In the first report of its kind, Screen International profiles a cross-section of US-based industry heavyweights pulling the international levers for film and television.
When Screen came up with the idea for this groundbreaking International Insiders showcase, we wanted to provide a platform to celebrate the extraordinary people whom we cover every day.
Below we bring together a vital selection of US-based entertainment companies and professionals whose expertise, passion, connections and resources are pivotal in helping the international community get content made and screened. To the international community: these are the US people you need to know.
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The list embodies Screen’s unique place in the global industry, sharing intelligence and serving as a conduit between like-minded professionals with complementary skill sets separated by geography.
It is a subjective list, limited by space. There are many others doing great work who merit inclusion, and we hope to accommodate them in future editions.
As we compiled the list, it became apparent two mechanisms unfailingly require the commitment of US and international partners in order for most storytelling to take flight: the fickle independent pre-sale model, and the global production and distribution pipelines at the studios, which include streamers and larger independent hybrids.
However, as we dug deeper, it was fascinating to see how intricately companies become involved in a jigsaw of partnerships. US producers, financiers, distributors, bankers, lawyers and their hard-working global counterparts build projects and alliances, corral financing, share market intelligence and access soft money in order to reach broader audiences and share in success.
As the US entertainment and tech industries face competition, collaboration is key. Hollywood is looking outwards. Savvy theatrical-skewing businesses, streamers and those associated with them espouse a worldview to serve the global appetite for English and local-language content, through local and universal stories. That represents unprecedented opportunity for the international community.
For all the International Insider profiles, click on the links below.
Production, finance, sales and packaging
- Dan Friedkin - executive chairman; Micah Green - CEO and co-president; Dan Steinman - COO and co-president, 30West
- Sasha Lloyd - head of international, A24
- Mike Larocca - studio president; Joe Russo - chairman; Anthony Russo - chairman; Todd Makurath - CEO, AGBO Films
- Stuart Ford - chairman and CEO; Michael Rothstein - president of worldwide distribution, AGC Studios
- Jill Ahrens - principal and founder; Ryan Ahrens - principal and founder; Ben Renzo - president, CEO, founder, Argent Pictures
- Gary Hamilton - CEO, Arclight
- Aaron L Gilbert - chairman and CEO; Brenda Gilbert - president, Bron Media Corp
- Roeg Sutherland - co-head; Benjamin Kramer - co-head, CAA Media Finance group
- Edward Noeltner - president, Cinema Management Group
- John Sloss - founder, Cinetic Media
- Cassian Elwes - founder, Elevated
- Christine D’Souza - Gelb – partner, Endeavor Content
- Alex Walton - executive vice president, international film sales and distribution, Endeavor Content
- Nick Meyer - president of film, eOne; Jonathan Kier - president, Sierra/Affinity
- Patrick Ewald - CEO, Epic Pictures
- Brian O’Shea - CEO, The Exchange
- Glen Basner - CEO; Milan Popelka - COO, FilmNation Entertainment
- Jay Cohen - partner, head of film finance and distribution - Gersh Agency
- Clifford Werber - co-founder and CEO; William Pfeiffer - executive chairman and co-founder, Globalgate Entertainment
- Arianne Fraser - CEO; Delphine Perrier - COO, Highland Film Group
- Kim Fox - head of sales, Madriver International
- Helen Lee-Kim - president, international motion picture group Lionsgate
- Jessica Lacy - partner and head of independent and international film group; Peter Trinh - managing director, international & independent film | digital & gaming, ICM Parters
- Jeffrey Greenstein - president; Jonathan Yunger - co-president, Millennium Media
- Bill Block - CEO, Miramax
- Gigi Pritzker - CEO and co-founder, MWM
- Sigurjon Sighvatsson - CEO, Palomar Pictures; chairman, Scanbox
- Brian Oliver - CEO, New Republic Pictures
- Ben Weiss - head of Paradigm Content Group, Paradigm
- David Linde - CEO, Participant
- Erik Feig - founder and CEO, Picturestart
- Stacey Snider - head and global CEO, Sister LA
- David Lancaster - CEO; Stephanie Wilcox - senior vice president of development and production, Rumble Films
- John Penotti - co-CEO; Kilian Kerwin - head of production, South Asia and Latin America, SK Global
- Crystal Bourbeau - head of acquisitions and international, Solstice Studios
- Greg Silverman - founder and CEO, Stampede Ventures
- Rena Ronson - co-head; Jim Meenaghan - co-head, UTA Independent Film Group
- Amy Beecroft - agent; Ross Putman - agent, Verve Ventures
- Jonathan Deckter - president and COO; Nicolas Chartier - CEO Voltage Pictures
- Nate Bolotin - co-founder; Nick Spicer - co-founder; Aram Tertzakian - co-founder, XYZ Films
Television and streaming
- James Farrell - vice president of international originals, Amazon Studios
- Tara Erer - senior manager of international distribution for original movies, Amazon Studios
- Matt Dentler - head of feature development and acquisitions, Apple TV+
- Morgan Wandell - head of international television development, Apple TV+
- Matt Brodlie - senior vice president, international content development, Disney+
- Jeniffer Kim - senior vice president, international originals, HBO Max
- Craig Erwich - senior vice president of originals, Hulu
- Bela Bajaria - vice president, international originals, Netflix
- Amy Reinhard - vice president of content acquisition, Netflix
- Scott Stuber - head of original film, Netflix
Bankers and legal experts
- Deborah Acoca - senior vice president, relationship manager, East West Bank
- Adrian Ward - senior director, market executive in entertainment banking, Banc Of California
- Tony Beaudoin - managing director, MUFG Union Bank
- Tom Ara - partner, co-chair, entertainment transactions practice, entertainment finance practice, DLA Piper
- Marc Simon - partner and vice chairman, entertainment and sports law practice, Fox Rothschild
- Elsa Ramo - founding partner - and Tiffany Boyle - president of packaging and sales, Ramo Law
Theatrical buyers
- David Fenkel - co-founder; Daniel Katz - co-founder, A24
- Darius Kapfer - owner, DK Media consulting
- Arianna Bocco - executive vice president, acquisitions and production, IFC Films
- Dori Begley - executive vice president, Magnolia Pictures
- Mirjam Wertheim - founder and managing director, Orange Entertainment
- Tom Quinn - co-founder and CEO, Neon
- Michael Barker - co-chief; Tom Bernard - co-chief; Dylan Leiner - executive vice president, acquisitions and production, Sony Pictures Classics
- Julie Kroll - buyers’ rep, founder, Summerland Entertainment
Physical production chiefs and studio specialists
- Matt Leonetti - head of physical production, Lionsgate
- Ty Warren - vice president of physical production, Netflix
- Ralph Bertelle - executive vice president physical production, Paramount
- Glenn Gainor - head of physical production (Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group), president (Sony Innovation Studios)
- Philip Steuer - executive vice president, physical production, Walt Disney Studios
- Bill Draper - president, worldwide physical production, Warner Bros Pictures
- Robert Walak - president, Focus Features
- Syrinthia Studer - executive vice president, worldwide acquisitions, Paramount
- Laine Kline - executive vice president, head of international production, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Curated by Jeremy Kay. Additional profiles by John Hazelton, Liza Foreman and Michael Rosser.
This story first appeared in the print edition of Screen International. Click here to subscribe
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