Robert Lantos' new Toronto-based distribution and sales company Maximum Films has created an unusual partnership with Hong Kong-based Fortissimo Films whereby Maximum will distribute Fortissimo's films in Canada and Fortissimo will represent the sale of Maximum's projects in Asia.
The deal, for an initial term of two years, was unveiled yesterday by Maximum chairman Lantos and Fortissimo co-chairman Michael J Werner.
Maximum will acquire Canadian distribution rights to Fortissimo's available films including Toronto titles such as Blood Brothers, Unfinished Sky, Love Comes Lately, Children Of The Sun and Julian Schnabel's Lou Reed concert film Berlin. Veteran Tony Cianciotta runs Maximum's distribution operation.
Meanwhile Fortissimo will handle Asian territories on Maximum titles such as Toronto opening night film Fugitive Pieces, Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg and Santosh Sivan's Before The Rains, as well as future productions like Atom Egoyan's Adoration and Sophie Barthes' Cold Souls starring Paul Giamatti. Maximum International's managing director Charlotte Mickie is handling the films here.
'I like the principals, and I like the way they operate,' said Lantos of Fortissimo. 'When you're in the early stages of building a distribution company, you're always looking for fresh sources of product and doing output deals with US distributors was not the only way of getting them.'
'As for Asia, they are very strong there and we all feel we couldn't do as good a job in the start-up phase as them.'
Fortissimo co-chairman Wouter Barendrecht added: 'Heretofore, Canada had been a difficult territory for us to fully achieve the results we wanted. This relationship means that we will get the best for our range of films out of this significant market.'
Maximum also announced this week that it was teaming with Seville Entertainment to handle titles from Magnolia and HDNet Films; Maximum will handle titles in English-speaking Canada and Seville in French-speaking Canada.
Maximum has already struck an output deal with IFC Films and Lantos said that he will be ready to announce further deals in the next few weeks.
The deal, for an initial term of two years, was unveiled yesterday by Maximum chairman Lantos and Fortissimo co-chairman Michael J Werner.
Maximum will acquire Canadian distribution rights to Fortissimo's available films including Toronto titles such as Blood Brothers, Unfinished Sky, Love Comes Lately, Children Of The Sun and Julian Schnabel's Lou Reed concert film Berlin. Veteran Tony Cianciotta runs Maximum's distribution operation.
Meanwhile Fortissimo will handle Asian territories on Maximum titles such as Toronto opening night film Fugitive Pieces, Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg and Santosh Sivan's Before The Rains, as well as future productions like Atom Egoyan's Adoration and Sophie Barthes' Cold Souls starring Paul Giamatti. Maximum International's managing director Charlotte Mickie is handling the films here.
'I like the principals, and I like the way they operate,' said Lantos of Fortissimo. 'When you're in the early stages of building a distribution company, you're always looking for fresh sources of product and doing output deals with US distributors was not the only way of getting them.'
'As for Asia, they are very strong there and we all feel we couldn't do as good a job in the start-up phase as them.'
Fortissimo co-chairman Wouter Barendrecht added: 'Heretofore, Canada had been a difficult territory for us to fully achieve the results we wanted. This relationship means that we will get the best for our range of films out of this significant market.'
Maximum also announced this week that it was teaming with Seville Entertainment to handle titles from Magnolia and HDNet Films; Maximum will handle titles in English-speaking Canada and Seville in French-speaking Canada.
Maximum has already struck an output deal with IFC Films and Lantos said that he will be ready to announce further deals in the next few weeks.
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