FUTURE
LEADERS SALES AND DISTRIBUTION
creen started highlighting the Future Leaders in our Cannes issue two years ago, when we spotlighted emerging sales and acquisitions executives. Last year, we looked at the rising producers. For 2014, we’re back spotlighting sales and distribution; it’s a sign of the industry’s vitality that there were hundreds of possible candidates that have proven themselves as ‘ones to watch’ since our previous look two years ago. For this class of Future Leaders, we tried to introduce executives at a stage when they may be slightly less well known to the wider industry; they are not totally new to the sector and do have decision-making power, but are
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not yet in the top positions. So these are not generally the vice-presidents or CEOs unless they have split off into running their own boutique companies. The fast-changing worlds of sales and distribution will face enormous challenges in the coming years — from the rise of digital platforms to shrinking TV deals to a crowded release landscape. It’s good to meet those dynamic, inspiring future leaders who will be driving the sector in exciting times ahead. And we look forward to toasting them in Cannes at a reception in association with Cannes Marché’s Producers Network. Wendy Mitchell, editor
Profiles by Martin Blaney, Melanie Goodfellow, Jason Gray, Jeremy Kay, Geoffrey Macnab, Wendy Mitchell, Jean Noh, Juan Sarda, Liz Shackleton and Andreas Wiseman
FEATURE FOCUS
May 2014 Screen International 35
FUTURE LEADERS SALES & DISTRIBUTION
probably the best training ground there is for my current position”. He intends to stay in the world of acquisitions and production, searching for a breakout title and keeping his eyes opens. “There’s always another buyer,” he says.
Vicki Brown ■ International sales manager ■ Altitude Film Sales (UK) ■ vickibrown@altitudefilmsales.com
Kristians Alhimionoks
Kristians Alhimionoks ■ International sales and distribution
manager ■ Platforma Film (Lat) ■ kristians@platformafilm.com
After graduating in international media and entertainment management at the University of Breda, Kristians Alhimionoks landed an internship at Londonbased Kaleidoscope Film Distribution. “I gained essential exposure to how international sales and domestic distribution of feature films work,” he says about his time at Kaleidoscope. He regards Caroline Stern, Kaleidoscope’s director of international sales and distribution, as his “film-industry godmother”. He adds: “She directed me step by step and showed me how important attention to detail is in this business.” After Kaleidoscope, Alhimionoks was involved in the distribution and marketing of 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks films in Latvian cinemas. He then moved to Platforma Film to take over the management of international sales and distribution. Platforma Film, the owner of a studio with the biggest outdoor backlot in Northern Europe, has produced some of the most successful Latvian films of recent years such as Defenders Of Riga and Dream Team 1935. Alhimionoks is drawn to films “that entertain wide audiences around the world. Everyone who can create a product that works in most of the territories should be proud.” At the same time, he suggests one of the major challenges facing the industry today is the fact that “year by year, it’s getting more difficult to differentiate your product from others. It’s a greater challenge to sell a well-made quality drama than a mediocre genre film.”
36 Screen International May 2014
Sean Berney
Sean Berney ■ Manager of acquisitions ■ Sundance Selects/IFC Films/IFC
Midnight (US) ■ sean.berney@ifcfilms.com
The advantage of having Bob and Jeanne Berney as parents and role models is not lost on Sean Berney, yet few could accuse the youngster of draping himself languidly over the family laurels. Berney has always loved film, majoring in cinema studios and business at New York University. He took an internship at Magnolia Pictures, where he had his first glimpse of acquisitions and met an influential figure in the form of president Eamonn Bowles. “From there I worked as a consultant on the festival circuit for acquisitions teams at Apparition and Paramount Pictures International until joining Sundance Selects/IFC Films in 2012. “Jeff Deutchman, Arianna Bocco and Jonathan Sehring… have expanded the way I evaluate and view film in general and taught me the ins and outs of the buying game,” he says. The avowed fan of horror films says he truly cut his teeth in Cannes, “which is
Working at Altitude Film Sales offers the best of both worlds, Brown says — leadership from industry veterans such as Will Clarke and Mike Runagall, but with the everybody-pitches-in spirit of a smaller startup (the company launched in 2012). “I’m increasingly involved in a wide range of responsibilities,” Brown says. “It’s really exciting to be part of a young and dynamic company that has such great ambition.” The path that brought her to Altitude started at BFI London Film Festival and then a traineeship at Focus Features that led to a job on the international sales team. “It’s not an area I had considered, but I became fascinated by the nuances of different territories and discovering what kind of films work and where,” she recalls. Thanks to her background, she understands all the stages of a film’s journey and also the importance of relationships at every step. “The time you spend getting to know the buyers and film-makers is invaluable in helping you best understand their tastes and needs and identifying the right home for each film.” After learning the ropes from the likes of Runagall and former Focus executive Alison Thompson, the future excites Brown. “I hope to be able to capitalise on this ever-changing environment by finding new ways to adapt and broaden my knowledge. In the long term, I’d love to dip my toe into more creative aspects of film and become part of the inception process.”
Vicki Brown
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke ■ Sales manager ■ LevelK (Den) ■ alex@levelk.dk
“Back in 2007, I arrived fresh off the boat from Australia and the charitable people at Nordisk Film International Sales kindly took me in, clothed and fed me,” Alexandra Burke jokingly recalls about her start in the international film business. Early on after her arrival in Denmark, she had a “short and sweet stint working in production with Carsten Holst at Zentropa”. When colleague Tine Klint divulged her plans to set up a new company, LevelK, in 2009, Burke jumped at the chance to work with both Klint and Natja Rosner. Burke’s 2007 degrees at the University of Sydney combined finance and film, and art history, which has proved a useful grounding for the world of international sales. As a sales agent, Burke sees the goal as “attaining the best possible positioning and revenues for our titles in the marketplace.” At a time when traditional distribution models are losing efficiency and new platforms are emerging, there are plenty of challenges. “We now consider ourselves at LevelK a worldwide distributor and have become a digital partner across numerous territories. This allows us the opportunity to work the rights and windows to their full potential.” Of her career, she says: “It has been a dream so far being a piece in the machine that allows audiences from across the globe to see another version of life. Whatever future career lies ahead, I want for it to be in the service of originality.”
