Sara Frain to lead Picturehouse’s UK distribution arm; Clare Binns becomes creative director

UK exhibitor and distributor Picturehouse has promoted Sara Frain to managing director of its distribution arm Picturehouse Entertainment.

It is part of a wider leadership change at Cineworld-owned Picturehouse, which sees Clare Binns, managing director of Picturehouse cinemas and entertainment, transition into a part-time role as creative director.

Frain has worked at Picturehouse for 15 years, most recently as director of marketing and distribution.

Picturehouse said Binns will continue to offer her expertise in all areas of the group, and will be involved in film acquisitions alongside head of acquisitions James Brown and acquisitions manager Julia Trawinska.

Co-founder Lyn Goleby, who returned to the company earlier this year, will be responsible for the exhibition side of the business in her role as chair.

Distribution focus

Frain has worked across both exhibition and distribution during her time at Picturehouse, and will now focus on the distribution arm.

She has overseen the marketing and branding of Picturehouse Cinemas, including the opening of six cinemas, including the flagship Picturehouse Central, while managing the release strategy for films across the UK. She has also contributed to box-office successes of films distributed by Picturehouse such as Anatomy Of A Fall, The Last Showgirl, Presence, and the recently BIFA-nominated Urchin.

Last year, Picturehouse announced plans to move into film financing. Picturehouse said Frain would lead Picturehouse Entertainment’s operations “with a focus on the company’s diverse slate, which will continue to expand into crossover English-language titles while nurturing debut filmmakers and auteur-driven projects” and that it had “plans to build a robust library of content and enhance production capabilities”.

Javier Sotomayor, president of Cineworld International, said: “[Sara’s] deep understanding of the industry and commercial acumen make her an invaluable asset to our team. I look forward to working strategically alongside her as we develop our distribution efforts in the UK and capitalise on new opportunities for growth.”

Binns said: “I know that through her leadership, distribution will grow from strength to strength and, while still being very much involved in acquisitions, I’m excited to step back as Sara takes the reins.”

Frain said: ”Alongside my exceptional team, we will continue to push creative boundaries, deliver quality and innovative releases, and support emerging talent in the industry. My goal is to build on our strong foundation and further position Picturehouse as an aspirational and inspiring company within the UK film landscape.”

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