New York-based Belladonna Productions and NYC distributor Matson Films have partnered to acquire six new films from emerging South American directors to distribute theatrically in the United States using a unique brand sponsorship model.
The Buenos Aires office of Streiffschuss Films AG will be identifying Latin American movies for the New World Cinema Series (NWCS) program, an event-style film series to bring the films to 20 US markets, targeting Latino and crossover audiences in the US.
Richard Matson of Matson Films and Tomi Streiff and Jane Hallisey of Streiffschuss Films presented the new project at the 10th Buenos Aires Film Festival.
'We want to simulate a year-long festival experience,' Matson says. 'The $2m NWCS will play in a fixed circuit of independent theaters in 20 cities with a great independent community and also with an important Latin population'. New York, Miami, Tucson, Los Angeles and Austin are among the cities confirmed.
'US audiences are not used to watch Latin American films so we have to find very good movies, features, documentaries, art-films or genre-films,' Streiff explains.
'Latin American filmmakers will have theatrical distribution in 20 cities, a healthy P&A spend to support the realease funded entirely through brand sponsorship, the ability to tour with their films and interact with audiencies, DVD distribution to major retailers and best efforts to gain TV distribution at Sundance Channel, IFC or HBO,' Matson adds.
While the NWCS will not pay an advance to acquire the films and there is no P&A to recoup, the filmmakers participate on a 'first dollar' basis in the revenue from each window.
The first film will be released next January and there will be a new film released every two months until December 2009.
The Buenos Aires office of Streiffschuss Films AG will be identifying Latin American movies for the New World Cinema Series (NWCS) program, an event-style film series to bring the films to 20 US markets, targeting Latino and crossover audiences in the US.
Richard Matson of Matson Films and Tomi Streiff and Jane Hallisey of Streiffschuss Films presented the new project at the 10th Buenos Aires Film Festival.
'We want to simulate a year-long festival experience,' Matson says. 'The $2m NWCS will play in a fixed circuit of independent theaters in 20 cities with a great independent community and also with an important Latin population'. New York, Miami, Tucson, Los Angeles and Austin are among the cities confirmed.
'US audiences are not used to watch Latin American films so we have to find very good movies, features, documentaries, art-films or genre-films,' Streiff explains.
'Latin American filmmakers will have theatrical distribution in 20 cities, a healthy P&A spend to support the realease funded entirely through brand sponsorship, the ability to tour with their films and interact with audiencies, DVD distribution to major retailers and best efforts to gain TV distribution at Sundance Channel, IFC or HBO,' Matson adds.
While the NWCS will not pay an advance to acquire the films and there is no P&A to recoup, the filmmakers participate on a 'first dollar' basis in the revenue from each window.
The first film will be released next January and there will be a new film released every two months until December 2009.
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