UK production company launches with finance partner Gennaker.

Western Edge Pictures (WEP) has launched with finance partner Gennaker and Film Agency Wales funding.

Gennaker will invest up to £5m in its first phase across two years with a bespoke approach to each film deal. WEP has also received £88,500 in company support investment from Film Agency for Wales.

The partnership which will share offices in Wales and in London, has already forged a number of co-production deals with production partners including the Irish Film Board and Matador Pictures.

Boxing documentary Mr. Calzaghe, directed by Vaughan Sivell, will be the next film out of the new partnership, with a slate that also includes Ivan Kavanagh’s The Canal, Sivell’s Bloodlines:JCM, A Visit to America (written by Owen Sheers), Outlaws (written by Sally Griffiths and Rachel Cuperman) and sci-fi feature Photographic Memory Recalls the Highlights of the Year (written by Tom Betts and Ellen Waddell).

WEP’s CEO Sivell also takes on the CEO role at Gennaker in partnership with Andrew Thomas, Mike Rattenbury and Franki Goodwin.

Sivell commented: “We see WEP as the gateway to Gennaker’s exciting new resources. WEP will remain an independent home for developing projects, whether in-house or with third party deals, but Gennaker’s new financial muscle will allow us the opportunity to overlap in all the productions and projects we undertake.”

WEP’s team also includes head of production Stephen Riera and head of talent Tania Kenny.