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Andreas Degerhammar
Andreas Degerhammar ■ Distribution manager ■ TriArt Film (Swe) ■ andreas.degerhammar@triart.se
Andreas Degerhammar came to film distribution in a circuitous way. After earning a degree in film studies, he landed a job at Swedish Television as a reporter and film critic, before becoming head of the international programme at the influential Göteborg International Film Festival. He moved to TriArt in 2012. “I have worked in many different aspects of the industry and I believe they all pointed to a career in film distribution,” Degerhammar says. His festival film viewing and networking experience made the transition to distribution “quite natural”, even if there is a difference between programming or reviewing films and buying them. “Coming from the festival world, I thought the idea of the auteur had a great value. But no director is safe at the box office,” he says. Degerhammar pays tribute to his colleagues Eva Esseen Arndorff and Mattias Nohrborg, who brought him to TriArt. He shares their passion for arthouse cinema and “their crazy idea that it should work commercially”. Marketing auteur-driven arthouse films in an era when “Spielberg is the only director newsworthy for some of the largest Swedish media outlets” remains an obvious challenge. However, he is heartened by new Swedish films by the likes of Gabriela Pichler and Ruben Ostlund. As a “truly passionate distributor”, his ambition is to continue “the tradition of Triangelfilm and TriArt Film in bringing the best films from around the world to Sweden”.
Valeria Dobrolyubova ■ Sales manager ■ Bazelevs (Rus) ■ vd@bazelevs.ru
“My background as a fusion of international sales for the rights holder and acquisition for the distributor allows me
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Valeria Dobrolyubova
to work effectively in sales for both the local and international markets,” explains Valeria Dobrolyubova, head of sales at Russian distributor Bazelevs, founded by film-maker Timur Bekmambetov. She worked for five years as the international sales manager for Russian public broadcaster VGTRK Sovtelexport and regularly attended the MIP and DISCOP markets. Then she moved into acquisitions for distributor Total Content, negotiating deals between rights-holders and TV channels, DVD companies and VoD platforms. She joined Bazelevs in February 2013. Bazelevs’ line-up includes the highly successful Yolki New Year comedy franchise and the adventure-comedy Kiss Them All! (Gorko!) which took more than $37m at the Russian box office last year. “On the whole, Russian cinema is still very local in its mentality,” Dobrolyubova notes. “I wish our films were more cosmopolitan.”
Gary Farkas
Gary Farkas ■ International sales executive ■ Wild Bunch (Fr) ■ gfarkas@wildbunch.eu
An alumni of top business school ESCP Europe, Gary Farkas interned at a web agency, cosmetics company and managing consultancy firm before deciding to turn his passion for films into a career. “The internships were great, but I came to the realisation that I really wanted to follow my love of films,” says Farkas. “Prior to heading off on a sixmonth internship in Sweden, I stocked up on books on the film industry and took them with me.”
He started working for Wild Bunch as a marketing intern in 2010, assisting the sales team and also monitoring whether distributors were using the right marketing materials. “It could have been a tedious task, but rather than sending out e-mails, I would pick up the phone and talk to the distributors in person,” says Farkas. “I gained a real insight into how they all worked and what they were looking for.” Today, Farkas sells to Asia (bar Japan), Latin America and Spain. Like all Wild Bunch staff, he is encouraged by cofounder Vincent Maraval to read scripts and be on the look-out for projects. Those he has spotted to date include Grand Central by Rebecca Zlotowski, which screened in Un Certain Regard in 2013 and was sold by Wild Bunch associate company Elle Driver. Looking at the challenges facing sellers today, Farkas says it is a time of transition. “A film can’t break even through the box office alone these days. You have to explore every angle.”
Jennifer Fattell ■ International sales manager ■ Protagonist Pictures (UK) ■ jennifer@protagonistpictures.com
Antibes-born Jennifer Fattell finished her masters in production and distribution in Paris at ESG Management School and then worked with EuropaCorp’s sales team for eight months, before moving to Exclusive Media in London. She then moved on to TV sales at A+E Networks before returning to her first love — film — at Protagonist. The job was a perfect fit. “They were looking for someone with TV experience to be able to work on the Film4 library, but at the same time, with the possibility to handle all rights territories… and I really wanted to go back to films while still being able to use my TV experience.” One day she would like to start her own company but will settle in the short term for running her own team. “My wish is to continue working on films that captivate me. Big or small budget, it doesn’t matter.”
Jennifer Fattell
Her recent passions include favourites such as Blue Is The Warmest Colour. “Our job is, after all, to find these little gems that will stay in people’s minds for a long time and that will transport them in another life, another story.”
Nathan Fischer
Nathan Fischer ■ International sales and acquisition
agent ■ Other Angle (Fr) ■ nfischer.oap@gmail.com
After an internship at Wild Bunch in 2011, Lyon Business School graduate Nathan Fischer headed to Los Angeles for a year. There he gained experience with American Entertainment Investors, Voltage Pictures and Endgame Entertainment. “Being in LA as a French person and a junior was difficult, but I learnt a lot about the American way of doing things,” says Fischer. “I read so many scripts and analysed so many projects it gave me an edge in analysing US projects.” Fischer has also spent time in China and India. While in the US, he helped at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and through that became the Cannes coordinator for Anurag Kashyap’s AKFPL, assisting the director and producer Guneet Monga with the festival screenings of The Lunchbox and Ugly. Fischer cites Kashyap, alongside Wild Bunch co-founder Vincent Maraval, as the people from whom he has learned most. “He [Kashyap] is an underdog in India, but he keeps fighting… he is paving the way for independent Indian cinema,” says Fischer. “Vincent Maraval taught me you have to believe in your films, be passionate about them and take chances.” Returning to France in 2013, Fisher worked as acquisitions consultant for distributor Ad Vitam in Sundance and Berlin, identifying Jeff Gorin’s Whiplash as a strong acquisition. Fischer joined Paris-based Other Angle just prior to Cannes. “I am so excited about representing film for so many countries and can’t wait to meet as many distributors as I can in Cannes.” »
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FUTURE LEADERS SALES & DISTRIBUTION
Chiara Gelardin
Chiara Gelardin
Caroline Habib
with stories I haven’t seen before, that push boundaries, but remain accessible. A film that makes me cry, or laugh until I cry, is always high on my list.”
