A Bunch of Amateurs by Kim Hopkins
Multi-hyphenate MetFilm, based in London, Leeds and Berlin has acquired Republic Film Distribution, the UK company run by former Icon Films exec, Zak Brilliant. The new division, named MetFilm Distribution, will be headed up Brilliant who will also head up MetFilm Sales.
The move marks further growth for the MetFilm Group following MetFilm Production’s move into the TV series space and the expansion of the MetFilm School, one of Europe’s largest film schools.
MetFilm Distribution will aim to release six to eight titles per year, partnering with likeminded stakeholders and filmmakers to deliver creative and effective campaigns, the majority of which will have a strong theatrical focus, the company writes. Its first release will be the Sheffield DocFest Audience Award-winning documentary A Bunch of Amateurs directed by Kim Hopkins, set for a November rollout in UK cinemas. The title is also being sold internationally by MetFilm Sales. Future releases will also include the MetFilm Sales title Fashion Re-Imagined directed by Becky Hutner; a feature doc about sustainability in the fashion industry. Further titles will be announced in due course.
Head of MetFilm Production Stew le Maréchal comments, “We’re really delighted to be working with Zak. He brings a wealth of experience and was the perfect person to help us expand the organisation. This move diversifies our portfolio and enables us to react more nimbly to the ever-changing market place.”
Director of MetFilm Jonny Persey adds “We could not be more proud and excited to be launching Met Film Distribution at this moment in time, and confident in the judgement and expertise that Zak brings to the business. Whilst adding strength, breadth and versatility to our production and distribution work, the development also creates opportunity for our students and graduates to learn from, and experience first-hand, each stage of a production’s life cycle. The announcement coincides with the launch of our new campus in Leeds, so it is a busy time within the MetFilm Group.”
Responds Brilliant: “I am thrilled to be joining Jonny, Stew and all the team at Met to lead on this exciting expansion of their UK and International operations. Their commitment to great storytelling through production and sales perfectly aligns with my vision for a dynamic, collaborative and plucky UK distribution business that supports British film and the best of world cinema. MetFilm Sales has quickly established itself as a leader in the unscripted space, with fantastic titles like The Reason I Jump and Misha & the Wolves, something that I will look to build upon while also exploring synergies across the wider MetFilm Group.”
MetFilm Sales will remain focussed on selling doc features and series and, as well as Fashion Re-imagined, is selling Body Parts, which explores the legacy of the exploitation of women in Hollywood, featuring Jane Fonda and Rosanna Arquette. Brilliant will work closely with the existing sales team of Mitch Clare, Jenny Bohnhoff and Ella Pham. Further staff hires on the UK distribution side will follow.
MetFilm Production is in production on its first docuseries, The Happenings, a re-investigation of the famous poltergeist haunting — the Enfield poltergeist — which inspired horror movies Poltergeist and The Conjuring 2, and is developing a number of scripted series alongside their feature film slate.
