The company’s New York-based representative played an integral role in broadening the Paris-based organisation’s production, acquisition and financing activity in the US.

Memento will announce a replacement shortly, while Shumakerm who served at MFI for four years, will reveal his next steps in due course.

“Working with Nicholas has been an exciting, fun and obviously fruitful process,” said MFI founder and managing director Emilie Georges. “We’ll miss him dearly, that’s for sure. Our line-up would not have grown so diverse without his help and dedication to our director-driven approach. We thank him and wish him all the best for all his new endeavours.”

“This is the toughest departure of my professional life,” said Shumaker. “Emilie, Tanja and the rest of the team are family to me. I couldn’t be prouder of the films we’ve acquired and produced during my tenure. 

“From daring, genre bending works like Compliance, Cold In July and Blue Ruin to emotionally resonant, award winning titles like Short Term 12, Still Alice and the forthcoming Louder Than Bombs, this is a company that truly goes to bat for their directors and their films in every imaginable way.