Heading into TIFF with a slate of rom-coms and thrillers MSR Media International has hired Ariel Veneziano and Robby Amar to spearhead sales.
Both executives are named co-vice presidents of international distribution and sales and report to MSR Media International CEO Karinne Behr.
They will be on the ground in Toronto where MSR will be talking to buyers about rom-coms Christmas In The Caribbean starring Elizabeth Hurley, Caroline Quentin, Nathalie Cox and Downtown Julie Brown; A Week In Paradise with Malin Akerman, Connie Nielsen, Philip Winchester and Jack Donnelly; and One Year Off featuring Ray Fearon, Chad Michael Collins and Nathalie Cox.
Veneziano and Amar will also be managing sales on recently completed genre films including action thriller Us Or Them starring Akerman and Jack Donnelly; thriller Assailant with Poppy Delevingne, Chad Michael Collins, Casper Van Dien and Jeff Fahey; and horror film York Witches Society.
Veneziano will mostly handle sales in North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and China while Amar will oversee Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The new hires will join Behr at MSR Media’s new Los Angeles office.
“This is an exciting time for MSR Media’s increasingly dynamic slate and Ariel and Robby have extraordinary track records in international distribution and sales,” said Behr. “Their dual appointment is vital to the evolution of the company, ensuring its increasing reach on the global stage.”
“Robby and I are excited to join MSR Media which has such an impressive business model, efficiently producing high-end productions on a regular basis,” added Veneziano.
Led by producer Philippe Martinez and managing director Lee Beasley, MSR Media has shot multiple titles in Saint Kitts and Nevis since launching their operation in 2019 with plans to shoot seven films per year.
Veneziano served as president of Icon Entertainment International where he oversaw sales on Mel Gibson’s The Passion Of The Christ. As director of sales and distribution at Alliance Atlantis Communication he worked on Michael Moore’s documentary Bowling For Columbine. He was also president of GreeneStreet Films International and continues to play a role at his boutique consulting and sales company Recreation Media.
Amar most recently served as vice-president of sales and acquisitions at Vision Films and proir to that held executive sales and distribution roles at Red Apollo Group, Gaumont TV and MarVista, handling titles such as First Kill starring Bruce Willis and Hayden Christensen, The Zookeeper’s Wife with Jessica Chastain, and Zapped starring Zendaya.
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