Kino Lorber’s MHz Choice and Topic will merge into one streaming service, the company announced.
The combined product will become the exclusive U.S. streaming home of hit German series “Babylon Berlin” starting in April. As of Feb. 29, the series is no longer available in the country on Netflix, which previously held the U.S. streaming rights.
Co-created, written and directed by Tom Twyker, Achim von Borries and Hendrik Handloegten, “Babylon Berlin” is based on the novels by Volker Kutscher and distributed by Beta Film. The fourth season of the drama, which has not been available for streaming in North America before, will land on the new service June 25.
Along with “Babylon Berlin,” MHz Choice and Topic’s combined lineup will include “The Killing,” “The Bridge,” “Detective Montalbano,” “The Sea Beyond,” “Pagan Peak,” “A French Village,” “Spiral,” “Beck” and “Murder In.”
Current MHz Choice and Topic subscribers will be...
The combined product will become the exclusive U.S. streaming home of hit German series “Babylon Berlin” starting in April. As of Feb. 29, the series is no longer available in the country on Netflix, which previously held the U.S. streaming rights.
Co-created, written and directed by Tom Twyker, Achim von Borries and Hendrik Handloegten, “Babylon Berlin” is based on the novels by Volker Kutscher and distributed by Beta Film. The fourth season of the drama, which has not been available for streaming in North America before, will land on the new service June 25.
Along with “Babylon Berlin,” MHz Choice and Topic’s combined lineup will include “The Killing,” “The Bridge,” “Detective Montalbano,” “The Sea Beyond,” “Pagan Peak,” “A French Village,” “Spiral,” “Beck” and “Murder In.”
Current MHz Choice and Topic subscribers will be...
- 2/29/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Kino Lorber’s streaming platform MHz Choice is merging with First Look Media’s Topic platform to create a single North American streamer, operating under the MHz Choice brand, specializing in international series and films for the domestic market.
Kino Lorber and First Look Media launched a joint venture in 2022 that bundled their streaming activities. The new agreement will fold both MHz Choice and Topic into a single platform.
Kino Lorber Chief Operating Officer Martha Benyam will oversee the new combined service, with Lisa Schwartz, Kino Lorber Chief Revenue Officer, overseeing distribution and partnerships, Executive Vice President, Content Strategy Lance Schwulst continuing to oversee programming and Monica Bloom, who joined Kino Lorber from Topic, continuing to serve as Chief Marketing Officer.
The new service has secured exclusive North American rights to award-winning German period series Babylon Berlin from sales group Beta Film and will stream all four seasons of the show.
Kino Lorber and First Look Media launched a joint venture in 2022 that bundled their streaming activities. The new agreement will fold both MHz Choice and Topic into a single platform.
Kino Lorber Chief Operating Officer Martha Benyam will oversee the new combined service, with Lisa Schwartz, Kino Lorber Chief Revenue Officer, overseeing distribution and partnerships, Executive Vice President, Content Strategy Lance Schwulst continuing to oversee programming and Monica Bloom, who joined Kino Lorber from Topic, continuing to serve as Chief Marketing Officer.
The new service has secured exclusive North American rights to award-winning German period series Babylon Berlin from sales group Beta Film and will stream all four seasons of the show.
- 2/29/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kino Lorber Chief Strategy Officer Ed Carroll has been named President, Kino Lorber Media Group, reporting to chairman-ceo Richard Lorber.
Carroll, the 30+-year veteran and former COO of AMC Networks left the company in 2021, and joined Kino Lorber a year ago as chief strategy officer helping oversee its expansion into digital, including the acquisition of MHz Choice SVOD and creating a joint venture that includes the Topic streaming service. Last fall, Kino launched a new SVOD service, Kino Film Collection, on Amazon Prime Video Channels.
Kino Lorber has been layering streaming and digital alongside its core theatrical and home entertainment releases. Two from 2023 were shortlisted for Academy Awards – Kaouther Ben Hania’s Four Daughters in both the Best International Feature and Best Documentary Feature; and Nancy Buirski’s Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy in Best Documentary Feature. Recent theatrical acquisitions include Agnieszka Holland’s Venice award-winner Green Border,...
Carroll, the 30+-year veteran and former COO of AMC Networks left the company in 2021, and joined Kino Lorber a year ago as chief strategy officer helping oversee its expansion into digital, including the acquisition of MHz Choice SVOD and creating a joint venture that includes the Topic streaming service. Last fall, Kino launched a new SVOD service, Kino Film Collection, on Amazon Prime Video Channels.
Kino Lorber has been layering streaming and digital alongside its core theatrical and home entertainment releases. Two from 2023 were shortlisted for Academy Awards – Kaouther Ben Hania’s Four Daughters in both the Best International Feature and Best Documentary Feature; and Nancy Buirski’s Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy in Best Documentary Feature. Recent theatrical acquisitions include Agnieszka Holland’s Venice award-winner Green Border,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Executive joined as Chief Strategy Officer one year ago.
Kino Lorber Chief Strategy Officer Ed Carroll has been appointed to president of Kino Lorber Media Group.
Richard Lorber, who remains chairman and CEO and to whom Carroll will report, made the announcement on Thursday.
Reporting to Carroll will be COO Martha Benyam, who will oversee the MHz Choice and Topic SVoDs and the home entertainment group; chief revenue officer Lisa Schwartz, formerly president of IFC Films, who will oversee content sales and platform distribution as well as Kino Lorber’s film division, which includes the Kino Film Collection SVoD; and Judy Silverman,...
Kino Lorber Chief Strategy Officer Ed Carroll has been appointed to president of Kino Lorber Media Group.
Richard Lorber, who remains chairman and CEO and to whom Carroll will report, made the announcement on Thursday.
Reporting to Carroll will be COO Martha Benyam, who will oversee the MHz Choice and Topic SVoDs and the home entertainment group; chief revenue officer Lisa Schwartz, formerly president of IFC Films, who will oversee content sales and platform distribution as well as Kino Lorber’s film division, which includes the Kino Film Collection SVoD; and Judy Silverman,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Meta documentary “Bushman” is receiving a 4K restoration and, for the first time, a multi-city theatrical release.
Director David Schickele’s 1971 film began as a fictional comedy starring his friend Paul Eyam Nzie Okpokam, following the “adventures of a well-educated Nigerian immigrant in San Francisco,” per the official synopsis. However, after Okpokam was wrongfully accused of a real-life crime, “Bushman” shifts to being a documentary about how Okpokam was imprisoned before being deported.
Filmmaker Schickele shot “Bushman” in 1968 after returning from the Peace Corps. Schickele’s is billed as being in the docu-fictional style vein of John Cassavetes’ “Shadows.” Kino Lorber and Milestone Film & Video supported the 4K restoration, which will screen January 15 at MoMA’s To Save and Project festival.
The 75-minute black-and-white film was shelved for decades after its initial release but is regarded by film scholars as a milestone of Black representation in American cinema, especially...
Director David Schickele’s 1971 film began as a fictional comedy starring his friend Paul Eyam Nzie Okpokam, following the “adventures of a well-educated Nigerian immigrant in San Francisco,” per the official synopsis. However, after Okpokam was wrongfully accused of a real-life crime, “Bushman” shifts to being a documentary about how Okpokam was imprisoned before being deported.
Filmmaker Schickele shot “Bushman” in 1968 after returning from the Peace Corps. Schickele’s is billed as being in the docu-fictional style vein of John Cassavetes’ “Shadows.” Kino Lorber and Milestone Film & Video supported the 4K restoration, which will screen January 15 at MoMA’s To Save and Project festival.
The 75-minute black-and-white film was shelved for decades after its initial release but is regarded by film scholars as a milestone of Black representation in American cinema, especially...
- 1/10/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Film geeks, rejoice. Leading indie label Kino Lorber is entering the world of streaming. The company has launched Kino Film Collection, a new subscription video service available in the U.S. via’s Amazon’s Prime Video Channels. The Collection will feature new Kino releases fresh from theaters, along with hundreds of films from its expansive library of more than 4,000 titles, many now streaming for the first time. It will cost users $5.99 per month.
Films available at launch include award-winning theatrical releases and critically acclaimed festival favorites and classics from around the globe, such as The Conformist (Bernardo Bertolucci), Dogtooth (Yorgos Lanthimos), Taxi (Jafar Panahi), Poison (Todd Haynes), Ganja & Hess (Bill Gunn), The Scent of Green Papaya (Tran Anh Hung), A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Ana Lily Amirpour), Computer Chess (Andrew Bujalski), Portrait of Jason (Shirley Clarke), and A Touch of Sin (Jia Zhangke).