Silje Glimsdal
■ Director of international sales ■ HanWay Films (UK) ■ cg@hanwayfilms.com
In keeping with a host of sales industry leaders, Chiara Gelardin hails from a legal background. After studying at Columbia University in New York, the French and Italian speaker moved to London where she qualified as a barrister. Starting in the legal department at Momentum Pictures, Gelardin joined the business affairs department at Jeremy Thomas’s Recorded Picture Company (RPC) in 2009. In 2011, she moved into sales at RPC’s sister company HanWay, working for veterans Thorsten Schumacher (whom she credits for the transition) and Claire Taylor. She has worked on titles including Lone Scherfig’s Posh, Todd Haynes’ Carol and John Crowley’s Brooklyn. Gelardin’s varied career informs a circumspect opinion of the challenges facing the industry: “VoD, changes in the TV world, shifting release windows, political unrest, ever-changing and unpredictable audience behaviour — these are all affecting people’s decisions and nerves.” She adds: “We’re all looking for rules and safety nets when really this is an industry that thrives on exceptions. I’ve also learnt that this job is not just about the sales, but about finessing and nurturing the whole life of the film.”
Silje Glimsdal ■ Sales manager
editing, producing or sales.” She credits TrustNordisk CEO Rikke Ennis with guiding her toward sales. “She really believed in me,” says Glimsdal. “She was the one headhunting me. I didn’t even know about the sales industry and said I was not going to be a sales agent. She said, ‘Oh yes you are. Some people are born to do that stuff.’” Glimsdal now handles eastern Europe with Russia, Latin America, Africa, Portugal and Greece for the company. One of the lessons she has learnt is to “be humble and be patient”. As for her own ambitions, Glimsdal aims to carry on in sales, get “better” at what she is doing and have the opportunity “to scout for talent and find good quality films, directors and talent”.
Deckter and executive vice-president of international sales Tatyana Joffe. Goldman’s overseas upbringing and her MBA bring “a perspective and an understanding of the industry on both a visceral and an intellectual level”. However, time in the trenches has brought its own rewards. “Being experienced in a fast-paced environment, being energised by it, and being able to multi-task in that environment is essential,” she says. As a champion of strong female characters, Goldman notes: “It’s a shame a group that makes up 52% of the population is the protagonist in only 15% of films. The upside is that those films make 20% more on average than films with a male protagonist, so I look forward to what the future brings.”
Talia Goldman
Caroline Habib
■ International sales manager
■ Manager of acquisitions and
■ IM Global (US) ■ talia_goldman@imglobalfilm.com
Talia Goldman was at Notre Dame’s business school when she caught the film bug. She did a Cannes internship with Lakeshore Entertainment, when the company was selling its Fame remake. “I was intrigued and exhilarated by it, to say the least,” she recalls. Goldman worked for W2 Media before arriving at IM Global, where she has enjoyed the mentorship of founder and CEO Stuart Ford, president Jonathan
■ TrustNordisk (Den) ■ silje@trustnordisk.com
When she was studying dramaturgy at university in Aarhus, Denmark, the Norway-born Silje Glimsdal little envisaged she would work in sales. Her starting point in the film business came five years ago after she was chosen for a Zentropa internship. “That is a three-year education within the film industry. When you are there, you can choose which way to go, whether
38 Screen International May 2014
Talia Goldman
broadcast sales ■ Mongrel Media (Can) ■ caroline@mongrelmedia.com
As a film student, Caroline Habib worked in a video store. She loved it and on graduating landed a job in acquisitions at Montreal-based Seville Pictures. From there she moved to Toronto in 2008 to work for Mongrel Media. Habib says: “I always wanted to bring quality films to people and distribution seemed the most effective way to do that.” She takes nothing for granted and believes studies, personal interest, experience and “plain old luck” got her where she is. “Taking risks when needed and keeping good relationships also help.” Speaking of which, both Mongrel Media president Hussain Amarshi and renowned industry veteran Charlotte Mickie have been influential to her career. “They are both examples of hard working, smart executives that continue to inspire me immensely.” Straddling the disciplines of buying and selling allows Habib to chase “films
Oli Harbottle ■ Head of distribution ■ Dogwoof (UK) ■ oli@dogwoof.com
Former Raindance Film Festival producer Harbottle joined Dogwoof in 2006. Under the tutelage of company cofounders Andy Whittaker and Anna Godas, he has worked on some of the UK’s most visible and hard-hitting recent documentary campaigns. The London-based executive acquired and oversaw innovative release strategies for Ken Loach’s documentary The Spirit Of ’45, acclaimed Bafta winner and Oscar nominee The Act Of Killing and international hit Blackfish. “Andy and Anna’s belief in the need to innovate and to make Dogwoof a customer-facing company rather than a traditional industry player has shaped the business and helped us see the significant growth we have experienced over recent years,” explains Harbottle about impressive outfit Dogwoof, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. “As an industry, we need to remain flexible in our approach and be constantly reactive to consumer needs,” he continues. “For any content-driven business, the digital age finally means the consumer really is king and we need to work with our audiences to deliver them what they want by whichever means.”
