OPEN ROAD FILMS EXPANDS INTERNATIONALLY VIA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH FILMNATION ENTERTAINMENT
Los Angeles, CA – October 30, 2014 – Open Road Films is expanding into international sales and distribution and has made a strategic agreement with leading international sales and distribution company FilmNation Entertainment to help sell and service its films. The agreement was announced today by Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films and Glen Basner, CEO of FilmNation.
Open Road will now be a one-stop shop for filmmakers seeking worldwide distribution and will be able to provide equity and bank financing for productions. The company will also continue to acquire films for distribution in the United States.
Open Road and FilmNation Entertainment will be meeting with leading territorial distributors to discuss upcoming business at the American Film Market (AFM).
“As Open Road Films grows, expanding our domestic footprint to international sales was a natural progression,” stated Ortenberg. “Glen Basner and his team are experts in global film distribution and we are thrilled to be working with them on this new venture.”
“Open Road Films has quickly become a real force in US distribution, and we at FilmNation are thrilled to help expand their reach overseas,” stated Basner.
The deal was negotiated on behalf of Open Road Films by Ortenberg, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, Elliott Kleinberg, and Executive Vice President of Production & Acquisitions, Peter Lawson, and by Glen Basner and EVP, Business and Legal Affairs Alison Cohen on behalf FilmNation.
ABOUT OPEN ROAD FILMS
Open Road Films is a leading, independent, theatrical motion picture company, which annually releases a diverse slate of star-driven films which has included multiple #1 releases. It was founded in 2011 by AMC Entertainment Inc. (AMC) and Regal Entertainment Group (Regal), the two largest theatrical exhibition companies in the United States. Open Road and its lenders recently extended the company’s $100,000,000 credit facility through 2018.
Past releases include: The Nut Job, which opened to over $25 million at the box office as the highest ever opening for an independent animated film, The Grey starring Liam Neeson which opened #1 at the box office; End Of Watch starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña which opened #1 at the box office; A Haunted House starring Marlon Wayans; and Side Effects directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Rooney Mara, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Channing Tatum.
Current and upcoming releases include: the hit film Chef written by, directed by and starring Jon Favreau along with Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Oliver Platt, Dustin Hoffman and Robert Downey, Jr.; Nightcrawler (10/31/14), starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo and Bill Paxton and directed by Dan Gilroy; Rosewater, written and directed by Jon Stewart (11/14/14); Little Boy, an inspirational family film from executive producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett (2/27/15); The Gunman (3/20/15), starring Sean Penn, Javier Bardem and Idris Elba, directed by Pierre Morel; Rock The Kasbah starring Bill Murray along with Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson, Zooey Deschanel, Danny McBride and Scott Caan, directed by Barry Levinson; and Triple Nine, a thriller directed by John Hillcoat starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Aaron Paul, Kate Winslet, Gal Godot, Norman Reedus, Teresa Palmer and Clifton Collins, Jr. (9/11/15).
ABOUT FILMNATION ENTERTAINMENT
Founded in 2008 by veteran international film executive Glen Basner, FilmNation Entertainment is a new kind of film company – global, versatile and full-service; and is a go-to destination for many of the world’s most renowned filmmakers (including Steven Soderbergh, Terrence Malick, Pedro Almodóvar, Jeff Nichols, Sofia Coppola, J.C Chandor and Anton Corbijn). FilmNation can board a project in a myriad of ways (as a producer, financier, sales agent, international distributor or marketer) and at any stage in a film’s lifespan including development.
FilmNation titles have grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office and the future looks to be even more successful with the company’s diversified global sales slate and the company’s own productions led by production vets Aaron Ryder and Ben Browning. FilmNation has also forged a number of strategic relationships with some of the most prolific, respected producers and financiers operating in the film industry.
