A year after Kevin Smith effectively stood on stage at the Eccles Theatre in Park City and told distributors he did not need them, his company has made a pact with a distributor.

Phase 4 Films gets exclusive rights North American distribution to up to 12 films a year created by the new Kevin Smith And SModcast Pictures Presents label.

The distributor will release four films theatrically each year, which will include a live tour with Kevin Smith, similar to what the filmmaker has done over much of the last year with his Sundance 2011 premiere Red State (pictured). The remaining titles each year will be released “via all other traditional and digital platforms.”

“We had a terrific experience working with Kevin and his team on Red State in Canada, and are thrilled to be embarking on this new venture with him,” Phase 4 head Berry Meyerowitz said. “This label will connect filmmakers and producers with a rabid audience of movie fans that only Kevin Smith can deliver.”

The films and filmmakers will also be promoted via Kevin’s fervent social media following. Phase 4 and Smith wil include an interactive component allowing fans to vote for the film tour to visit their city.

“I had the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire career touring Red State last year,” Smith said. “Watching the movie with an enthusiastic audience and then doing a longer Q&A than the flick itself, jumping on the tour bus and waking up in another city where we’d do it all over again – it felt less like boring ol’ film exhibition and more like punk rock.”



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