Bob Berney has resigned as the head of independent movie studio Apparition in a move that has shocked his partner Bill Pohlad on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival.
Berney and his wife, Jeanne, were expected to leave for the festival on Tuesday with an eye to acquiring films, as they did last year in advance of Apparition’s launch. Update: Reached by phone en route to the airport, Jeanne Berney said they had "No comment," but confirmed that she and Bob were still going to attend the festival.
Bob Berney was scheduled to appear at a film finance forum there.
Pohlad sent a memo to the staff on Monday afternoon with the news, noting, "I suspect this news comes as a surprise to many of you. It certainly did to me."
The memo read as follows:
To our Apparition colleagues and staff:
As some of you may know, Bob Berney has submitted his resignation to me. I suspect that this news comes as a surprise to many of you. It certainly did to me. So I can’t claim that we have a plan in place yet in the wake of this announcement. I can, however, assure you that we will be working in the days ahead to explore our options regarding his replacement. In the meantime, Valerie Bruce, our Senior Vice President of Business Affairs, will serve as interim COO.I apologize for whatever confusion and uncertainty this news may cause, but know that we are proud and grateful for all the work that you have put into the company and appreciate your continued support.Bill PohladThe indie film distibutor launched less than a year ago in August as a partnership between Pohlad’s deep pockets and Berney’s expertise in distributing such indie hits as “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”But the distributor has not found success in that time. The studio’s latest release, “The Runaways,” was a flop, and its Oscar hopes for Jane Campion’s “Bright Star" were disappointed.Insiders at the studio said they were unaware of tension between Berney and Pohlad. Most of the employees were brought in by Berney and had collaborated with him at his previous indie company, Picturehouse."The relationship between Bob and Bill has seemed fine up to now," said one insider.Meanwhile, the studio has a small Australian film currently in release, "The Square," and two more films on the launch pad. "Tree of Life," by director Terence Malick and starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, and "Welcome to the Rileys," starring Kristen Stewart and directed by Jake Scott, are scheduled to be released in the fall.By Monday afternoon, however, the fate of the studio, its slate and its staff seemed entirely uncertain.