Oli Harbottle
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daily from chiefs Stephen Kelliher, Hilary Davis and Phil Hunt. “Bankside is a company that is going through a growth period and we have a huge opportunity to step up and start financing and selling some bigger and more prestigious titles. I think a natural part of that evolution will be working more closely with film-makers, getting involved earlier in the development process and possibly even collaborating on the production side. All of which is hugely exciting to me, as it’s a combination of all of those things I want to be doing as my career progresses.” Rouzie Hassanova
Clémentine Hugot Rouzie Hassanova
■ International sales executive
■ Vice-president, international licensing
■ c.hugot@bacfilms.fr
■ Bac Films (Fr)
and distribution ■ Mister Smith Entertainment (UK) ■ rhassanova@mistersmithent.com
Rouzir Hassanova moved to the UK from Bulgaria aged 18, and has made her mark at companies including Prime Focus (then VTR post-production), HanWay Films and now Mister Smith Entertainment. While at HanWay she rose to sales co-ordinator, shopping award-winning films including Shame, Kon-Tiki, Pina and A Dangerous Method. After briefly segueing into production, Hassanova could not resist the opportunity to join sales supremos David Garrett and Ralpho Borgos at Mister Smith, where she worked on films including Russell Crowe’s The Water Diviner and upcoming Jesse Owens biopic Race, as well as DreamWorks titles, selling to 16 markets. Her recent projects include a six-month analysis of the airline and ships market for DreamWorks, which informed the studio’s strategies for titles including The Fifth Estate, Delivery Man and Need For Speed. “I think the market is overwhelmed with material, where only a few independent productions stand out,” she says. “Of course cast, director, production team all count, but in the end it’s about the story and the quality of the execution.”
Moritz Hemminger ■ Acquisition and sales director ■ ARRI World Sales (Ger) ■ mhemminger@arri.de
After internships at Concorde Film and New Regency Productions, Moritz Hemminger joined Telepool’s Cinepool division as theatrical sales assistant in 2010, following his studies at film school in Munich.
40 Screen International May 2014
Patrick Howson
new ways of catching the buyer’s attention, and you basically have the same situation in the relationship with the local distributor and movie-goer.”
Patrick Howson ■ Sales and acquisitions executive ■ Bankside Films (UK) ■ patrick@bankside-films.com
Moritz Hemminger
Two years ago, he joined ARRI World Sales as acquisitions and sales director with the goal of expanding international sales and production activities. “When working in this rather small international entertainment family, it’s important to establish healthy client relationships, to increase loyalty and to build long-term value with producers and distributors,” Hemminger says. “This is, in my opinion, by far the better strategy to succeed in this business in the long run than going for the quickest deal to simply cash in.” Citing Gravity and Drive as two films that greatly impressed him in recent years, Hemminger says he is “very passionate about films that transport a certain atmosphere to the audience. Only a few directors are capable of telling stories with reduced dialogue and manage this through an intense exchange of glances between two characters.” The rapid increase in the number of films being produced has made sales tougher. “A sales company has to find
Howson got his start on the production side of the business, working as assistant to veteran producer Paul Webster at Kudos Pictures, before being promoted to development executive when the company was renamed Shine Pictures under Ollie Madden. “I gained fantastic experience in development and production over the few years I spent there, but I was always keen to learn the sales and financing side of the industry. So when Bankside offered me a job, I had no hesitation in making the move and taking on a new challenge,” he recalls. Working in production was a good base of experience, Howson says. “I developed a strong passion for finding and championing really amazing stories and talent, that I think has stood me in very good stead. Having that kind of creative grounding gives you an insight and an understanding that really helps when you’re pitching to potential buyers, or when you’re competing to acquire projects from producers,” he says. It is an exciting time to be part of Bankside, where he says he learns things
Clémentine Hugot’s big break in film sales was with Loïc Magneron’s Parisbased Wide Management in 2009. “Loïc sent me everywhere and introduced me to everyone. He believed in me, pushed me,” says Hugot, adding with a laugh, “and taught me to ‘break balls’ and not expect it to just happen.” Prior to Wide, Sciences Po marketing graduate Hugot took a master’s degree in distribution at France’s La Fémis film school, interning at EuropaCorp and Memento, where Nicholas Kaiser gave her advice that she still uses to this day. She moved to Bac Films in 2013 just before producer David Grumbach acquired the company with the backing of a consortium of European investors. “It’s an exciting, dynamic time to have arrived at Bac,” says Hugot, citing sales chief Gilles Sousa and managing director Mathieu Robinet as mentors in this new phase of her career. Also, Hugot’s time at La Fémis is proving fruitful some five years on. “It gave me an amazing network. The people I met in the classroom, I now come across professionally,” she says. “Thomas Cailley, whose film Love At First Fight (Les Combattants) is on our slate, for example, was studying screenwriting in my year.”
Clémentine Hugot
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Nathalie Jeung
Nathalie Jeung ■ International sales ■ Le Pacte (Fr) ■ n.jeung@le-pacte.com
Nathalie Jeung joined Le Pacte as a sales assistant, having obtained an advanced masters in cinema, television and new media from Pantheon-Sorbonne University. “Jean Labadie had just launched Le Pacte [in 2007]. I’ve been there from the beginning,” says Jeung. The international sales team made its first outing at Cannes in 2008 with the documentary Young At Heart and Francois Ozon’s Ricky. Jeung became sales executive in 2010 and sells to Asia, eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal and Australia, reporting to head of sales Camille Neel. A literature graduate with a passion for the work of Guy de Maupassant, Jeung says it was a life-long love of cinema that drew her to the industry. “I’ve been a cinema lover since always and that’s all that matters,” she says. “You have to believe in what you do and keep your integrity but try not to take yourself too seriously either.” She cites Labadie, Memento Film International’s Nicholas Kaiser and Sebastien Chesneau of Rezo as mentors for “their talent, vision, passion and great sense of humour”. She interned for Kaiser and Chesneau at Rezo in 2007. Looking to future career moves, Jeung says: “For the moment, I really like what I’m doing. I guess sales could eventually lead to production and the desire to be more involved from the start of a project.”
learned to do deals,” says Joo, who is now in charge of Asian sales. She adds that her previous job pitching and setting up international university exchange programmes gave her a boost in presentation and marketing skills for sales, as well as in co-ordinating festival attendance with directors. “Not once have I thought the work was tedious or anything I didn’t want to do. Introducing Korean films overseas, getting them distributed and released, promoting Korea’s profile that way, is something I find fulfilling,” she says. Joo says she has learned a lot from M-Line CEO Michelle Son. “No matter what difficulties or stress you experience, you cope, communicate and find a balance so you can maintain good relationships. Fundamentally, it helps later when you’re selling different films,” she says.
