Veteran Australian film executive Joel Pearlman is to step down as CEO of Roadshow Films after 30 years with the Village Roadshow organisation.
During his tenure, the well-known executive oversaw the leading independent distributor in Australia and New Zealand as it built a diverse slate from local and global studios, licensors, and production companies including Warner Bros, Lionsgate, Village Roadshow Pictures, A24, FilmNation, Made Up Stories and Arenamedia. Highlights include launching the Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings, Hunger Games and Dark Knight franchises in ANZ.
Pearlman was also instrumental in securing strategic partnerships for Village Roadshow, such as its investment in independent production, financing and distribution company FilmNation, of which Village Roadshow owns a 31.03% stake, as well as creating TV drama producer Roadshow Rough Diamond in association with John and Dan Edwards.
The executive has also been a long-time advocate for the Australian film industry, distributing many of the most successful Australian releases over the past 20 years including Red Dog, The Dish, The Dry and Mad Max: Fury Road.
“It is a bittersweet decision to move on to a new adventure,” said Pearlman. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to have led this organisation for many years and am incredibly appreciative for the support from Village Roadshow CEO Clark Kirby, Village Roadshow Chair Robert Kirby and also former CEO Graham Burke.”
Roadshow’s upcoming slate includes Midnight Oil documentary The Hardest Line, which will open Sydney Film Festival next week, the reboot of The Crow, Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, which opens across Australia on December 26, and Lionsgate’s John Wick spin off Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas.
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