Joining them are entries...
Films available at launch include award-winning theatrical releases and critically acclaimed festival favorites and classics from around the globe, such as The Conformist (Bernardo Bertolucci), Dogtooth (Yorgos Lanthimos), Taxi (Jafar Panahi), Poison (Todd Haynes), Ganja & Hess (Bill Gunn), The Scent of Green Papaya (Tran Anh Hung), A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Ana Lily Amirpour), Computer Chess (Andrew Bujalski), Portrait of Jason (Shirley Clarke), and A Touch of Sin (Jia Zhangke).
Joining them are entries...
- 11/2/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kino Lorber, a leading name in the indie film scene for over 45 years, just launched the Kino Film Collection. This new streaming service is available in the U.S. on Amazon via Prime Video Channels for $5.99 per month. The platform will feature new Kino films fresh from their theatrical release along with hundreds of catalog titles. Many of these films will be available to stream for the first time.
Among the films available will be a new 4K restoration of Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Conformist” and key titles like Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Dogtooth,” Jafar Panahi’s “Taxi,” Todd Haynes’ “Poison,” and Ana Lily Amirpour’s “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.”
Among the older titles available to stream will be classics like Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis,” F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu,” Robert Wiene’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” and Sergei Eisenstein’s “Battleship Potemkin.” The Kino Film Collection will be...
Among the films available will be a new 4K restoration of Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Conformist” and key titles like Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Dogtooth,” Jafar Panahi’s “Taxi,” Todd Haynes’ “Poison,” and Ana Lily Amirpour’s “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.”
Among the older titles available to stream will be classics like Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis,” F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu,” Robert Wiene’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” and Sergei Eisenstein’s “Battleship Potemkin.” The Kino Film Collection will be...
- 11/1/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Kino Lorber has launched a new subscription streaming outlet, Kino Film Collection.
The $6-a-month destination for recent theatrical releases and hundreds of other films drawn from the company’s vast library will be available in the U.S. on Prime Video Channels.
Kino Lorber also operates Kino Now, a platform for rentals and purchases of arthouse and specialty films. The company has made several streaming moves of late. In 2022, it acquired MHz Choice and installed AMC Networks veteran Ed Carroll and former IFC Films head Lisa Schwartz in key management roles. Schwartz, Kino Lorber’s Chief Revenue Officer, will oversee Kino Film Collection. Last spring, Kino Lorber also formed a joint venture with First Look Media to operate both MHz Choice and First Look’s streaming service Topic.
Films available on Kino Film Collection at launch include new 4K restorations of The Conformist as well as key works by contemporary...
The $6-a-month destination for recent theatrical releases and hundreds of other films drawn from the company’s vast library will be available in the U.S. on Prime Video Channels.
Kino Lorber also operates Kino Now, a platform for rentals and purchases of arthouse and specialty films. The company has made several streaming moves of late. In 2022, it acquired MHz Choice and installed AMC Networks veteran Ed Carroll and former IFC Films head Lisa Schwartz in key management roles. Schwartz, Kino Lorber’s Chief Revenue Officer, will oversee Kino Film Collection. Last spring, Kino Lorber also formed a joint venture with First Look Media to operate both MHz Choice and First Look’s streaming service Topic.
Films available on Kino Film Collection at launch include new 4K restorations of The Conformist as well as key works by contemporary...
- 11/1/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Kino Film Collection will offer recent theatrical releases and library titles.
Independent distributor Kino Lorber has launched Kino Film Collection, a US streaming service offering new Kino releases fresh from theatrical runs as well as films from the company’s 4,000-title library of classic, international and cult features.
The service, which will be available through Amazon’s Prime Video Channels for $5.99 a month, extends Kino Lorber’s growing digital operation. The distributor has recently acquired North American streaming services MHz Choice and Topic and launched TVoD service Kino Now.
Films from the company’s 4,000-title library already on the service...
Independent distributor Kino Lorber has launched Kino Film Collection, a US streaming service offering new Kino releases fresh from theatrical runs as well as films from the company’s 4,000-title library of classic, international and cult features.
The service, which will be available through Amazon’s Prime Video Channels for $5.99 a month, extends Kino Lorber’s growing digital operation. The distributor has recently acquired North American streaming services MHz Choice and Topic and launched TVoD service Kino Now.
Films from the company’s 4,000-title library already on the service...
- 11/1/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Independent film distributor Kino Lorber has officially unveiled streaming service Kino Film Collection, available via Prime Video here.
The Kino Film Collection will be launched in the U.S. on the Amazon Service via Prime Video Channels for $5.99 per month. The Collection will feature new Kino releases fresh from theaters, along with hundreds of films from its expansive library of more than 4,000 titles, with many now streaming for the first time.
New 4K restorations of films like Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Conformist,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Dogtooth,” Jafar Panahi’s “Taxi,” Todd Haynes’ “Poison,” Tran Anh Hung’s “The Scent of Green Papaya,” Ana Lily Amirpour’s “A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night,” and Jia Zhangke’s “A Touch of Sin” are among highlights of the first offerings from Kino Film Collection.
Kino canon films like Fritz Lang’s historic “Metropolis,” F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu,” Robert Wiene’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,...
The Kino Film Collection will be launched in the U.S. on the Amazon Service via Prime Video Channels for $5.99 per month. The Collection will feature new Kino releases fresh from theaters, along with hundreds of films from its expansive library of more than 4,000 titles, with many now streaming for the first time.
New 4K restorations of films like Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Conformist,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Dogtooth,” Jafar Panahi’s “Taxi,” Todd Haynes’ “Poison,” Tran Anh Hung’s “The Scent of Green Papaya,” Ana Lily Amirpour’s “A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night,” and Jia Zhangke’s “A Touch of Sin” are among highlights of the first offerings from Kino Film Collection.
Kino canon films like Fritz Lang’s historic “Metropolis,” F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu,” Robert Wiene’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Kino Lorber Hires Rebecca Winter as Vice President, Partnerships and Platform Management (Exclusive)
Kino Lorber has hired Rebecca Winter to be its vice president of partnerships and platform management. In her new role, Winter will oversee strategic distribution partnerships and new business development across all Kino Lorber brands and streaming services, including MHz Choice and Topic. She will develop and expand partnerships and manage existing relationships. In addition, she will help drive revenue growth by distributing films and series from the Kino Lorber catalog across all means of distribution, including streaming and on-demand platforms.
She will report to Kino Lorber Chief Revenue Officer Lisa Schwartz. Winter joins Kino Lorber following an eight-year tenure at AMC Networks, where she most recently served as director, partner management and digital distribution. In that role, she worked across AMC Networks’ brands and streaming services including AMC+, Acorn TV, Allblk, Shudder, Sundance Now, and IFC Films Unlimited, as well as managed platform partnerships with Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV,...
She will report to Kino Lorber Chief Revenue Officer Lisa Schwartz. Winter joins Kino Lorber following an eight-year tenure at AMC Networks, where she most recently served as director, partner management and digital distribution. In that role, she worked across AMC Networks’ brands and streaming services including AMC+, Acorn TV, Allblk, Shudder, Sundance Now, and IFC Films Unlimited, as well as managed platform partnerships with Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV,...
- 10/19/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Kino Lorber and First Look Media have formed a joint venture to operate their respective streaming services, MHz Choice and Topic.
The new entity will be run by Kino Lorber, which will also take a majority stake. Programming, marketing and technology will be handled by MHz Networks founder Frederick Thomas. Topic Gm Ryan Chanatry and Jennifer Liang, who oversaw acquisitions for the streaming service, will consult through the transition period. Kino Lorber’s streaming services are overseen by Chief Strategy Officer Ed Carroll, the former longtime AMC Networks exec who joined the company earlier this year.
Programming for both Topic streaming and MHz Choice will be overseen by Lance Schwulst, SVP of Content Strategy for MHz Networks. Monica Bloom, VP of Marketing for Topic, will join the Jv as Chief Marketing Officer for both services.
Topic, which launched as an effort to showcase high-caliber international series and eventually focused in on the crime genre,...
