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Cineflix Media, a leading independent producer and distributor, is expanding its operations by opening a Vancouver branch of Cineflix Studios run by industry veteran Mark Miller.

The Vancouver office will “focus on producing and co-producing scripted series, movies, and factual content for North American and international streamers and broadcasters,” according to a press release. Miller will serve as president and report to Cineflix Media co-founder and CEO Glen Salzman.

Over the past few years, Cineflix Media has built up its production business in North America and Europe, which encompasses Cineflix Studios (“Tehran”) and Cineflix Productions. The company also has joint ventures with C3 Media and Buccaneer (“The Burning Girls”) as well as a creative partnership with December Films (“Reginald the Vampire”).

Miller most recently served in a dual role as president of Thunderbird Entertainment Group and CEO of Great Pacific Media, where he executive produced shows like “Kim’s Convenience” for CBC and Netflix.

From the outside, Canadian television is having a moment. Over the past 18 months, major streaming services — Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, Disney+ and Apple TV+ — have established Northern presences via offices, execs or PR teams.

Canadian broadcasters are also stepping up. During upfronts and a series of meetings in Toronto last week, public broadcaster CBC boasted more than 4,000 hours of new programming. Bell Media confirmed an additional 210 hours of English and French-language original content, bolstering its original library to more than 1,000 hours. Corus Entertainment announced 25 new and returning series across its brands.

Even Rogers Sports & Media, which has historically commissioned fewer hours of originals than its competitors, confirmed original programming for the Omni channel and the return of “Canada’s Got Talent” and “Hudson & Rex” while announcing the upcoming “Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.”

According to Canadian producers however, getting a TV series off the ground in Canada is harder than ever.

In 1998, Glen Salzman and Katherine Buck launched Montreal-based Cineflix Media with one of its first series, “Dogs with Jobs.” Unable to secure Canadian financing, they pitched the series at the Banff World Media Festival to international broadcasters during a market simulation session.

From there, the company produced five seasons of the factual series, which continues to sell internationally. More impressively, it was the beginning of Cineflix growing from a company with three factual shows into one of Canada’s largest independent producers, with creative, production and distribution arms in Montreal, Toronto, New York, London and Dublin.

Over the years, Cineflix has brought marquee talent and shows like “Property Brothers,” “American Pickers” and “Mayday: Air Disaster” to global audiences. Today, the group includes Cineflix Productions, Cineflix Rights, and Cineflix Studios, as well as joint venture companies Buccaneer, Connect3 Media, Husk Media and Shiny Screens Entertainment.

It boasts more than 5,500 catalog hours,...

Exclusive: Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films have picked up North American rights to Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy — a new documentary on the making of the iconic John Schlesinger film, from acclaimed documentarian Nancy Buirski (The Loving Story).

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Zeitgeist will open the film in North American theaters beginning at New York’s Film Forum in late June and take it nationwide from there, with a digital, educational and home video release on all major platforms via Kino Lorber to follow.

Inspired by Glen Frankel’s 2021 book Shooting Midnight Cowboy: Art, Sex, Loneliness, Liberation and the Making of a Dark Classic, Desperate...

Exclusive: Nancy Buirski, director of feature doc Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy, which just premiered at the Venice Film Festival, has signed a development deal with Cineflix Productions.

It comes after Buirski teamed with the production company on the doc, which explores the complex social and political history of John Schlesinger’s 1969 classic Midnight Cowboy.

The doc, which debuted on the Lido in the Venice Classics section, is produced by Buirski alongside Simon Kilmurry and Susan Margolin in association With Cineflix Productions and Foothill Productions.

It explores the people behind the classic film and its role as an inflection point in both cinema and society. Following its Venice debut, it is screening at the Telluride Film Festival.

Cineflix Productions’ President and Head of Content J.C. Mills and Cineflix Media’s co-founder and CEO Glen Salzman are among the executive producers.

Following this, the new pact,...