Natalie Kampelmacher
Relationships matter, especially in a sector subject to the slings and arrows of current affairs. “We often forget how intertwined world events and politics are, and how they can change the climate of our business, sometimes overnight.”
Mette-Marie Katz ■ Manager of sales
Natalie Kampelmacher ■ Director, sales ■ Seville International (Can) ■ nkampelmacher@filmsseville.com
Five years before she joined eOne Films International, Natalie Kampelmacher started at Cinemavault where her employer threw her into the proving grounds of Cannes. “I’ve been lucky enough to have stayed within international sales since graduating university,” she says. “I’ve built relationships with distributors who I’m proud to call friends.” Kampelmacher owes a debt to “some very talented, intelligent women along the way”. They include the “icon” and former executive vice-president of eOne Films International, Charlotte Mickie. “Her taste for high-quality films and her nose for breakout gems is unparalleled.” Having hopped over to eOne’s boutique sales division Seville International, Kampelmacher is now working with vice-president of international sales Anick Poirier. “Her passion for clients, and the love they show her is enviable.”
Rachel Joo
■ XYZ Films (US) ■ mettemarie@xyzfilms.com
As routes to the business of film go, they don’t come much more circuitous than Mette-Marie Katz’s path. “Journalism, entertainment and film PR, and here’s the curve ball, contemporary dance and ballet,” she laughs. By her mid-20s the Danish executive decided it was time to choose a path. After graduating from the University of Copenhagen with a major in English and minor in film and TV, Katz worked on her husband EL Katz’s films before landing an internship at XYZ Films in Los
Mette-Marie Katz
Angeles. She was hired as a sales co-ordinator and moved up to manager of sales. Everyone at XYZ is a mentor and Nate Bolotin, a founding partner and head of sales, has taught Katz “how to keep a million balls in the air at once with both grace and confidence”. Katz relishes the daily demands of the job as she analyses the impact of digital distribution and uses her multilingual global perspective to build relationships and champion films such as The Raid 2. And her dance background is never far from her thoughts. “I understand the life of an artist and the art of storytelling, which makes me a strong advocate for a film-maker’s passion project,” she says.
Emico Kawai ■ International sales ■ Nikkatsu Corporation (Jap) ■ kawai@nikkatsu.co.jp
Japanese corporate employee rotation means dealing with people who may suddenly disappear elsewhere. In the case of Nikkatsu’s Emico Kawai, she has parlayed the skills gained in her previous positions at the legendary studio into a unique sales career that is here to stay. Kawai started interning at Desperado in 2006, where she met an important mentor in producer Yuji Ishida (Unforgiven, Confessions). “I learned all the basics about the film business from Mr Ishida,” she says. Through Ishida’s introduction, Kawai joined Nikkatsu in 2009. She first worked in domestic publicity and then production. Under veteran producer Yoshinori Chiba (Killers, Yatterman) Kawai was part of the team that set up the wild Sushi Typhoon genre label (Alien vs Ninja, Cold Fish). “Although I was in production, I also handled overseas PR and North American distribution deals for the Sushi Typhoon titles, working with my bosses Aki Sugihara and Tommy Tomita.” Kawai welcomes the challenge of working in an industry that can no longer survive on selling standard Japanese movies. “Rather than just selling films, I’d like to develop films with foreign partners in the future,” she says.
■ Sales manager ■ M-line Distribution (S Kor) ■ Rachel@mline-distribution.com
Rachel Joo left a job at Konkuk University’s international affairs department to pursue a career inspired by her love of films, starting at M-Line Distribution in 2010. “At first I didn’t know anything, so I started by learning materials shipping, and was the festival co-ordinator, and
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Rachel Joo
Emico Kawai
May 2014 Screen International 41
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FUTURE LEADERS SALES & DISTRIBUTION
Justin Kim ■ Director of international sales for the
Americas and Europe ■ CJ Entertainment (S Kor) ■ justinkim@cj.net
Justin Kim started at CJ Entertainment as a summer intern in 2010. “I began with learning about international marketing and materials delivery, and have been handling sales for the Americas and Europe since 2012,” he says. “In university, I was an exchange student in Australia and saw how foreign friends reacted to films like Oldboy, Memories Of Murder and Taegukgi. I realised the potential of Korean films, and wanted more people to see and be moved by them. I think of myself as someone who spreads culture, and it’s something I can do well,” he says. Kim picks Bong Joon Ho’s Snowpiercer and disaster film The Tower, both multiple-territory sellers, as his most memorable. “I get a sense of accomplishment when a film I’ve been working on through all the stages sells and then does well in a territory. The buyer makes a profit, and it’s win-win,” he says. “A seller is like a match-maker. You want the buyer and film to have the right kind of relationship. You have to be able to communicate and get along for business to go well. With a true relationship, you can end up doing things beyond your expectations,” says Kim.
Rasmus Krogh ■ Acquisition manager ■ Nordisk Film (Den) ■ rasmus.krogh@nordiskfilm.com
Rasmus Krogh joined Nordisk Film as an intern in 2008. With “the right combination of brains and a little bit of luck”,
Justin Kim
42 Screen International May 2014
Rasmus Krogh
he landed a job in the sales department. That put him in a good position two years later when Nordisk Film was looking for an acquisition manager for Scandinavian feature films and TV series. Krogh studied film arts at the University of Copenhagen and believes his academic analytical skills have helped him in his job. As to what makes a successful buyer, he suggests you need a mix of market savvy, experience and “a good portion of gut feeling”. Yes, the Nordisk executive acknowledges, “markets are changing rapidly” in the digital age. It is “extremely difficult” to predict the future windowing structure and value of each window. “Working within a time frame of two to three years into the future, this causes major challenges when estimating the potential of a film or TV series down the line.” Krogh’s own ambitions are straightforward. He aims “to get to the top” of the Scandinavian film business. “I love working with film and the business of film and, naturally, I see myself moving up the ranks within Nordisk Film,” he says.