The new entity will be run by Kino Lorber, which will also take a majority stake. Programming, marketing and technology will be handled by MHz Networks founder Frederick Thomas. Topic Gm Ryan Chanatry and Jennifer Liang, who oversaw acquisitions for the streaming service, will consult through the transition period. Kino Lorber’s streaming services are overseen by Chief Strategy Officer Ed Carroll, the former longtime AMC Networks exec who joined the company earlier this year.
Programming for both Topic streaming and MHz Choice will be overseen by Lance Schwulst, SVP of Content Strategy for MHz Networks. Monica Bloom, VP of Marketing for Topic, will join the Jv as Chief Marketing Officer for both services.
Topic, which launched as an effort to showcase high-caliber international series and eventually focused in on the crime genre,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Kino Lorber has acquired North American rights to the documentary about “The Right Stuff” and “The Bonfire of the Vanities” writer Tom Wolfe titled “Radical Wolfe,” the company announced on Wednesday.
The documentary is an official adaptation of the 2015 Vanity Fair article “How Tom Wolfe Became … Tom Wolfe” by Michael Lewis, best-selling author of “Moneyball” and “The Big Short” and a longtime personal friend of Wolfe.
Kino Lorber is planning a theatrical release later this year followed by a digital and home video release on all major platforms.
Also Read:
Kino Lorber Hires Former AMC Executives Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz to C-Suite
The film is directed by Richard Dewey (“Burden”) and executive produced by David Light and Nathan Epstein and co-produced by Andy Fortenbacher.
The synopsis is as follows: From a beat reporter at the Washington Post, to an overnight sensation as the leader of the New Journalism movement,...
The documentary is an official adaptation of the 2015 Vanity Fair article “How Tom Wolfe Became … Tom Wolfe” by Michael Lewis, best-selling author of “Moneyball” and “The Big Short” and a longtime personal friend of Wolfe.
Kino Lorber is planning a theatrical release later this year followed by a digital and home video release on all major platforms.
Also Read:
Kino Lorber Hires Former AMC Executives Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz to C-Suite
The film is directed by Richard Dewey (“Burden”) and executive produced by David Light and Nathan Epstein and co-produced by Andy Fortenbacher.
The synopsis is as follows: From a beat reporter at the Washington Post, to an overnight sensation as the leader of the New Journalism movement,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
When you cover the arthouse business, you get used to familiar faces more than famous ones. Programmers, distributors, and sales agents may not walk the red carpet alongside their stars, but they’re at all the afterparties, in the trenches of every major film festival, constantly plotting ways to get new work seen. Their ubiquity makes it possible to visualize this pocket of the entertainment industry so when the faces change places, it stands out.
In that respect, this week was extraordinary. Within 48 hours, news broke of senior independent film executives leaving jobs they held for years, in some cases not of their own volition. Welcome to the great indie contraction.
First came John Vanco, the 18-year veteran of the IFC Center, heading to Netflix to take over the booking of New York’s Paris Theater, as well as the Bay Cinema and the Egyptian in L.A.. On its...
In that respect, this week was extraordinary. Within 48 hours, news broke of senior independent film executives leaving jobs they held for years, in some cases not of their own volition. Welcome to the great indie contraction.
First came John Vanco, the 18-year veteran of the IFC Center, heading to Netflix to take over the booking of New York’s Paris Theater, as well as the Bay Cinema and the Egyptian in L.A.. On its...
- 4/1/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Arianna Bocco has stepped down as President of IFC Films. Bocco departed the indie distributor on Thursday.
She will be replaced on an interim basis by IFC Head of Acquisitions Scott Shooman.
IFC, a subsidiary of AMC Networks, will initiate a search for a permanent successor to Bocco.
Also Read:
AMC Networks Takes a Big Content Write-Off as Cable Subs Keep Dropping
Bocco was promoted to the the post in 2020, replacing Lisa Schwartz. Prior to that, has spent more than a decade overseeing acquisitions and productions for IFC Films.
“IFC Films is a vibrant and vital part of our business and we will continue to acquire, produce and distribute films across our IFC Films, Shudder and Rlje Films ecosystems,” AMC Networks said in a statement to Variety, which first reported the news. “We have full and total confidence in Scott’s ability to run the business as interim head and...
She will be replaced on an interim basis by IFC Head of Acquisitions Scott Shooman.
IFC, a subsidiary of AMC Networks, will initiate a search for a permanent successor to Bocco.
Also Read:
AMC Networks Takes a Big Content Write-Off as Cable Subs Keep Dropping
Bocco was promoted to the the post in 2020, replacing Lisa Schwartz. Prior to that, has spent more than a decade overseeing acquisitions and productions for IFC Films.
“IFC Films is a vibrant and vital part of our business and we will continue to acquire, produce and distribute films across our IFC Films, Shudder and Rlje Films ecosystems,” AMC Networks said in a statement to Variety, which first reported the news. “We have full and total confidence in Scott’s ability to run the business as interim head and...
- 3/31/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Arianna Bocco, IFC Films President, is out at the distributor, Deadline has confirmed.
The shocking news to the NYC indie world comes within days after the 17-year IFC vet was feted at the New York Women in Film & Television (Nywift)’s flagship fundraising event, the annual Muse Awards gala.
Bocco will be replaced in the interim by IFC Head of Acquisitions Scott Shooman. The Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group and CBS Films vet joined last year. The search for a new long-term replacement is underway. Talk about a revolving door at IFC.
We’re still sorting through what went down here. In the meantime, Bocco posted the following statement on social media, “I have big news to share! After much thought, I have stepped down from my post as President of IFC Films to pursue other opportunities. I’m so proud of the IFC Films team I’ve worked...
The shocking news to the NYC indie world comes within days after the 17-year IFC vet was feted at the New York Women in Film & Television (Nywift)’s flagship fundraising event, the annual Muse Awards gala.
Bocco will be replaced in the interim by IFC Head of Acquisitions Scott Shooman. The Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group and CBS Films vet joined last year. The search for a new long-term replacement is underway. Talk about a revolving door at IFC.
We’re still sorting through what went down here. In the meantime, Bocco posted the following statement on social media, “I have big news to share! After much thought, I have stepped down from my post as President of IFC Films to pursue other opportunities. I’m so proud of the IFC Films team I’ve worked...
- 3/31/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Arianna Bocco has stepped down as president of IFC Films. She will be replaced on an interim basis by Scott Shooman, who currently serves as head of acquisitions. Bocco left the company on Thursday.
“I have so enjoyed my time at IFC Films working alongside such a multi-talented, creative and compassionate team,” Bocco said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of all that we’ve accomplished over the years, and I’m very much looking forward to this next chapter.”
IFC, which is owned by AMC Networks, will conduct a search for a permanent replacement for Bocco, a longtime executive at the company and a major force in the world of independent film, respected for her keen taste and strong relationships with top talent. Bocco took the reins at IFC in 2020 after her predecessor Lisa Schwartz stepped down. But she had been at the company for more than a decade before making that leap.
“I have so enjoyed my time at IFC Films working alongside such a multi-talented, creative and compassionate team,” Bocco said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of all that we’ve accomplished over the years, and I’m very much looking forward to this next chapter.”
IFC, which is owned by AMC Networks, will conduct a search for a permanent replacement for Bocco, a longtime executive at the company and a major force in the world of independent film, respected for her keen taste and strong relationships with top talent. Bocco took the reins at IFC in 2020 after her predecessor Lisa Schwartz stepped down. But she had been at the company for more than a decade before making that leap.
- 3/31/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The as-yet untitled “The Walking Dead” spinoff centering on Andrew Lincoln’s Rick and Danai Gurira’s Michonne will air on AMC in 2024, the network announced at the Winter Television Critics Association today. The series will commence production this year.
AMC’s announcement also included dates for the three additional spinoffs, including “Fear the Walking Dead” which will premiere its eighth and final season beginning May 14. New spin-off series “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” starring Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, will air in June followed by “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” led by Norman Reedus, later this year.
Also Read:
Kino Lorber Hires Former AMC Executives Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz to C-Suite
“It’s a truly exciting year for The Walking Dead Universe, as we conclude an epic journey on Fear the Walking Dead, which became one of the most successful shows in the history of cable television.
AMC’s announcement also included dates for the three additional spinoffs, including “Fear the Walking Dead” which will premiere its eighth and final season beginning May 14. New spin-off series “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” starring Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, will air in June followed by “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” led by Norman Reedus, later this year.
Also Read:
Kino Lorber Hires Former AMC Executives Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz to C-Suite
“It’s a truly exciting year for The Walking Dead Universe, as we conclude an epic journey on Fear the Walking Dead, which became one of the most successful shows in the history of cable television.
