New-look Sunrise adds Russian Oscar entry The Edge to AFM slate

The company previously traded as the finance entity Sunrise Films and is headed by president Sergei Bespalov. The company aims to release three to six features a year comprising in-house productions and acquisitions.

The slate includes Russian rights to the Rachel Weisz thriller The Whistleblower, which Sunrise Entertainment co-financed and was principally sold by Voltage Pictures, as well as the 3D horror Old MacDonald that is set to begin shooting in April 2011 in Romania. Claudio Faeh will serve as director and Sunrise Entertainment and Baldwin Entertainment will produce.

The thriller Flutter is in post-production and takes place in the world of gambling and stars Joe Anderson, Laura Fraser and Billy Zane. Giles Borg is directing and Sarah Boote produces along with Sunrise Entertainment.

Sunrise has arranged a market premiere for the comedy Father Of Invention starring Kevin Spacey, Heather Graham, Johnny Knoxville, Camilla Belle and Virginia Madsen, and will screen the sci-fi action title Prisoners Of Power.

Joining Bespalov is CEO Peter Schafer, formerly director of entertainment at Platinum Rye Entertainment. Key appointments also include COO Stefan Jacobs who previously worked at Universal Pictures and founded iMovieStudio, as well as president of physical production Jim Brubaker.

Additional Sunrise Entertainment top brass include executive vice-president of development Richard Reid and executive vice-president of business and legal affairs John Martin. Stefania Vitali, formerly with New Films International, serves as head of sales and distribution.

“Sunrise Entertainment was established to provide superior production and financing options to producers through innovative integration of new financing methods, co-production, distribution and post-production facilities,” Bespalov, who also founded the original Sunrise Films, said.

“Among its many distinctions, Sunrise Entertainment has the financial resources necessary to finance numerous high quality film projects at any given time as well as a powerful team of executives who are leaders in the industry with proven track records.”