Alex Lafuente
Mickie and senior vice-president of acquisitions Mark Slone, Kubacki has her eyes on the future. “I want to be in a position to help forge new models and creative approaches that help move the industry forward,” she says.
Alex Lafuente Christina Kubacki
■ CEO ■ Betta Pictures (Sp) ■ alex.lafuente@bettapictures.com
Christina Kubacki ■ Manager, acquisitions — Canada ■ Entertainment One (Can) ■ ckubacki@entonegroup.com
Christina Kubacki, a graduate of film studies from Columbia University in New York and York University in Toronto and an MBA from Schulich School of Business at York University, worked at eOne in sales for three years and changed roles to work at the parent company’s Canadian distribution team after it swallowed Alliance Films. For Kubacki, switching from international sales at eOne to buying specifically for Canada has been instructive. “The transition has provided me with a unique perspective on creative communities and audiences around the globe,” she says. “It’s been beneficial in everything from negotiations with sales agents and producers, to helping shepherd Canadian projects that we board at a very early stage. Kubacki’s work involves finding gems that might work beyond borders across the network of eOne territories. To better do this, she says: “Read and watch everything you can. And always pack your phone charger in your carry-on luggage.” Driven by the creative and commercial insights of former eOne Films International executive vice-president Charlotte
After finishing his audiovisual communication degree in Barcelona, Alex Lafuente went to Los Angeles to earn his Masters in distribution from UCLA. He stayed in the US for four extra years working at Alpha Media, a company that sells US films and TV shows to Asian territories. He says: “That’s when I visited my first markets and I saw the real business and people that work in this sector, and I fell in love with all of it.” After his US experience, Lafuente returned to Spain to work with veteran Adolfo Blanco at Notro Films, Vertice’s distribution division. It was a changing time in Spain with the economic crisis. He says: “I had to be very cautious and develop in a complicated market from day one. I learnt that you have to know the audience very well and to think in distribution at every level — cinemas, VoD platforms, TV broadcasting, DVD… we have to make it easy for everybody to choose the way they want to see films.” In 2012, Lafuente launched his own independent distribution company, Betta, which has worked on films including Enemy, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and A Hijacking. “It’s true the cinema audience is growing and we’re also interested in films for more mature people. But we believe there’s also a young, sophisticated and very demanding public, and that is our core interest,” he says.
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Josie Liang
Ben Luxford
Josie Liang ■ Manager of acquisitions ■ Focus Features (US) ■ josie.liang@focusfeatures.com
An internship with the acquisitions group at Sony led Josie Liang to management company Circle of Confusion before she returned to the studio as Peter Schlessel’s assistant. When FilmDistrict launched in 2010, she was promoted to acquisitions co-ordinator. This broad education has stood Liang in good stead. “It has made me a more well-rounded acquisitions executive in that I can appreciate the artistry of a film, as well as putting a value on it.” Inspired by “outside the box” thinkers such as Focus CEO Schlessel and president of acquisitions Lia Buman, Liang is drawn to films that resist easy definition. “As an executive, the films that walk the line between commerciality and prestige — such as Drive and Looper — are the most interesting.” Crime dramas are easier to categorise but equally absorbing given they have come under fire from the golden age of television. “We see less of these types of stories on the big screen unless there’s big, A-list talent involved.” Maybe Liang can change that as she aims to keep working on elevated projects with uniquely talented film-makers.
national distribution for Wanda Media. “I feel a shift is happening in China — production values are increasing and, while it’s difficult to sell domestic hits outside Asia, there’s an emerging wave of genre movies that are competing with films from Korea and Japan,” she says. Undaunted by the decline of traditional business models, Lin says she is looking forward to the industry re-aligning around digital technology. “It’s exciting to be outside the comfort zone — changes will trigger growth and creativity.” She counts Bober, Forum des Images’ Jeff Bledsoe and Wanda’s James Li as mentors and says she has learnt that “integrity and reliability are essential for long-term partnerships and a successful career”. She aims to work at a US or European studio and has a long-term goal of launching a sales and production company.
Celine Lin
Ben Luxford
■ International distribution director
■ Head of distribution
■ Wanda Media (China)
■ Koch Media UK (UK)
■ celine.lin.wanda@gmail.com
■ b.luxford@kochmedia.com
Born in China, Celine Lin grew up in France and studied cinema at Paris VII University and Beijing Film Academy, with stints working for Paris Cinema and Forum des Images. She then spent four years at Philippe Bober’s Coproduction Office, before moving to Beijing in 2012 to head inter-
Ben Luxford interned at Dan Films before working at Edinburgh International Film Festival and Optimum Releasing as theatrical sales assistant. His path led to UK arthouse kingpin Artificial Eye, where he rose to head of theatrical distribution and worked on the releases of more than 100 films, before
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Celine Lin
being hired by Koch Media. “Selling the likes of This Is England, Brick, Persepolis and Son Of Rambow into cinemas is something I’ll always cherish,” says Luxford, who went on to work on standout campaigns for the likes of Amour and Blue Is The Warmest Colour. Luxford has worked with some of the best minds in UK distribution. He says: “I was fortunate to work under Will Clarke and Danny Perkins at Optimum Releasing. They taught me how to compete and grow your business in a market that’s dominated by the studios. Working under Richard Napper at Artificial Eye was an eye-opener. His knowledge and passion was unwavering. I’ve picked up a fighting spirit from all parties.”
been able to jump in to draft complex clauses in agreements. With the changing landscape of digital distribution we have put together some sophisticated deals for TV in particular,” he says. Holding dear the teachings of Naish and fellow ex-pat Paul Davidge, Mehta has developed an empathetic style. “Understanding a buyer’s market and concerns goes a long way — even the most intimidating of buyers or sellers can be felled with a well-timed laugh.” Mehta’s eclectic film taste — recent favourites include The Lego Movie and Exclusive’s A Walk Among The Tombstones — will doubtless fuel his interest in producing and sourcing more Asian investment in commercial independent features.