- 1/10/2023
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Kino Lorber hired former AMC Networks execs Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz to bolster its executive suite.
Carroll becomes chief strategy officer at the New York-based arthouse film group after three decades at AMC Networks, which included a stint as COO and overseeing series like The Walking Dead, Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Schwartz, who worked for two decades at the premium cable channel, most recently ran IFC Films and becomes chief revenue officer at Kino Lorber.
The departures of Carroll and Schwartz from AMC Networks coincided with the recent exit of CEO Christina Spade and company-wife layoffs as chairman James Dolan assumed control of the restructuring media player on an interim basis.
In their new roles, Carroll and Schwartz will work with Kino Lorber chairman and CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to shape the film group’s content and distribution strategies and push further into digital spaces.
Carroll becomes chief strategy officer at the New York-based arthouse film group after three decades at AMC Networks, which included a stint as COO and overseeing series like The Walking Dead, Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Schwartz, who worked for two decades at the premium cable channel, most recently ran IFC Films and becomes chief revenue officer at Kino Lorber.
The departures of Carroll and Schwartz from AMC Networks coincided with the recent exit of CEO Christina Spade and company-wife layoffs as chairman James Dolan assumed control of the restructuring media player on an interim basis.
In their new roles, Carroll and Schwartz will work with Kino Lorber chairman and CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to shape the film group’s content and distribution strategies and push further into digital spaces.
- 1/9/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Independent film distributor Kino Lorber has recruited former AMC Networks executives Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz to respectively serve as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Revenue Officer, the company announced Monday.
The news comes just two months after Kino Lorber acquired North American streaming service MHz Choice. The distributor said that both Carroll and Schwartz will help shape the company’s content and distribution strategies, including an “accelerated expansion into digital spaces.”
Before joining Kino Lorber, Carroll had a three-decades-long career at AMC Networks, where he oversaw the development of many successful television series, including “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “Portlandia,” “Killing Eve” and “Inside the Actors Studio.” Previously, he was President at Bravo and COO of AMC Networks, where he was in charge of all programming, marketing, ad sales and international distribution. He also helped launch AMC Networks’ streaming channels, including Acorn, Sundance Now and Shudder, and...
The news comes just two months after Kino Lorber acquired North American streaming service MHz Choice. The distributor said that both Carroll and Schwartz will help shape the company’s content and distribution strategies, including an “accelerated expansion into digital spaces.”
Before joining Kino Lorber, Carroll had a three-decades-long career at AMC Networks, where he oversaw the development of many successful television series, including “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “Portlandia,” “Killing Eve” and “Inside the Actors Studio.” Previously, he was President at Bravo and COO of AMC Networks, where he was in charge of all programming, marketing, ad sales and international distribution. He also helped launch AMC Networks’ streaming channels, including Acorn, Sundance Now and Shudder, and...
- 1/9/2023
- by Aarohi Sheth
- The Wrap
Longtime top AMC Networks execs Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz have found their new C-suite home: The former cable channel leaders have joined Kino Lorber, with Carroll set as chief strategy officer and Lisa Schwartz as chief revenue officer.
The former colleagues will be working close with Kino Lorber chairman and CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to focus the company’s content and distribution strategies on expanding into digital spaces, an area Kino Lorber has been ramping up on with the recent acquisition of streamer MHz Choice’s parent company MHz Networks.
“Ed and Lisa are a powerful combination and I’m thrilled to welcome them both to the Kino Lorber C-suite,” Lorber said. “Following our acquisition of the MHz Choice streaming service, it’s the perfect time for them to join, as we further innovate our distribution strategies to make prestige international film and TV content accessible to audiences throughout North America.
The former colleagues will be working close with Kino Lorber chairman and CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to focus the company’s content and distribution strategies on expanding into digital spaces, an area Kino Lorber has been ramping up on with the recent acquisition of streamer MHz Choice’s parent company MHz Networks.
“Ed and Lisa are a powerful combination and I’m thrilled to welcome them both to the Kino Lorber C-suite,” Lorber said. “Following our acquisition of the MHz Choice streaming service, it’s the perfect time for them to join, as we further innovate our distribution strategies to make prestige international film and TV content accessible to audiences throughout North America.
- 1/9/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz join after Kino Lorber’s acquisition of MHz Choice streamer.
US arthouse distributor Kino Lorber has recruited former AMC Networks executives Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz as, respectively, chief strategy officer and chief revenue officer.
The appointments come two months after Kino Lorber acquired North American streaming service MHz Choice. The company said Carroll and Schwartz will work with Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to shape content and distribution strategies “including an accelerated expansion into digital spaces.”
Carroll spent three decades at AMC Networks, in roles including COO and president of the Bravo network.
US arthouse distributor Kino Lorber has recruited former AMC Networks executives Ed Carroll and Lisa Schwartz as, respectively, chief strategy officer and chief revenue officer.
The appointments come two months after Kino Lorber acquired North American streaming service MHz Choice. The company said Carroll and Schwartz will work with Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber and COO Martha Benyam to shape content and distribution strategies “including an accelerated expansion into digital spaces.”
Carroll spent three decades at AMC Networks, in roles including COO and president of the Bravo network.
- 1/9/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (Ufeg) SVP of Global Communications Jenny Tartikoff will depart the studio at the end of the year to pursue other leadership opportunities in the media and entertainment space.
Tartikoff was appointed to the role in 2016 and was responsible for executive communications, managing filmmaker relationships, crisis communications, events and executive communications, and guiding day-to-day studio strategy. She played an integral role in the integration of Dreamworks Animation following the 2016 acquisitions and in harnessing the studios’ reputation in the Dei space with the launch of Gtdi and other culture-driven initiatives. She first reported to Teri Everett and then Cindy Gardner, EVP of Global Communications for Ufeg.
Previously, Tartikoff worked at the New York-based strategic communications company Rubenstein, where her clients included Paramount Pictures, HBO, the New York Post and Sony Corporation of America. Before joining Rubenstein in 2010, she spent more than six years working for NBC News Communications,...
Tartikoff was appointed to the role in 2016 and was responsible for executive communications, managing filmmaker relationships, crisis communications, events and executive communications, and guiding day-to-day studio strategy. She played an integral role in the integration of Dreamworks Animation following the 2016 acquisitions and in harnessing the studios’ reputation in the Dei space with the launch of Gtdi and other culture-driven initiatives. She first reported to Teri Everett and then Cindy Gardner, EVP of Global Communications for Ufeg.
Previously, Tartikoff worked at the New York-based strategic communications company Rubenstein, where her clients included Paramount Pictures, HBO, the New York Post and Sony Corporation of America. Before joining Rubenstein in 2010, she spent more than six years working for NBC News Communications,...
- 12/5/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
AMC Networks on Wednesday said that longtime film executive Arianna Bocco has been named president of its IFC Films division. Bocco was previously EVP of Acquisitions and Production. She replaces departing IFC Films Co-President Lisa Schwartz. Schwartz had served as Co-President with Jonathan Sehring who retired at the end of 2018.
Bocco has spent more than a decade overseeing acquisitions and productions for IFC Films as well as genre label IFC Midnight.
In her new role, Bocco will continue to oversee acquisitions, production, marketing and publicity, while adding oversight of theatrical film distribution and the fast-growing IFC Films Unlimited subscription streaming service. Bocco will report to Miguel Penella, AMC Networks’ president of SVOD, who oversees the company’s new premium subscription bundled offering AMC+, which includes IFC Films Unlimited; its portfolio of subscription video on demand services Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, and Umc; as well as Rlje Films. Penella reports to Ed Carroll,...
Bocco has spent more than a decade overseeing acquisitions and productions for IFC Films as well as genre label IFC Midnight.
In her new role, Bocco will continue to oversee acquisitions, production, marketing and publicity, while adding oversight of theatrical film distribution and the fast-growing IFC Films Unlimited subscription streaming service. Bocco will report to Miguel Penella, AMC Networks’ president of SVOD, who oversees the company’s new premium subscription bundled offering AMC+, which includes IFC Films Unlimited; its portfolio of subscription video on demand services Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, and Umc; as well as Rlje Films. Penella reports to Ed Carroll,...
- 12/2/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Arianna Bocco has been named president of IFC Films. Her promotion comes after more than a decade at the indie studio, where Bocco oversaw acquisitions and productions for IFC Films as well as for its genre label IFC Midnight.