Tim Mutimer, former CEO of international distributor Banijay Rights, is set to lead the global distribution arm of Cineflix Media.

Mutimer takes the reins from long-serving CEO Chris Bonney, the industry veteran who is retiring this year.

The executive will be responsible for leading the 30-strong Cineflix Rights team based in London, Toronto and Dublin, building on the company’s expansion across scripted and factual acquisitions, as well as the growth of its sales business. The outfit has had a major hit on its hands with Apple TV Plus drama “Tehran,” which it distributes internationally.

Reporting to Cineflix Media co-founder and co-ceo Glen Salzman, Mutimer will steer the content strategy for the pipeline from in-house production companies Cineflix Studios, Cineflix Productions and joint venture companies including Buccaneer Media and Connect3 Media, as well as more than 100 third-party producer partners.

Mutimer most recently served as executive VP of Emea at Banijay Rights.

Tim Mutimer, Banijay Rights’ executive vice president of Emea, is to become the new CEO of Cineflix Rights.

Mutimer replaces Chris Bonney, who is retiring this year to play golf and travel the world. Mutimer has worked at Banijay Rights for nearly eight years, five of which were as CEO. He moved out of the CEO seat and into the Emea role after the Endemol Shine International merger last year, during which Cathy Payne was installed as his boss.

Mutimer will lead Cineflix Rights’ team of 30 staff, overseeing a roster of shows that includes Apple’s Tehran and ITV/Netflix series Marcella. Cineflix Rights counts Property Brothers and Border Security among its factual success stories.

“Tim has a wealth of experience in the industry, successfully working with producers, broadcasters, and streamers to maximise IP opportunities. We are confident he will lead Cineflix Rights into the next phase of its growth,...

Cineflix Rights CEO Chris Bonney is to retire in mid-2021 after leading the UK-based sales house for the past eight years.

Bonney will be in place as Cineflix Rights hires a successor, but said he is leaving the industry after a 35-year career to “move to a new phase in life” in which he will play golf and travel the world.

Bonney has grown Cineflix Rights into the UK’s largest independent distributor, boasting a catalog of more than 5,000 hours of content and partnerships with 100 producers.

Its roster of shows includes Apple’s Tehran and ITV/Netflix show Marcella. It counts Property Brothers and Border Security among its factual success stories.

“Under his skillful leadership, he has assembled a phenomenal team at Cineflix Rights and has drawn up a solid blueprint for enduring momentum and success,” said Glen Salzman and Katherine Buck, Co-CEOs of Cineflix Media. “Chris is very well-respected...

Chris Bonney, CEO of London-based distributor Cineflix Rights, is set to retire from the company next year.

The executive, a well-respected industry veteran who has grown Cineflix Media’s distribution operation, will step down following a period of transition, during which time the company will appoint a successor.

Bonney joined Cineflix Media in 2012 from Warner Bros. International Television Production to lead Cineflix Rights. Through his leadership, the company has grown into one of the U.K.’s largest independent television distributors, with a roster of 100 creative producer partners. The company’s 5,000-hour catalogue of scripted and factual content has been sold into more than 500 broadcasters and platforms around the world.

During Bonney’s tenure at Cineflix Rights, he increased the company’s deals with third-party partners to almost half of its overall portfolio, and ushered in innovative financing models to help producer partners, including Cineflix Productions, deliver programming.

Bonney’s...

Cineflix Media has appointed J.C. Mills as president and commercial director of Cineflix Productions, the company announced on Wednesday.

As president, Mills will be tasked with leading the company’s growth by developing innovative content strategies, building its community of creatives, and strengthening its relationships with networks and streamers. As commercial director, he’ll join the Cineflix Media executive team strategically planning and driving new business opportunities across the company.

Based in New York, Mills will report to Glen Salzman, Cineflix Media’s co-founder and co-ceo.

The hire comes as Charles Tremayne moves to a new role within the company as the chair of the Cineflix Content Group, a working alliance of its producers and other creatives. Tremayne will also be starting his own production company in partnership with Cineflix Media, though no further details have been announced.