Jan Naszewski
Jan Naszewski ■ CEO ■ New Europe Film Sales (Pol)
Akshay Mehta ■ Director, international sales and
distribution ■ Exclusive Media (US) ■ amehta@exclusivemedia.com
After finishing law school in London, Akshay Mehta cut his teeth at a large Indian corporate law firm. He returned to the UK to join Exclusive Media, working under Peter Naish in digital and traditional library distribution. Mehta relocated to Los Angeles in 2013 as manager of international sales and distribution and began to sell territories for president Alex Walton. His legal background helps. “I have
Akshay Mehta
■ jan@neweuropefilmsales.com
In 2003, Jan Naszewski started working at Poland’s biggest film event, New Horizons International Film Festival. From there, he opened his own sales company in early 2010. New Europe Film Sales started by focusing on short films, and expanded in 2012 to represent features. The company’s catalogue includes about 10 features (including Papusza, Violet and Summer Of Blood) and 40 shorts including Oscar nominated Do I Have To Take Care Of Everything?. “My career so far has been a combination of sales and festival work, which allowed me to gain experience and network with dual speed,” he says. Communication skills also help — he studied languages and EU studies in Edinburgh and speaks five languages including Swedish and German. Naszewski takes a collaborative, open approach with producers and directors. “In sales, I have not gone the classic route of working for a big company and then setting up my own boutique and adopting the workflow of my previous employer. I had to find my own ways of » working,” he says.
May 2014 Screen International 43
FUTURE LEADERS SALES & DISTRIBUTION
Guillermina Ortega ■ Sales executive ■ Imagina (Sp) ■ gortega@imagina.tv
Guillermina Ortega was a doctorate student working on a thesis on cinema theory when the opportunity to learn about a new area of her passion came along. In 2007, Imagina Sales was refounded with the merger of Globomedia and Mediapro and she joined the company working in marketing and publicity. Seven years later, Ortega is a sales executive working on the “easy” markets — she says ironically — Asia, Africa, Oceania and Scandinavia. “Those are not the most natural markets for European films and TV shows but that’s what makes it more exciting. As a seller, the most important thing is to listen a lot to your customers and know exactly what they are looking for. “There is something I have always enjoyed and it is to make commercial what might not seem commercial initially. I think that every film has a potential audience and my job is to find it,” she says. The drop in Spanish production has inevitably affected her work. “There are fewer films and the same number of sales agents. We look more for foreign films to sell and try to diversify our business which is also risky because it’s also good to have a stamp, you have to reach a balance,” she says.
Florencia Gasparini Rey
getting involved in the international sales business,” says Rey. “Lots of young people are making great films, but they cannot find screens outside the festivals. “They invest time and money that they don’t recoup unless they have someone specialised in marketing their films. And that’s where we come in.” Rey’s guiding light at FilmSharks has been founder and CEO Guido Rud. “He’s taught me everything about the sales business. He’s a very passionate hard worker and wants people in his team to share his feeling.” Rud’s example has rubbed off on Rey, who wants to champion new talent and build distribution models to support them. One day she would like to produce and sell her own films. “I hope they will be films that people can love, enjoy and remember forever, all over the world.”
Tobias Alexander Seiffert ■ Vice-president international acquisitions
■ Director of international sales
■ Senator Entertainment (Ger)
■ tania@carnabyinternational.com
After stints in PR and publishing, Canada-born Tania Sarra kicked off her film industry career at Arrow Entertainment before moving to the UK’s Stealth Media as vice-president of international sales. In 2013, the fast-rising executive joined London-based Carnaby International, where she has impressed buyers while Guillermina Ortega
Florencia Gasparini Rey ■ International sales executive ■ FilmSharks International (Arg) ■ florencia@filmsharks.com
44 Screen International May 2014
Tobias Alexander Seiffert
Tania Sarra ■ Carnaby International (UK)
University of Buenos Aires audiovisual design graduate Florencia Gasparini Rey worked as an assistant on films and commercials and has always loved cinema, so she sought out a way to communicate that passion. “I realised that the way to do it was by
working on the company’s first major acquisition, action thriller Panzer 88. “I’ve learned that in order to effectively generate profit and control profit margins, you must approach each film like a buyer; whether that be a client distributor or the end consumer,” says Sarra. The London-based executive has drawn inspiration from a variety of industry veterans during her fledgling career. She says: “I always remember Eric Welbers’ advice that ‘one’s network is one’s greatest asset’, and Harold Van Lier’s message to aim high and never stop dreaming big — he told me that I may not always win, that I may not always be right, but that the challenge is to make yourself and your films sustainable through the ups and the downs.”
Tania Sarra
and (co) productions/director sales ■ t.seiffert@senator.de
After studying production in the US and Germany, Tobias Alexander Seiffert wanted to follow a career in acquisitions and co-productions, but worked in marketing at different companies until a recent restructuring at Senator created a vacancy in acquisitions. “I owe a lot of the foundation I’m building on [to] Thorsten Ritter at Bavaria International, Brad Kembel at Summit, Michael Weber at The Match Factory, and Kalle Friz at StudioCanal,” he recalls. “But it truly was Helge Sasse, Peter Heinzemann and, most importantly, Milada Kolberg here at Senator who guided and let me piece together all my gathered experiences.” He adds: “Ultimately, it’s been my experience in marketing that brought me closer to understanding what makes a film work. Additionally, it helps to have a production background.” Starting at this year’s Berlinale, Seiffert was also given the opportunity to work on the production side at Senator.
