MetFilm expands distribution with the acquisition of British distribution company Republic Film Distribution (“Brittany Runs a Marathon”).
Republic, operated by former Icon Films company Zack Brilliant, will be renamed MetFilm Distribution. Brilliant will take over as Head of MetFilm Distribution and Sales for MetFilm, working with the current sales team, consisting of Mitch Claire, Jenny Bohnhoff and Ella Pham. The company is already planning to increase the number of its employees.
MetFilm Distribution aims to release six to eight titles annually. The films they’ll star in will have a strong theatrical focus, starting with Kim Hopkins’ “A Bunch of Amateurs” in November, which won an audience award at the Sheffield DocFest.
Upcoming releases on the list include “Catherine, Cold Birdie” by Lena Dunham in partnership with Amazon Studios.
MetFilm Sales will focus more on documentaries, including the upcoming “Body Parts,” starring Jane Fonda and Rosanna Arquette, and examine how women are exploited in Hollywood.
The move to distribution is the latest expansion for MetFilm, which recently moved into television as well as expanded its MetFilm school.
“We are really excited to be working with Zack,” said MetFilm Head of Production Stew le Maréchal. “He brought a wealth of experience and was the perfect person to help us expand the organization. This move diversifies our portfolio and enables us to interact more nimbly with the ever-changing market.”
Brilliant said: “I am delighted to join Johnny, Steu and all members of the Met team to lead this exciting expansion of their UK and international operations. Their commitment to telling great stories through production and sales is perfectly aligned with my vision of a dynamic, collaborative and daring UK distribution business that supports British films and the best of world cinema. MetFilm Sales has quickly established itself as a leader in the unscripted space, with great titles like ‘The Reason I Jump’ and ‘Misha & the Wolves’, something I will seek to build on as I explore synergies across the broader MetFilm portfolio. “
MetFilm Director, Johnny Percy added: “We couldn’t be more proud and excited to launch MetFilm Distribution at this moment in time, and we are confident in the judgment and experience that Zack brings to the business. With the addition of strength, breadth and diversity to our production and distribution business, the development also creates an opportunity For our students and alumni to learn from and experience every stage of the production lifecycle first hand. This announcement coincides with the launch of our new campus in Leeds, so it is a busy time within the MetFilm group.”
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