06/02/2014 - After leaving Turner Broadcasting Nordic & Baltic, Ignas Scheynius starts new Scandinavian company “for films that make a difference”

Swedish veteran distributor Ignas Scheynius, who left his job as managing director Nordic & Baltic at Turner Broadcasting System at the end of 2012, will be at the Berlin International Film Festival (February 6-16), where he will be scouting for upmarket, quality-driven features with breakout potential in the Scandinavian market on behalf of a new distributor, Edge Entertainment.

The first acquisition for the 2014 line-up is Romanian director Calin Peter Netzer’s Child’s Pose [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Calin Peter Netzer
film profile], starring Luminita Gheorghiu as an affluent woman who sees a way to reassert control over her adult son's life when he faces manslaughter charges. The film won the Golden Bear and the international critics’ FIPRESCI prize at last year’s Berlinale.

“Edge Entertainment is all about discovery – finding the director-driven features that make a difference and add something to the Scandinavian marketplace,” said Scheynius, who is chairman of the board for the Stockholm-based company.

With his then partner CG Andersson, Scheynius – a co-founder of the Stockholm International Film Festival – set up the Millennium Media Group in 1998, incorporating NonStop Entertainment, NonStop Sales and NonStop Television, which has 13 channels in 53 countries (such as Showtime, TV7, Star! and Silver).

Turner Broadcasting System purchased the Millennium Media Group in 2010, and Scheynius worked for the company until early 2013, when it closed the international distribution arm, NonStop Sales. Since then, he has become a partner with Swedish dubbing and subtitling business Hippeis Media.