Bocco is stepping into the role after Lisa Schwartz announced in November that she was stepping down as co-president of the studio. Jonathan Sehring, who served as co-president of IFC Films for decades, left the company in 2018.
In her new role, Bocco will continue to oversee acquisitions, production, marketing and publicity, while adding oversight of theatrical film distribution. She will also be tasked with continuing to grow its subscription streaming service, IFC Films Unlimited.
IFC Films is owned by AMC Networks. Bocco will now report to Miguel Penella, AMC Networks’ president of SVOD. He, in turn, reports to Ed Carroll, AMC Networks’ COO.
“Arianna is a talented and respected executive who...
Bocco is stepping into the role after Lisa Schwartz announced in November that she was stepping down as co-president of the studio. Jonathan Sehring, who served as co-president of IFC Films for decades, left the company in 2018.
In her new role, Bocco will continue to oversee acquisitions, production, marketing and publicity, while adding oversight of theatrical film distribution. She will also be tasked with continuing to grow its subscription streaming service, IFC Films Unlimited.
IFC Films is owned by AMC Networks. Bocco will now report to Miguel Penella, AMC Networks’ president of SVOD. He, in turn, reports to Ed Carroll, AMC Networks’ COO.
“Arianna is a talented and respected executive who...
- 12/2/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Arianna Bocco has been named the president of IFC Films, AMC Networks announced on Wednesday.
Bocco has spent more than a decade overseeing acquisitions and productions for IFC Films and its genre label IFC Midnight. In her new role, she will continue to oversee acquisitions and productions, as well as marketing and publicity, while adding oversight of theatrical film distribution and IFC Films Unlimited subscription streaming service. She will report to AMC Networks President of SVOD Miguel Penella.
IFC Films is having an impressive year despite the Covid-19 pandemic, with the studio finding box office success at drive-in theaters with the release of indie horror films like “The Rental” and “The Wretched” that have ranked among some of the distributor’s top-performing titles even when compared to normal circumstances.
Lisa Schwartz announced last month that she would step down from her position as co-president of IFC Films at the end of the year.
Bocco has spent more than a decade overseeing acquisitions and productions for IFC Films and its genre label IFC Midnight. In her new role, she will continue to oversee acquisitions and productions, as well as marketing and publicity, while adding oversight of theatrical film distribution and IFC Films Unlimited subscription streaming service. She will report to AMC Networks President of SVOD Miguel Penella.
IFC Films is having an impressive year despite the Covid-19 pandemic, with the studio finding box office success at drive-in theaters with the release of indie horror films like “The Rental” and “The Wretched” that have ranked among some of the distributor’s top-performing titles even when compared to normal circumstances.
Lisa Schwartz announced last month that she would step down from her position as co-president of IFC Films at the end of the year.
- 12/2/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Arianna Bocco, who for over a decade has led acquisitions at IFC Films, has been named the distributor’s next president.
IFC Films parent AMC Networks announced Bocco’s promotion in a release Wednesday. The distributor is currently led by Co-President Lisa Schwartz, who is leaving the company at the end of the year after 14 years.
“Arianna is a talented and respected executive who has established IFC Films as a leading platform for new, emerging voices as well as acclaimed filmmakers, and through her acquisitions she has helped create a wide-ranging library of celebrated independent films for the company,” said AMC Networks COO Ed Carroll. “I’m confident that Arianna will bring her unmatched expertise and depth of knowledge to lead IFC Films to continued success and as we serve new audiences through our IFC Films Unlimited streaming offering.”
Bocco is being promoted to a newly created role, where she will continue to oversee acquisitions,...
IFC Films parent AMC Networks announced Bocco’s promotion in a release Wednesday. The distributor is currently led by Co-President Lisa Schwartz, who is leaving the company at the end of the year after 14 years.
“Arianna is a talented and respected executive who has established IFC Films as a leading platform for new, emerging voices as well as acclaimed filmmakers, and through her acquisitions she has helped create a wide-ranging library of celebrated independent films for the company,” said AMC Networks COO Ed Carroll. “I’m confident that Arianna will bring her unmatched expertise and depth of knowledge to lead IFC Films to continued success and as we serve new audiences through our IFC Films Unlimited streaming offering.”
Bocco is being promoted to a newly created role, where she will continue to oversee acquisitions,...
- 12/2/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
AMC Networks has promoted Arianna Bocco to president of its IFC Films division.
Bocco for a decade has overseen acquisitions and productions for IFC Films, as well as genre label IFC Midnight. Her notable film acquisitions include Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip series, Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook.
Bocco’s promotion follows Lisa Schwartz, the longtime IFC Films co-president, announcing she will step down at the end of the year.
In her new role, Bocco will add oversight of theatrical film distribution and the IFC Films Unlimited subscription streaming service to her duties as she reports to Miguel ...
Bocco for a decade has overseen acquisitions and productions for IFC Films, as well as genre label IFC Midnight. Her notable film acquisitions include Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip series, Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook.
Bocco’s promotion follows Lisa Schwartz, the longtime IFC Films co-president, announcing she will step down at the end of the year.
In her new role, Bocco will add oversight of theatrical film distribution and the IFC Films Unlimited subscription streaming service to her duties as she reports to Miguel ...
- 12/2/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
AMC Networks has promoted Arianna Bocco to president of its IFC Films division.
Bocco for a decade has overseen acquisitions and productions for IFC Films, as well as genre label IFC Midnight. Her notable film acquisitions include Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip series, Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook.
Bocco’s promotion follows Lisa Schwartz, the longtime IFC Films co-president, announcing she will step down at the end of the year.
In her new role, Bocco will add oversight of theatrical film distribution and the IFC Films Unlimited subscription streaming service to her duties as she reports to Miguel ...
Bocco for a decade has overseen acquisitions and productions for IFC Films, as well as genre label IFC Midnight. Her notable film acquisitions include Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip series, Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin and Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook.
Bocco’s promotion follows Lisa Schwartz, the longtime IFC Films co-president, announcing she will step down at the end of the year.
In her new role, Bocco will add oversight of theatrical film distribution and the IFC Films Unlimited subscription streaming service to her duties as she reports to Miguel ...
- 12/2/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: AMC Networks is letting go 10% of its U.S. workforce, eliminating nearly 100 positions in a reorganization designed to streamline the company’s linear and streaming operations.
CEO Josh Sapan announced the cuts during a virtual town hall meeting earlier today, company insiders tell Deadline. He said a months-long strategic evaluation of the company had focused on an overhaul of its structure to emphasize areas with the greatest growth potential as streaming becomes more central to the entire industry. Similar to the view of other media leaders confronting the march of technology, Sapan said a central objective for 2021 and beyond will be to change how the company operates. Acquiring streaming customers, for example, is a different organizational process than driving higher affiliate fees.
Other media companies, including WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal, have recently shed jobs in restructuring efforts, and ViacomCBS and Disney have similarly streamlined as a result of major mergers.
CEO Josh Sapan announced the cuts during a virtual town hall meeting earlier today, company insiders tell Deadline. He said a months-long strategic evaluation of the company had focused on an overhaul of its structure to emphasize areas with the greatest growth potential as streaming becomes more central to the entire industry. Similar to the view of other media leaders confronting the march of technology, Sapan said a central objective for 2021 and beyond will be to change how the company operates. Acquiring streaming customers, for example, is a different organizational process than driving higher affiliate fees.
Other media companies, including WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal, have recently shed jobs in restructuring efforts, and ViacomCBS and Disney have similarly streamlined as a result of major mergers.
- 11/18/2020
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Lisa Schwartz, co-president of IFC Films, will step down from the indie distributor at the end of the year, parent company AMC Networks announced Thursday.
Schwartz joined IFC Films in 2006 and was elevated to her current role in 2016, where she led business strategy, distribution and strategic partnerships for the distributor behind independent hits like “Boyhood,” “The Trip” franchise, “The Babadook” and “45 Years.”
IFC Films is going through an impressive year despite the pandemic, with the studio finding surprising box office success at drive-in theaters with the release of indie horror films like “The Rental” and “The Wretched” that have ranked among some of the distributor’s top-performing titles even when compared to normal circumstances. Schwartz was recognized as part of TheWrap’s annual Innovator’s List.
Schwartz also led the creation of IFC Films Unlimited, the subscription video on-demand service that hosts IFC Films’ library of films dating back 20 years,...