“That makes sense when we as a company want to get on board projects earlier,” he explains. “It’s a new and exciting challenge for me and, given where and how I started out, this sort of thing brings me back to my roots. As cheesy as this may sound, I ultimately want to help bring good films to life and make them a success with audiences.”
Miyuki Takamatsu ■ CEO, international sales ■ Free Stone Productions (Jap) ■ info@freestone.jp
Miyuki Takamatsu has been a friendly face from Japan at international film markets over the past decade, driven by a desire to see Japanese cinema make its mark globally. “When I lived in the US during my college years I had difficulty seeing Japanese movies, though I recall some good films by Kitano, Miike and Kore-eda at the time. I’ve always wanted more Japanese films to cross borders, so I came back and started working in the industry. I began my sales career at Tokyo Broadcast System,” she remembers. After gaining experience at TBS, Takamatsu set up her own sales outfit, Free Stone Productions, in 2011. Free Stone has handled an impressive sales slate including high-profile titles such as Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Penance, Takahisa Zeze’s Heaven’s Story, Kaneto Shindo’s final film Postcard, as well as newcomer Ayumi Sakamoto’s multi-prize winning Forma. With Japan’s domestic market at a standstill, Takamatsu is poised to have a head start on the Japanese government’s recent initiatives to boost its content exports. “We need more people to go out and experience the international arena through festivals and markets. Free Stone would like to be a fresh and exciting hub for both Japanese and international film people,” she says.
Miyuki Takamatsu
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It is of course not all down to luck — it helps that she speaks Spanish, Catalan and English, for instance. Her taste leans towards “films that are really emotional and also those that challenge me”, and favourite directors include David Lynch, Darren Aronofsky, Julio Medem, Jacques Audiard, Quentin Tarantino and Pedro Almodovar. Villarino’s ambitions include setting out on her own. “I would love to run my own international sales and marketing company one day,” she says. Felipe Tewes
Felipe Tewes ■ Head of Latin America VoD ■ Under The Milky Way (US) ■ felipe.tewes@underthemilkyway.eu
Venezuela-born Felipe Tewes arrived at international digital aggregator Under The Milky Way after navigating a wide orbit through the industry. The Harvard graduate started out in the William Morris postroom, worked for James Schamus at the old Focus Features and bought mostly Latin American films for HBO. Tewes was educated by HBO in the nuances of the digital landscape and the importance of tech companies. “There is a growing need to adjust the strategy in managing VoD rights internationally… by managing [them] in a more centralised manner,” he says. The pay-TV giant also exposed him to “the talented, tight community in [Latin America] that is working hard to grow the industry.” Steeped in the films of Pablo Trapero, Pablo Larrain and Carlos Reygadas, Tewes is keen to help the region grow. “I want to work alongside the Latin American film community towards our shared goal of growing the influence of local distributors and producers, specifically by developing new ways for film from and in Latin America to be seen.”
Felix Tsang
“his sound judgment and international perspective”, offered him a full-time post in 2012. “I am a sucker for a great action movie, but it’s most important for a film to tell a powerful story with intriguing characters,” says Felix Tsang, who cites Golden Scene releases Rush and Her as recent personal favourites. “My mission is to bring as many good films as possible to Hong Kong audiences. The challenge is that at least six films are released every weekend and we don’t have enough screens. It’s difficult for smaller-scale movies to get a decent-sized release.” Despite the obstacles, Tsang says he has learned from his mentors, including Winnie Tsang and director Stanley Kwan, to pursue projects he believes in rather than simply crunching the numbers. Golden Scene recently produced and successfully released Adam Wong’s The Way We Dance and Fruit Chan’s The Midnight After, neither of which are obviously commercial films. Tsang helped out on the production and marketing of both titles.
Felix Tsang ■ Acquisitions manager ■ Golden Scene (HK) ■ felix@goldenscene.com
Felix Tsang started out on summer internships in the Hong Kong film and music industries, while studying communications at Chicago’s Northwestern University. After graduating, he started working part time at Hong Kong distributor Golden Scene, founded by his aunt Winnie Tsang who, impressed by
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Maite Villarino
Maite Villarino ■ Licensing and marketing executive ■ Embankment Films (UK) ■ mv@embankmentfilms.com
Barcelona-born Maite Villarino got her break in sales thanks to the DIVA programme, backed by Creative Skillset, which got her a job in international sales and marketing at Icon Entertainment. This area of the industry is a perfect match for her educational background — she graduated with a BA in media communications from Barcelona’s Faculty of Communication Blanquerna followed by a Masters in international film distribution from the University of London. At Icon, she met Hugo Grumbar, who founded Embankment Films in 2012 with HanWay veteran Tim Haslam. “Since first meeting them, they have both shared so much of their expertise with me, as a team we’re very empowered — we also have great fun,” Villarino says. “I’ve also been lucky to have put myself in the right place at the right time, learning from the right people,” she says.
John Von Thaden
John Von Thaden ■ Director of acquisitions ■ Magnolia Pictures/Magnet Releasing
(US) ■ jvt@magpictures.com
John Von Thaden started on an internship at New Line in Los Angeles and eventually made his way to New York by way of IFC Films before landing his job at Magnolia Pictures. Now his world is about cutting through the noise of the distribution arena to deliver stories to their rightful audiences. Von Thaden can call on a first-rate education at the hands of several veterans. “My first boss, Mark Ordesky [at New Line], taught a film-school kid how to work in this business, shared acquisitions war stories and gave me experience in processes from development to release,” says Von Thaden. “Ryan Werner and IFC gave me a great education in the tireless distribution world. Now I’m incredibly lucky to continue learning about modern distribution working with [president] Eamonn Bowles and the acquisitions team Dori Begley and Peter Van Steemburg.” If there is a common thread, it is to keep the passion for film alive. But that’s not all. “Work as hard as you can, treat others well, a sense of humour doesn’t hurt. It sounds clichéd, but it gets s results,” he says. ■
May 2014 Screen International 45