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IFTA, the Independent Film & Television Alliance and parent of AFM, has elected eight new executives to its 15-member board.

The executives joining include Brian Beckmann (Arclight Films), Caroline Couret-Delègue(Film Seekers Limited), Michael Dwyer (Resurgence Media Group), Michael Favelle (Odin’s Eye Entertainment), Diane Ferrandez (AGC Studios), George Hamilton (Protagonist Pictures), Alice Laffillé (FilmNation Entertainment) and Michael Ryan (Independent).

This marks the first term on the IFTA Board for Dwyer, Favelle, and Laffille.

Topping the new board’s order of businesses will likely be the location of next year’s American Film Market. The key fall event moved to Las Vegas for the first time last month from its longtime LA time, sparking discontent and a rebellion of sorts among a key group of sellers.

As per the results of its IFTA’s annual elections for the 2024-2025 board, the latest members will join IFTA Chair Clay Epstein (Film Mode Entertainment...

Executives from FilmNation, Arclight, and AGC Studios are among the new intake of board members at Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) as the body prepares to resume talks on where to host next year’s American Film Market (AFM).

Eight executives will join IFTA’s 15-member board for the 2024-25 cycle. Michael Dwyer of Resurgence Media Group, Michael Favelle of Odin’s Eye Entertainment, and Alice Laffillé of FilmNation Entertainment were elected for the first time, alongside returning members Brian Beckmann of Arclight Films, Caroline Couret-Delègue of Film Seekers, Diane Ferrandez of AGC Studios, George Hamilton of Protagonist, and Michael Ryan.

Village Roadshow Pictures has teamed with Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment for the U.K. release of the live-captured version of hit West End production “Heathers: The Musical.”

The live-event style distribution strategy marks a first for both companies and will see a series of events premiering at more than 320 screens across the U.K. and Ireland from March 28 through May 6. In addition to screening the musical, each event will feature a bonus 10-minute special titled “Behind the Scenes at The Other Palace,” named for the London venue where the musical was filmed in 2022 as a Roku original for the North American market. Sky VIP also ran a preview screening on March 21 in 30 Vue cinemas across the U.K.

Similar licensing strategies in other international markets are expected to follow.

“Heathers: The Musical” tells the story of high school nobody Veronica Sawyer, whose dreams of popularity start to come true when she...

Roku has enlisted Village Roadshow to handle international sales on the streaming company’s original film Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.

The agreement encompasses sales of the project in all global markets except the U.S., Canada, the UK and Latin America. Village Roadshow will oversee global sales of television, streaming and home entertainment rights to Weird, which debuted Nov. 4 on the Roku Channel.

While the streaming provider has not given exact stats, it says the film had the biggest opening weekend audience in the five-year history of the Roku Channel. More of the company’s 65 million-plus active accounts visiting the Roku Channel on Nov. 4 than on any other day, and the film had more unique views than any other on-demand title.

The two companies forged a similar pact for Heathers: The Musical, a live stage adaptation of the 1988 movie that premiered on the Roku Channel in September.

“We look...

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For their biggest original film to date, the “Weird Al” Yankovic parody biopic Weird, Roku has enlisted Village Roadshow to help sell the film internationally.

Village Roadshow Entertainment Group will oversee the sale of television, streaming and home entertainment rights to Weird in all global markets, excluding the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America.

The Roku Channel, which operates in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico, debuted Weird: The Al Yankovic Story on Nov. 4 after a premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Directed by Eric Appel, who co-wrote the screenplay with Yankovic, Weird stars Daniel Radcliffe as a subversive version of Yankovic who spends the runtime partying with Madonna and swilling whiskey on stage.

John DeFore’s Hollywood Reporter review of the movie reads: “Weird is relentlessly silly, wholesome at heart and so stuffed with cameos it...

The board of 15 will serve from 2022-24.

Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA), the producer of the AFM, has unveiled the results of its annual elections for the board of directors, with Arclight Films’ Brian Beckmann and Protagonist Pictures’ George Hamilton among the freshly elected board of 15.

They join Caroline Couret-Delegue (Film Seekers), Diane Ferrandez (AGC Studios), Jeffrey Greenstein (Millennium Media), George Hamilton (Protagonist Pictures), Jasmin McSweeney (Nz Film Commission), and Lise Romanoff (Vision Films). Romanoff has been re-elected having just completed a two-year term.

Film Mode Entertainment’s Clay Epstein is currently serving the second year of his two-year term,...

Brian Beckmann (Arclight Films), Caroline Couret-Delegue (Film Seekers Limited), Diane Ferrandez (AGC Studios), Jeffrey Greenstein (Millennium Media), George Hamilton (Protagonist Pictures), Jasmin McSweeney (Nz Film Commission) and Lise Romanoff (Vision Films) have been elected to serve on the Independent Film & Television Alliance’s 15-person Board of Directors.