Schwartz joined IFC Films in 2006 and was elevated to her current role in 2016, where she led business strategy, distribution and strategic partnerships for the distributor behind independent hits like “Boyhood,” “The Trip” franchise, “The Babadook” and “45 Years.”
IFC Films is going through an impressive year despite the pandemic, with the studio finding surprising box office success at drive-in theaters with the release of indie horror films like “The Rental” and “The Wretched” that have ranked among some of the distributor’s top-performing titles even when compared to normal circumstances. Schwartz was recognized as part of TheWrap’s annual Innovator’s List.
Schwartz also led the creation of IFC Films Unlimited, the subscription video on-demand service that hosts IFC Films’ library of films dating back 20 years,...
- 11/12/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Lisa Schwartz, co-president of IFC Films, announced she will be stepping down from her role at the end of the year.
Schwartz, who led the independent film studio’s business strategy, distribution and strategic partnership, most recently spearheaded IFC’s streaming channel called IFC Films Unlimited. The newly created subscription-based platform is home to IFC favorites like “The Trip,” “45 Years” and “The Babdook.”
IFC Films has been one of the few studios to continue rolling out new movies during the pandemic, fielding modest Covid-era hits that were popular at drive-in theaters, like “The Wretched” “The Trip to Greece,” psychological thriller “Swallow,” and “How to Build a Girl” with Beanie Feldstein.
“In an extraordinary year like no other, extraordinary and innovative approaches were developed which kept IFC Films at the forefront of film distribution,” Schwartz said in a statement. “I’m very proud to have been a part of the...
Schwartz, who led the independent film studio’s business strategy, distribution and strategic partnership, most recently spearheaded IFC’s streaming channel called IFC Films Unlimited. The newly created subscription-based platform is home to IFC favorites like “The Trip,” “45 Years” and “The Babdook.”
IFC Films has been one of the few studios to continue rolling out new movies during the pandemic, fielding modest Covid-era hits that were popular at drive-in theaters, like “The Wretched” “The Trip to Greece,” psychological thriller “Swallow,” and “How to Build a Girl” with Beanie Feldstein.
“In an extraordinary year like no other, extraordinary and innovative approaches were developed which kept IFC Films at the forefront of film distribution,” Schwartz said in a statement. “I’m very proud to have been a part of the...
- 11/12/2020
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The longtime IFC executive spearheaded the division’s day-and-date theatrical/VoD releasing model.
Lisa Schwartz, the longtime IFC Films executive currently in charge of the division’s business strategy, distribution and strategic partnerships, is leaving the independent production and distribution operation at the end of the year.
IFC Films owner AMC Networks did not say whether Schwartz will be replaced.
Most recently, Schwartz has held the title of co-president of IFC Films and its Sundance Selects label. She led the division’s move into streaming by creating and launching the IFC Films Unlimited channel, which has streamed such features as The Trip,...
Lisa Schwartz, the longtime IFC Films executive currently in charge of the division’s business strategy, distribution and strategic partnerships, is leaving the independent production and distribution operation at the end of the year.
IFC Films owner AMC Networks did not say whether Schwartz will be replaced.
Most recently, Schwartz has held the title of co-president of IFC Films and its Sundance Selects label. She led the division’s move into streaming by creating and launching the IFC Films Unlimited channel, which has streamed such features as The Trip,...
- 11/12/2020
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
After 14 years at IFC Films, longtime exec Lisa Schwartz is exiting the independent film distributor at the end of the year.
As co-president, Schwartz guided IFC Films’ business strategy, distribution and strategic partnerships. Most recently, she led IFC Films’ foray into streaming by creating and successfully launching the IFC Films Unlimited streaming channel, which is seeing subscriber growth driven by a library of award-winning, acclaimed films from the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight distribution labels. Those titles include The Trip, Two Days, One Night, 45 Years and The Babadook.
Schwartz was promoted to the role of co-president of IFC Films and Sundance Selects in February 2016 from her role as EVP Distribution, Operations and Business Development for Sundance Selects and IFC Films.
Schwartz previously spearheaded development of the company’s Sundance Now SVOD service, which launched in 2014. She also leveraged affiliate relationships and helped create IFC Films’ pioneering and industry-leading day-and-date distribution model,...
As co-president, Schwartz guided IFC Films’ business strategy, distribution and strategic partnerships. Most recently, she led IFC Films’ foray into streaming by creating and successfully launching the IFC Films Unlimited streaming channel, which is seeing subscriber growth driven by a library of award-winning, acclaimed films from the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight distribution labels. Those titles include The Trip, Two Days, One Night, 45 Years and The Babadook.
Schwartz was promoted to the role of co-president of IFC Films and Sundance Selects in February 2016 from her role as EVP Distribution, Operations and Business Development for Sundance Selects and IFC Films.
Schwartz previously spearheaded development of the company’s Sundance Now SVOD service, which launched in 2014. She also leveraged affiliate relationships and helped create IFC Films’ pioneering and industry-leading day-and-date distribution model,...
- 11/12/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Lisa Schwartz, the longtime IFC Films co-president, will step down at the end of the year, AMC Networks said on Thursday.
Schwartz led IFC Films’ foray into streaming with the IFC Films Unlimited online video channel and earlier launched the Sundance Now subscription video on demand service as she led the company from movie theaters to the emerging streaming space.
“I’m very proud to have been a part of the leadership team that forged ahead and accomplished the incredible success the business has achieved, particularly over the past couple of years. I look forward to taking that spirit of ...
Schwartz led IFC Films’ foray into streaming with the IFC Films Unlimited online video channel and earlier launched the Sundance Now subscription video on demand service as she led the company from movie theaters to the emerging streaming space.
“I’m very proud to have been a part of the leadership team that forged ahead and accomplished the incredible success the business has achieved, particularly over the past couple of years. I look forward to taking that spirit of ...
- 11/12/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Lisa Schwartz, the longtime IFC Films co-president, will step down at the end of the year, AMC Networks said on Thursday.
Schwartz led IFC Films’ foray into streaming with the IFC Films Unlimited online video channel and earlier launched the Sundance Now subscription video on demand service as she led the company from movie theaters to the emerging streaming space.
“I’m very proud to have been a part of the leadership team that forged ahead and accomplished the incredible success the business has achieved, particularly over the past couple of years. I look forward to taking that spirit of ...
Schwartz led IFC Films’ foray into streaming with the IFC Films Unlimited online video channel and earlier launched the Sundance Now subscription video on demand service as she led the company from movie theaters to the emerging streaming space.
“I’m very proud to have been a part of the leadership team that forged ahead and accomplished the incredible success the business has achieved, particularly over the past couple of years. I look forward to taking that spirit of ...
- 11/12/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IFC Films Unlimited, the streaming channel from indie stalwart IFC Films, has seen a staggering 300% growth in subscribers since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Variety has learned.
As the home to over 1,000 titles from the distributor, including Alfonso Cuaron’s “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig’s “Frances Ha” and “The Babadook,” the streaming hub has exploded with users thanks to increased presence across numerous digital platforms, not to mention a U.S. population that’s been largely locked indoors and starved for entertainment.
“The future got here sooner than we expected when we started and developed IFC Films Unlimited,” said Lisa Schwartz, co-president of IFC Films. “It’s gratifying to see our strategy work, and a testament to the quality of our films.”
Beyond the coronavirus, a key factor in the uptick has been the service’s addition to the Apple TV and Roku services,...
As the home to over 1,000 titles from the distributor, including Alfonso Cuaron’s “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig’s “Frances Ha” and “The Babadook,” the streaming hub has exploded with users thanks to increased presence across numerous digital platforms, not to mention a U.S. population that’s been largely locked indoors and starved for entertainment.
“The future got here sooner than we expected when we started and developed IFC Films Unlimited,” said Lisa Schwartz, co-president of IFC Films. “It’s gratifying to see our strategy work, and a testament to the quality of our films.”
Beyond the coronavirus, a key factor in the uptick has been the service’s addition to the Apple TV and Roku services,...
- 10/1/2020
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has picked up the North American distribution rights to Faith Based, the Luke Barnett-scripted indie comedy that stars Jason Alexander, Tanner Thomason, Margaret Cho, David Koechner, Lance Reddick, as well as Barnett. Vincent Masciale directed the film which will be available in select theaters and on digital, cable, and satellite VOD platforms on October 9.
The plot focuses on two slacker friends who come to the realization that every low budget Christian movie starring 90’s TV actors makes millions of dollars. They soon set out on a mission to make “A Prayer in Space”, the story of the first prayer ever to be prayed… in space.
