s common knowledge that the current [coronavirus] situation — though extraordinary — has been...
A high-caliber roster of industry executives has been recruited for the sessions, which aim to provide food for thought and a sharp picture of the post-pandemic landscape.
The three sessions — moderated by Variety journalists and hosted by the Variety Streaming Room platform — will stream Aug. 5, 6 and 7.
Speakers include Brazilian producer Rodrigo Teixeira; U.S. writer, director and actor Kasi Lemmons (“Harriet”); Elissa Federoff, president of distribution at U.S. outfit Neon; Daniel Battsek, director of the U.K.’s publicly owned Film4; Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera; Marche du Cannes executive director Jérôme Paillard; Sundance Film Festival director Tabitha Jackson, and many more.
“It’s common knowledge that the current [coronavirus] situation — though extraordinary — has been...
- 7/27/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Film Independent has unveiled their keynotes, conversations and panelists for the 15th annual Film Independent Forum. The Forum, which is traditionally a weekend event, will now be a week-long virtual event that will reach all corners of the globe from July 31 to August 7.
The event has set a roster of banner names in the industry, featuring a U.S. Filmmaker Keynote with Lulu Wang (The Farewell); a U.S. Executive Keynote with Elissa Federoff, President of Distribution at Neon; a Documentary Keynote with Dawn Porter; and a Global Executive Keynote with Ashok Amritraj, Chairman and CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment Group. Traditionally a weekend event, the Forum has expanded to a full week-long event accessible online to global audiences the week of July 31 to August 7.
In addition, panels will cover financing, production and distribution of films to digital content across diverse platforms...
The event has set a roster of banner names in the industry, featuring a U.S. Filmmaker Keynote with Lulu Wang (The Farewell); a U.S. Executive Keynote with Elissa Federoff, President of Distribution at Neon; a Documentary Keynote with Dawn Porter; and a Global Executive Keynote with Ashok Amritraj, Chairman and CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment Group. Traditionally a weekend event, the Forum has expanded to a full week-long event accessible online to global audiences the week of July 31 to August 7.
In addition, panels will cover financing, production and distribution of films to digital content across diverse platforms...
- 6/30/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Update: Mystery solved! The unidentified man who briefly gatecrashed today’s virtual Cannes talk with Neon was none other than the father of Brent Lang, exec editor at our sister publication Variety.
Lang just tweeted: “This is hilarious. I was supposed to moderate this panel, but technical problems got the best of me. The amazing Quentin Carbonell from Cannes subbed. My poor father inadvertently logged into the talk and a digital star was born. Dad is available for bookings.”
Previously, 11:34Am Full credit to organizers of the Cannes virtual Marche (June 22-26), who by and large pulled off with relative smoothness day one of what will be a technically challenging and largely unprecedented event.
There were a few hitches here and there, however, which caused scattered moments of frustration and, in one particularly bizarre incident, some hilarity among delegates.
Earlier today, Neon aces Tom Quinn and Elissa Federoff logged...
Lang just tweeted: “This is hilarious. I was supposed to moderate this panel, but technical problems got the best of me. The amazing Quentin Carbonell from Cannes subbed. My poor father inadvertently logged into the talk and a digital star was born. Dad is available for bookings.”
Previously, 11:34Am Full credit to organizers of the Cannes virtual Marche (June 22-26), who by and large pulled off with relative smoothness day one of what will be a technically challenging and largely unprecedented event.
There were a few hitches here and there, however, which caused scattered moments of frustration and, in one particularly bizarre incident, some hilarity among delegates.
Earlier today, Neon aces Tom Quinn and Elissa Federoff logged...
- 6/22/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Variety Streaming Room: Film, TV Executives on Adapting to New Production Challenges During Pandemic
When Covid-19 forced television studios to close their doors, long-running late-night shows such as “Conan” were faced with a dilemma. Was it possible to keep being funny and lifting audiences’s spirits from home? So, Conan O’Brien and his team set out to recreate their particular brand of comedy via Zoom.
“We had no choice,” Jeff Ross, executive producer at Conan and CEO of Team Coco, said during the third episode of the Variety Streaming Room weekly series “Rebooting the Entertainment Industry.” “We went through it during the writer’s strike, after 9/11 — we realized we could do a show. Now, it’s Conan at home alone with an iPhone and a laptop, Zooming interviews and shooting comedy alone and uploading media from his phone, which can’t last that much longer…I think the audience gets it and I think the audience kind of appreciates it.”
Ross and O’Brien aren’t alone.
“We had no choice,” Jeff Ross, executive producer at Conan and CEO of Team Coco, said during the third episode of the Variety Streaming Room weekly series “Rebooting the Entertainment Industry.” “We went through it during the writer’s strike, after 9/11 — we realized we could do a show. Now, it’s Conan at home alone with an iPhone and a laptop, Zooming interviews and shooting comedy alone and uploading media from his phone, which can’t last that much longer…I think the audience gets it and I think the audience kind of appreciates it.”
Ross and O’Brien aren’t alone.
- 5/27/2020
- by Klaritza Rico
- Variety Film + TV
Neon Promotes Elissa Federoff To President Of Distribution, Christina Zisa To President Of Publicity
Neon has promoted Elissa Federoff to President of Distribution and Christina Zisa to President of Publicity.
Both Federoff and Zisa have been with Neon since its inception in January 2017.
The news comes in the wake of the distributor’s awesome success with Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite which has grossed over $54M at the domestic B.O. and becoming a tour de force at the Oscars with a Best Picture win, the first ever for a foreign language title. Deadline in its box office tournament yesterday reported that Parasite, which was financed and released in the rest of the globe by Cj Entertainment, turned in a net profit of $46.2M.
“Elissa Federoff and Christina Zisa have been the cornerstone to Neon ’s success since we launched. In a very short time, they’ve broken multiple Box Office records as well as changed the history of the Academy Awards forever. Personally...
Both Federoff and Zisa have been with Neon since its inception in January 2017.
The news comes in the wake of the distributor’s awesome success with Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite which has grossed over $54M at the domestic B.O. and becoming a tour de force at the Oscars with a Best Picture win, the first ever for a foreign language title. Deadline in its box office tournament yesterday reported that Parasite, which was financed and released in the rest of the globe by Cj Entertainment, turned in a net profit of $46.2M.
“Elissa Federoff and Christina Zisa have been the cornerstone to Neon ’s success since we launched. In a very short time, they’ve broken multiple Box Office records as well as changed the history of the Academy Awards forever. Personally...
- 4/28/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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