Clay Epstein (Film Mode Entertainment), who was elected as Chairperson of the Board in 2021, is currently serving the second year of his two-year term on the IFTA Board, as are J.D Beaufils (Vmi Worldwide), David Fannon (Screen Media), Jason Buckley (Lakeshore Entertainment), Lisa Gutberlet (Blue Fox Entertainment), Nat McCormick (The Exchange), Michael Ryan (Gfm Animation) and Rob Williams (Participant Media).

“We are once again honored to have so many uniquely talented members on our Board, who each represent various positions, product, business models, and perspectives within the industry,” said Epstein. “Together they will play a pivotal role in our year-round efforts...

The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences announced its partnership with FilmAid, a non-profit humanitarian organization working with refugees and other vulnerable communities around the world titled, “AcademyxFilmAid: Visiting Arts Series.”

The series will include conversations and master classes on the art of filmmaking, including media training courses in an effort to give young people the necessary skills and confidence to express themselves. The Academy will enlist members to give behind-the-scenes insights into a variety of topics, including costume design, cinematography, directing, documentary filmmaking and sound mixing.

Academy governor and education and outreach committee chair Wynn P. Thomas spoke on the series. “This partnership will serve as a bridge between the Academy and the next generation of international filmmakers in communities whose vital stories need to be heard.”

FilmAid was founded by film producer Caroline Baron in 1999 in response to the refugee crisis in Kosovo. Having worked in over 20 countries,...

Clay Epstein, the president of Film Mode Entertainment, has been elected chair of the Independent Film & Television Alliance for the 2021-2023 term, IFTA said Monday. He’s been a board member since 2008 and served regularly on its executive committee.

Seven others were elected to the organization’s 15-person board including: J.D. Beaufils (Vmi Worldwide), Jason Buckley (Lakeshore Entertainment), David Fannon (Screen Media), Lisa Gutberlet (Blue Fox Entertainment), Nat McCormick (The Exchange), Michael Ryan (Gfm) and Rob Williams (Participant Media).

They’ll join directors in the second year of their two-year terms: Scott Bedno (Myriad Pictures), Jody Cipriano (MarVista Entertainment), Patrick Ewald (Epic Pictures Group), Will Machin (Metro International Entertainment), Wendy Reeds (Lionsgate), Lise Romanoff (Vision Films) and Nick Spicer (XYZ Films).

IFTA, led by CEO Jean Prewitt, is the global trade association for independent film and television production, finance, distribution and sales companies and has been a particularly crucial...

Sales veteran succeeds Michael Ryan.

Los Angeles-based Film Mode Entertainment president Clay Epstein has been elected chairperson of Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) as the group announced the results of its annual elections for the 2021-2023 term.

Epstein was first elected to the IFTA board in 2008 and has served regularly on its executive committee. He succeeds outgoing chair Michael Ryan, a longtime officer of the organisation and founding member of IFTA and the American Film Market who served as chair for three consecutive terms since 2015 as well as two terms between 2003 and 2007.

The following were elected to serve on...

Chair Michael Ryan continues to lead executive committee.

Cornerstone Films co-head Alison Thompson and The Exchange executive vice-president of worldwide distribution Nat McCormick are among the new intake to join the Independent Film & Television Alliance (Ifta) board, it emerged during the organisation’s trade show Afm.

The new members announced on Monday (5) following Ifta’s annual elections include: Gene George (Lionsgate), Frederick Tsui (Media Asia), Pierre David (Reel One Entertainment), Anna Marsh (StudioCanal), Lloyd Kaufman (Troma Entertainment), and Alexandra Cocean (Voltage Pictures).

The new intake will serve for the 2018-2020 term as part of Ifta’s 20-person board.

The...

Beverly Hills-based movie and TV company Lakeshore Entertainment, whose recent movies include Jennifer Garner’s action thriller “Peppermint” and Baltasar Kormákur’s sailing drama “Adrift,” starring Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin, has promoted Jason Buckley to join Laura Austin-Little as co-head of international sales.

COO Eric Reid said: “Working alongside Laura, Jason’s long relationships with international film and television buyers continue to generate strong returns in a constantly evolving distribution space.”

Lakeshore has entered pre-production on “The Boy 2,” the sequel to their 2016 box office hit “The Boy,” starring Katie Holmes, and is working with Stx on “Salem Village,” which is expected to launch early next year.

Lakeshore’s Off the Dock division, which focuses on lower-budget and alternative movies, is in post-production on Robert Luketic’s romantic comedy “The Wedding Year.” It is pushing into the horror space and the faith-based space, with a number of titles in development.