Christoph Sanders, Carly Craig, Richard Riehle, Marlon Young, Danielle Nicolet, YouTube star Lisa Schwartz, Chris Marquette, and Danny Woodburn round out the cast.
Barnett, Masciale, Thomason, and Tim Kerigan produced the pic, which premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
The plot focuses on two slacker friends who come to the realization that every low budget Christian movie starring 90’s TV actors makes millions of dollars. They soon set out on a mission to make “A Prayer in Space”, the story of the first prayer ever to be prayed… in space.
Christoph Sanders, Carly Craig, Richard Riehle, Marlon Young, Danielle Nicolet, YouTube star Lisa Schwartz, Chris Marquette, and Danny Woodburn round out the cast.
Barnett, Masciale, Thomason, and Tim Kerigan produced the pic, which premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
- 8/21/2020
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Tax Collector,” an action film directed by David Ayer and starring Shia Labeouf, generated $317,000 at the box office when it debuted in 129 theaters in the United States.
The movie, from Rlje Films, brought in $2,457 from each location — a mix of drive-in venues and traditional theaters. At the Vineland Drive-In in Los Angeles, “The Tax Collector” notched the highest single-day grosses since the theater reopened.
Next weekend, the film will expand to more drive-ins and brick-and-mortar theaters that have reopened. There are currently 1,195 movie theater locations open in North America, and of those, 229 are drive-ins.
On premium video-on-demand services, “The Tax Collector” ranked among the top purchases on many platforms, including Google, iTunes, Amazon and FandangoNow, with reports that it pulled in around $1 million in VOD sales.
In the film, Labeouf and Bobby Soto play two gang enforcers named Creeper and David who work for a crime lord. The “tax...
The movie, from Rlje Films, brought in $2,457 from each location — a mix of drive-in venues and traditional theaters. At the Vineland Drive-In in Los Angeles, “The Tax Collector” notched the highest single-day grosses since the theater reopened.
Next weekend, the film will expand to more drive-ins and brick-and-mortar theaters that have reopened. There are currently 1,195 movie theater locations open in North America, and of those, 229 are drive-ins.
On premium video-on-demand services, “The Tax Collector” ranked among the top purchases on many platforms, including Google, iTunes, Amazon and FandangoNow, with reports that it pulled in around $1 million in VOD sales.
In the film, Labeouf and Bobby Soto play two gang enforcers named Creeper and David who work for a crime lord. The “tax...
- 8/9/2020
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
IFC Films Unlimited, the streaming arm of IFC, has expanded to Canada.
It will be made available on Amazon Prime beginning Wednesday. Customers can subscribe directly to IFC Films Unlimited for $5.99 Cad per month. The subscription service also offers access to movies from IFC’s other labels Sundance Selects and genre label IFC Midnight.
The expansion of IFC Films Unlimited in Canada will debut with the release of “The Wretched,” a supernatural horror film written and directed by the Pierce Brothers.
“IFC Films Unlimited has consistently outperformed our expectations since launching just over a year ago. The programming has attracted specialty film fans who are looking for high-quality independent film across a variety of genres. We are thrilled to continue our expansion in Canada with Amazon,” said Lisa Schwartz, co-president of IFC Films.
IFC Films Unlimited’s library includes such previous releases as “Frances Ha,” “The Man Who Knew Infinity,...
It will be made available on Amazon Prime beginning Wednesday. Customers can subscribe directly to IFC Films Unlimited for $5.99 Cad per month. The subscription service also offers access to movies from IFC’s other labels Sundance Selects and genre label IFC Midnight.
The expansion of IFC Films Unlimited in Canada will debut with the release of “The Wretched,” a supernatural horror film written and directed by the Pierce Brothers.
“IFC Films Unlimited has consistently outperformed our expectations since launching just over a year ago. The programming has attracted specialty film fans who are looking for high-quality independent film across a variety of genres. We are thrilled to continue our expansion in Canada with Amazon,” said Lisa Schwartz, co-president of IFC Films.
IFC Films Unlimited’s library includes such previous releases as “Frances Ha,” “The Man Who Knew Infinity,...
- 8/5/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
If you read Heather Wixson's 4-star review or you listened to our Sundance episode of Corpse Club featuring director Natalie Erika James, then you know that we can't wait for Daily Dead readers to see her new horror film Relic. Before it comes to theaters and Digital/VOD on July 10th, IFC will release Relic in drive-in theaters early beginning July 3rd, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend:
Press Release: New York, NY: Ahead of its July 10th theatrical and Digital/VOD date, IFC Films is bringing Relic to drive-in theaters only as an advance week-run beginning July 3rd as studios delay new releases to later in the summer. With a current score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, Relic is one of the year’s most highly anticipated genre films of the Summer.
Recently heralded as one of Indiewire’s ‘20 Rising Women Directors You Need to Know...
Press Release: New York, NY: Ahead of its July 10th theatrical and Digital/VOD date, IFC Films is bringing Relic to drive-in theaters only as an advance week-run beginning July 3rd as studios delay new releases to later in the summer. With a current score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, Relic is one of the year’s most highly anticipated genre films of the Summer.
Recently heralded as one of Indiewire’s ‘20 Rising Women Directors You Need to Know...
- 6/18/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
IFC Films is bringing its latest horror film, “Relic,” exclusively to drive-in theaters for a week beginning July 3, ahead of the movie’s wider release in traditional theaters and VOD on July 10. The move comes as drive-ins are in need of films for the typically busy holiday weekend, which now has no major releases after the Russell Crowe-starring “Unhinged” was pushed to July 10.
“Relic” is the feature debut of Australian-Japanese writer, director, and producer Natalie Erika James, named by IndieWire as one of this year’s 20 rising women directors. Starring Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, and Robyn Nevin, IFC Midnight acquired the film after it premiered at Sundance 2020 to raves. It currently has a 100 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mortimer plays a woman whose elderly mother (Nevin) mysteriously disappears, so she takes her daughter (Heathcote) to their dilapidated country home, where they discover clues of the matriarch’s increasing dementia.
“Relic” is the feature debut of Australian-Japanese writer, director, and producer Natalie Erika James, named by IndieWire as one of this year’s 20 rising women directors. Starring Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, and Robyn Nevin, IFC Midnight acquired the film after it premiered at Sundance 2020 to raves. It currently has a 100 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mortimer plays a woman whose elderly mother (Nevin) mysteriously disappears, so she takes her daughter (Heathcote) to their dilapidated country home, where they discover clues of the matriarch’s increasing dementia.
- 6/17/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Thompson on Hollywood
IFC Films is bringing its latest horror film, “Relic,” exclusively to drive-in theaters for a week beginning July 3, ahead of the movie’s wider release in traditional theaters and VOD on July 10. The move comes as drive-ins are in need of films for the typically busy holiday weekend, which now has no major releases after the Russell Crowe-starring “Unhinged” was pushed to July 10.
“Relic” is the feature debut of Australian-Japanese writer, director, and producer Natalie Erika James, named by IndieWire as one of this year’s 20 rising women directors. Starring Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, and Robyn Nevin, IFC Midnight acquired the film after it premiered at Sundance 2020 to raves. It currently has a 100 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mortimer plays a woman whose elderly mother (Nevin) mysteriously disappears, so she takes her daughter (Heathcote) to their dilapidated country home, where they discover clues of the matriarch’s increasing dementia.
“Relic” is the feature debut of Australian-Japanese writer, director, and producer Natalie Erika James, named by IndieWire as one of this year’s 20 rising women directors. Starring Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, and Robyn Nevin, IFC Midnight acquired the film after it premiered at Sundance 2020 to raves. It currently has a 100 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Mortimer plays a woman whose elderly mother (Nevin) mysteriously disappears, so she takes her daughter (Heathcote) to their dilapidated country home, where they discover clues of the matriarch’s increasing dementia.
- 6/17/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Drive-in theaters have taken on many of the accoutrements of indoor screenings as public moviegoing has shifted almost entirely to an outdoor, socially-distanced model in recent months. But two elements of the Los Angeles filmgoing experience that probably no one expected to ever see at a drive-in were (a) filmmaker post-screening Q&As and (b) ArcLight caramel corn.