Mills previously served as president and general manager of Glass Entertainment Group,...

The First 48 exec producer Alexis Robie has launched his own independent production company and has struck a first-look deal with Cineflix Media.

Robie, who worked on ITV Entertainment’s long-running A&E series for six years and over 140 episodes, has launched Coronet Productions with a multi-year pact with the Canadian producer and distributor.

He will focus on true crime, justice, and access-driven programming for U.S. networks and will be based in New York. Robie will work closely with Cineflix Productions President Charles Tremayne and Cineflix Rights will have the rights to distribute Coronet programming.

In addition to The First 48 and its spin-off The First 48 Presents: Homicide Squad Atlanta, Robie also produced The Killer Speaks and The Case that Haunts Me for A&E, Selling New York for Hgtv and Wife Swap for ABC.

“I’m thrilled to be embarking on this new partnership with Cineflix and to be collaborating with their incredible team.

All3Media Intl. Inks Oz Deal for “The Real Full Monty”

As MipTV gets underway, All3Media has sealed a deal with Australia’s Seven Network for the format and finished program of Spun Gold’s “The Real Full Monty,” one of the U.K.’s surprise hits of 2017. Recreating the famous strip scenario in the iconic ‘90s film, the format sees a group of male celebrities baring all to raise awareness of prostate cancer. The show raked in a number of award nominations – including a BAFTA for best reality show – while also prompting an uptick in prostate screenings in the U.K. The Australian version will be hosted by comedian Shane Jacobson with a cast yet to be announced. All3Media has also closed sales to Tvnz.

Trx Adds Lionsgate to Growing Online Trading Platform

Trx, the online trading platform for content owners, has reached a deal with Lionsgate...

Cineflix has tapped Dave Hamilton to become its new Evp of Development. The former Endemol USA exec, most recently Svp at Leopard USA, will lead Cineflix’s development team from September and be responsible for unscripted programming across all platforms in North America and globally. Based out of the company's New York office, Hamilton will report to Cineflix Media Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Glen Salzman and Katherine Buck, and work closely with president of…...

The company behind American Pickers has expanded its executive ranks. Former Gurney Productions exec Brandon Killion has joined Cineflix Media as Evp Programming and Development, North America. Based in La, he will report to Cineflix founders and co-CEOs Glen Salzman and Katherine Buck while working to expand the company’s slate in Toronto, New York and Los Angeles. At Gurney, Killion oversaw a slate that included Duck Dynasty. Before that, he spent seven years at Thom Beers’ Original Productions.

BBC America’s first original scripted series now has a photo — and a premiere date.

The network’s ambitious debut project, Copper, is a crime drama set in 1860s New York. It stars Tom Weston-Jones as rugged Irish-American cop working the city’s notorious Five Points neighborhood, struggling to maintain his moral compass in a chaotic world. The talent behind this drama is impressive: Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson (Homicide), Will Rokos (Monster’s Ball), Glen Salzman and Cineflix Studios president Christina Wayne (a former AMC executive who helped develop Mad Men).

So now that we’ve caught you up to speed,...

Veteran production exec Vlad Wolynetz has been named President of Production for Cineflix Studios, the scripted division of international production and distribution company Cineflix. He will oversee production on the company's scripted projects for broadcasters worldwide, reporting to Glen Salzman, CEO, Cineflix Media. Wolynetz will join Cineflix Studios in July from BBC Worldwide Prods, where he most recently was Svp, Scripted Production and oversaw production on the upcoming season of Torchwood. Before that, he was VP of production, series and movies at AMC, where he worked closely with Cineflix Studios president (and former AMC development exec) Christina Wayne. Cineflix has been quietly developing scripted series using both the traditional network model and the direct-to-series international co-production one. Its first officially announced project is The Command, a drama series in development at TNT with Antoine Fuqua attached to executive produce as well as direct the potential pilot.