San Fu Maltha, co-founder along with PimHermeling of the Netherlands' biggest independent film distributor, A-Film is leaving the company.His majority share holding has been acquired by investment companies W2Media BV andVan Lanschot Bankers. A-Film commented that the majoritysale was "a strategic investment to continue and expand the exploitation of ourcatalogue in every possible way". W2Media was founded by Dutch cinemaentrepreneurs Ad Westrate and Wolff Cinema Group.

Maltha's decision to leave A-Film will enable himto concentrate more fully on his production company, Fu Works. "I had to make achoice", explains Maltha. "It is not possible to workon an international project like Blackbook and bein charge of a distribution company at the same time."

Maltha worked as a producer on Paul Verhoeven's Blackbook (Zwartboek),currently in post-production. The $20m wartime thriller is the most expensive predominantlyDutch language production ever made and tells the story of a German Jewish girl(Dutch actress Carice van Houten)who narrowly survives the war in Holland and shortly after the liberation tries to find outwho betrayed her family

Pim Hermeling willbecome managing director of A-Films, working alongside financial director Dirkvan den Esschert, commercial director Rick Hartmanand Dirk de Lille, who will be in charge of all TVsales and new media. De Lille previously worked forDutch independent distributor RCV and commercial television company RTL.

A-Film hasbeen the Dutch distributor for independent box office hits such as The Lord of the Rings, Lost in Translation, Million Dollar Baby and Downfall. A-Film is also responsible fordistributing many local Dutch films.

Topics