Both those Hollywood screening staples will be on hand next Thursday at the Vineland Drive-In on the outskirts of L.A. in the City of Industry, as the entire four-screen ozoner is taken over for a preview event to unveil “The Rental,” an IFC Films horror thriller written and directed by Dave Franco. The actor-filmmaker will indeed be on hand for a Q&a after the showing — which will go out to cars via FM sound, just like the film — even though this is the first time that ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific...
Both those Hollywood screening staples will be on hand next Thursday at the Vineland Drive-In on the outskirts of L.A. in the City of Industry, as the entire four-screen ozoner is taken over for a preview event to unveil “The Rental,” an IFC Films horror thriller written and directed by Dave Franco. The actor-filmmaker will indeed be on hand for a Q&a after the showing — which will go out to cars via FM sound, just like the film — even though this is the first time that ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific...
- 6/12/2020
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Indie horror film “The Wretched” is inching toward a milestone, eyeing the top spot on box office charts for the fifth weekend in a row. It’s a rare feat that hasn’t been achieved since Marvel’s superhero juggernaut “Black Panther” debuted in 2018.
Notching this particular benchmark, in this case, comes with a pretty big caveat; “The Wretched” is one of the only movies on box office charts. But its relative dominance of a sparse field highlights what has become a winning strategy for IFC Films, the specialty label that behind the supernatural thriller.
At a time when Hollywood studios have delayed, amended, or scrapped plans to debut major movies, IFC Films has decided to keep release dates and continue rolling out films as scheduled. It’s allowed the company to carve out a prime position at the few moviegoing venues — most of which are drive-in theaters — that have...
Notching this particular benchmark, in this case, comes with a pretty big caveat; “The Wretched” is one of the only movies on box office charts. But its relative dominance of a sparse field highlights what has become a winning strategy for IFC Films, the specialty label that behind the supernatural thriller.
At a time when Hollywood studios have delayed, amended, or scrapped plans to debut major movies, IFC Films has decided to keep release dates and continue rolling out films as scheduled. It’s allowed the company to carve out a prime position at the few moviegoing venues — most of which are drive-in theaters — that have...
- 5/29/2020
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
As movie theaters across the country began to shut down two months ago, IFC Films made the risky decision not to cancel or postpone its slate of indie and art house film releases, while also pivoting to the handful of drive-in theaters that are still open around the country. The good news: The decision is paying off since IFC had some of the only new releases playing in theaters anywhere. The horror film “The Wretched,” for instance, has grossed $621,000 in four weeks on less than 60 screens — which would make it one of the Top 20 grossing films on IFC’s slate for each year going back to 2016. Now entering into its 20th year, IFC continues to use the same digital, VOD strategy it always has. “Our business, in particular, is an interesting intersection of whole services that are designed to be viewed at home or on-the-go or in theaters and then...
- 5/28/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
IFC Films is offering embattled indie theaters hundreds of films from its library to screen when they re-open from their mass Covid-19 related shutdown.
The movies, which include such IFC classics as “Y Tu Mama Tambien” and “Boyhood,” will be made available to cinemas without any rental fees. The retrospective program boasts roughly 200 films. Theaters will not be charged any film rental.
“We are honoring the partnership we’ve had with theaters over the last 20 years and we’re sending them a message of solidarity and gratefulness,” said Lisa Schwartz, co-president of IFC Films. “They’ve been with us since beginning and when they come back, we want to be there with them.”
The indie studio is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary and had been putting together programming to honor the occasion. After coronavirus closed most theaters in March, IFC began to rethink its plans.
“This was a positive way...
The movies, which include such IFC classics as “Y Tu Mama Tambien” and “Boyhood,” will be made available to cinemas without any rental fees. The retrospective program boasts roughly 200 films. Theaters will not be charged any film rental.
“We are honoring the partnership we’ve had with theaters over the last 20 years and we’re sending them a message of solidarity and gratefulness,” said Lisa Schwartz, co-president of IFC Films. “They’ve been with us since beginning and when they come back, we want to be there with them.”
The indie studio is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary and had been putting together programming to honor the occasion. After coronavirus closed most theaters in March, IFC began to rethink its plans.
“This was a positive way...
- 4/21/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
When Ethan Hawke was promoting “Blaze,” his biopic about troubled singer-songwriter Blaze Foley, he went around Texas talking up the low-budget indie to country music fans. It was a grassroots effort, one that saw staffers at IFC, the studio behind the 2018 film, crisscross the state while ferrying the cast and crew in rental cars from one theater to another.
“Of course, it would have been easier if we’d had $20 million to promote the film,” says Hawke. “But this somehow matched the spirit of ‘Blaze.’ IFC is hungry and scrappy, and they’re not pretentious. Those are the qualities you look for in a good indie film.”
Hawke acknowledges that when he signs up for an IFC release, he’s abandoning the creature comforts that come with a big studio movie. The private plane trips and ritzy hotel suites may be lacking, but IFC’s commitment to fostering challenging and...
“Of course, it would have been easier if we’d had $20 million to promote the film,” says Hawke. “But this somehow matched the spirit of ‘Blaze.’ IFC is hungry and scrappy, and they’re not pretentious. Those are the qualities you look for in a good indie film.”
Hawke acknowledges that when he signs up for an IFC release, he’s abandoning the creature comforts that come with a big studio movie. The private plane trips and ritzy hotel suites may be lacking, but IFC’s commitment to fostering challenging and...
- 3/19/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
IFC Films is turning 20, and to help celebrate that milestone, the indie studio is showcasing one free movie each month through its streaming service.
The program will kick off with “Boyhood,” the Oscar-winning hit from Richard Linklater that premiered at Sundance in 2014. It will be available on IFC Films Unlimited Svod service on Friday to coincide with the beginning of the Sundance Film Festival.
Going forward, the movies will be available to stream on IFC Films Unlimited on the Apple TV app and Amazon Prime Video Channels. No subscription or free trial required to stream. Titles will be available for a week, from Friday to Tuesday, before being replaced by other releases. Over two decades, IFC has released such critical and commercial hits as “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “Y Tu Mamá También,” “Clouds of Sils Maria,” “45 Years,” and “The Death of Stalin.”
“We couldn’t be prouder of...
The program will kick off with “Boyhood,” the Oscar-winning hit from Richard Linklater that premiered at Sundance in 2014. It will be available on IFC Films Unlimited Svod service on Friday to coincide with the beginning of the Sundance Film Festival.
Going forward, the movies will be available to stream on IFC Films Unlimited on the Apple TV app and Amazon Prime Video Channels. No subscription or free trial required to stream. Titles will be available for a week, from Friday to Tuesday, before being replaced by other releases. Over two decades, IFC has released such critical and commercial hits as “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “Y Tu Mamá También,” “Clouds of Sils Maria,” “45 Years,” and “The Death of Stalin.”
“We couldn’t be prouder of...
- 1/23/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Former Untitled Entertainment and Relativity Media exec Kendall Rhodes has launched Paraluman Media, a management and production boutique specializing in digital and entertainment.
Paraluman will be a 360 talent management company, developing and producing content for all platforms while securing brand partnerships, business building and consulting on social media strategy.
Rhodes represents a number of artists and social media influencers including actors, directors, producers and multi-platform creators. Her client roster includes Yousef Erakat, aka Fousey, from Tyler Perry’s Boo (1 and 2)! who counts north of 14M subs on YouTube; actors Stella Hudgens and Sophia Esperanza who respectively count Instagram followers of 1M and 3M+; Lifestyle creator, Meghan Rienks, who produced and starred in the Lionsgate movie The Honor List and has a reach of 5M+ on social media; YouTuber Lily Marston, who starred in YouTube’s BeautyBreak and recently started her own channel and network; filmmaker Caryn Waechter (Deadcon); Tony E.
Paraluman will be a 360 talent management company, developing and producing content for all platforms while securing brand partnerships, business building and consulting on social media strategy.
Rhodes represents a number of artists and social media influencers including actors, directors, producers and multi-platform creators. Her client roster includes Yousef Erakat, aka Fousey, from Tyler Perry’s Boo (1 and 2)! who counts north of 14M subs on YouTube; actors Stella Hudgens and Sophia Esperanza who respectively count Instagram followers of 1M and 3M+; Lifestyle creator, Meghan Rienks, who produced and starred in the Lionsgate movie The Honor List and has a reach of 5M+ on social media; YouTuber Lily Marston, who starred in YouTube’s BeautyBreak and recently started her own channel and network; filmmaker Caryn Waechter (Deadcon); Tony E.
- 12/18/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.