05/05/2006

News about the acquisition of UK distribution outfit Optimum Releasing by French group Canal Plus’ production and sales distribution arm StudioCanal were confirmed yesterday by both companies (see previous news). The deal was negotiated by Optimum Releasing Chairman Paul Higgins and Managing Director Will Clarke with Studio Canal’s CEO Frederic Sichler and CFO Fabrice Faux.

Commenting on the deal, Clarke said: “We have enjoyed working with the team at StudioCanal since day one of Optimum Releasing and believe this is a great opportunity for Optimum to continue growing, and we look forward to building an even bigger distribution operation in the UK, benefiting from the many qualities of both companies.”

Sichler also added: “We are thrilled to build the future of StudioCanal in the UK together with Will Clarke and his team at Optimum. What they have achieved over the last seven years is remarkable. Our film library, and particularly our 1,400 British titles, could not be in better hands. I strongly believe that with our combined forces, StudioCanal’s extensive film library and Optimum’s dynamic theatrical and video distribution, we will become a key player in the UK market.”

Both companies started working together in May 1999 when Optimum bought the reissue rights to The Third Man from StudioCanal. Other titles bought thereafter include Rob Reiner’s This is Spinal Tap, Mathieu Kassovitz’s Hate the Coen brothers’ The Ladykillers and the upcoming acclaimed US thriller Brick by Rian Johnson, to be released in the UK on May 12.

Optimum has two films in Cannes’ official competition: Nanni Moretti's The Caiman [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jean Labadie
interview: Nanni Moretti
film profile] and Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], while eight feature films pre-bought or co-produced by StudioCanal are screening in the official selection.