Sujo

Source: Sundance

‘Sujo’

Sundance prize-winner Sujo has been picked up for UK theatrical distribution by Ijaz Kato and John Kinson’s newly-launched outfit Beam Films.

Sujo won the grand jury prize in the world cinema dramatic competition at Sundance, and will continue its festival run at San Sebastian and BFI London Film Festival.

Alpha Violet represents international sales on the title, with Beam lining up a release for November. The Forge will release the title in North America on November 29. 

Mexican directors and producer duo Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez’s film tells the story of a boy’s survival after the murder of his father, a hired killer. Further producers of the Mexico-US-France co-production are Diana Arcega, Jewerl Keats Ross, Virginie Devesa and Jean-Baptiste Bailly-Maitre.

  • Read Screen’s review here

Ijaz Kato, John Kinson

Source: Beam Films

Ijaz Kato, John Kinson

London-based Beam Films was founded by Kato and Kinson earlier this year, with Sujo as their first acquisition. “There aren’t that many companies that have Black heads, and have diverse stories in mind. Sujo and other films we are negotiating on [are] incredible stories from around the world that I want to bring to the UK,” said Kato.

Kato has previously worked at boxer Anthony Joshua’s production company SBX Studios and at sports and unscripted production outfit Whisper, while Kinson has a background in data engineering. Kato will lead the production and distribution side of the company, while Kinson will lead on marketing and tech.

“Currently, we’re just working on distribution,” Kato explained, “but we want to make sure we come on [to projects] early. We also want to set up an online platform for filmmakers who don’t have access to sales companies, who can pitch directly to us.”

They set up the company using personal investment, with the support of an angel investor. Beam Films plan to distribute around three to five features a year theatrically, with a view to further expansion in the future.

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