Michael Mendelsohn

Source: Cristina Franco

Michael Mendelsohn

EXCLUSIVE: For Michael Mendelsohn, who is in Toronto for today’s (September 6) world premiere of California Schemin’, James McAvoy’s feature directing debut epitomises the American producer-financier’s reputation for spotting talent and betting on his instincts.

Earlier in his career as the head of Union Bank of California’s media and entertainment finance division, Mendelsohn backed films starring Sophia Loren, and structured portfolios for the likes of Village Roadshow and other investors that delivered landmark features such as The Matrix, Air Force One, Reservoir Dogs, Underworld, and Lord Of War.

He established Patriot Pictures in 2005 and has worked at the coalface of the independent sector ever since. True to his company’s ethos of backing high-concept, director-driven films, he is now about to launch a horror division, more of which later, and is in talks with studio and independent distribution partners. 

California Schemin’

Mendelsohn sparked to California Schemin’ when Alex Brunner of UTA Independent Film Group brought him a script loosely based on the true-story of two plucky Scottish rappers who fooled their way into the London hip-hop scene in the early 2000s by pretending to be Californian.

Mendelsohn eventually stepped into complete the financing after the production lost a large chunk of money during prep in August 2024. “We got on the phone with James and Theresa Peters, James’s agent, and felt that he had a vision that went beyond a regular independent movie,” Mendelsohn says. “We like movies where people get one shot to realise their dreams […] That’s the cornerstone of movies in the independent world.”

Los Angeles-based Mendelsohn continues: “We’ve been doing this since the ‘80s, whether it’s Reservoir Dogs or The Madness Of King George or Nobody’s Fool. These are unique movies that have no caped crusaders as heroes; they’re real-life people.”

Mendelsohn responded to McAvoy, the firebrand Scottish screen star whose acting credits include The Last King Of Scotland, Atonement, Wanted, X-Men: First Class and Split. “James was passionate. He takes advice and evaluates it. It was a very positive experience for us,” says the veteran producer.

He also enjoyed working with Danny Page, the resourceful first-time Scottish producer on California Schemin’. Page had got the ball rolling four years ago when he acquired the life rights to Gavin Bain, one half of the Scottish rap duo known as Silibil N’ Brains, and approached McAvoy. UTA Independent Film Group represents US rights and Bankside sells international on the film, which premieres in Special Presentations.

New horror division

“You never know when you make a movie if anybody else sees it the way you see it, and that’s been the story of my career from day one,” Mendelsohn says. He is hoping partners will see what he sees in The Summoning, the first of a five-film slate of horror that will be directed by Scott Stewart, the genre veteran whose credits include Paul Bettany supernatural horror films The Priest and Legion.

Patriot Pictures is developing and producing the sub-$10m projects, which are being financed through Union Patriot Capital, Patriot’s $250m-plus credit facility provided by a private investor’s family office that enables Patriot to take various financial positions on projects.

“We’re always interested in things that you could make for a relatively modest price and win the game,” Mendelsohn says of the nascent horror division. “We’ve been developing The Summoning [for a while] and it has elements of exorcism films and The Fallen; intelligent horror that explore the historical conflict between good and evil.”

Offers are out to A-list cast. As for who will distribute the film, Mendelsohn says: “I want the most passionate company to release the movie – that that’s my goal.”

He enjoys “an excellent relationship” with AMC Theatres and has previously worked with the world’s largest exhibitor to self-distribute. The latest example is the high school comedy Almost Popular that just went on release in the US. “It’s already in 25 cities, and there aren’t too many distributors that have that kind of access,” he says.

Patriot recently delivered the sci-fi horror DreamQuil starring Elizabeth Banks and John C Reilly to Paramount’s Republic Pictures. “Elizabeth was a real pleasure to work with and we’re in discussions with her about other films that her company Brownstone Productions, and her husband, Max [Handelman] and Alison [Small, head of film] want to produce.”

Looking back at career milestones, Mendelsohn recalls the time he structured the Village Roadshow portfolio with financing from five banks; backing the 1988 Sophia Loren miniseries The Fortunate Pilgrim that led to three features with the Italian star and her then-husband and producer, Carlo Ponti; the time Quentin Tarantino and his producer Lawrence Bender came into his office looking to get their early films made; and collaborating with the late Sammy Hadida to get True Romance up and running.

“I can’t tell you that I created these films,” he says, ”but I saw something that inspired me, and that went on with Air Force One, Bring It On, The Matrix, Analyse This, and What Women Want.”

Now it is time for the world premiere of California Schemin’ from a first-time Glasgow-born director with a renowned acting resumé who listened to advice and brought bags of passion. “We have James to thank,” Mendelsohn says, ”and a little bit of cash helped this go a long way.”

 

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