Charles S. Cohen’s Cohen Media Group, which owns the Landmark Theatres chain of art-houses, has acquired HanWay Films, the U.K.-based international film sales giant founded by Jeremy Thomas and long run by his partner Peter Watson.
Terms of the deal, which the company announced Thursday, were not disclosed.
HanWay will continued to be function as an independent unit selling a broad range of theatrical titles to international distributors. Peter Watson will continue to serve as president, along with Gabrielle Stewart as CEO.
Thomas’ Recorded Picture Company will maintain its close relationship to HanWay, which will continue to represent films from his upcoming slate; Watson will also keep his role as CEO of Recorded Picture Company.
Since its founding in 1998, HanWay Films has been one of the most prolific forces in indie cinema worldwide — accumulating a library of titles from auteurs such as Bernardo Bertolucci, Jane Campion, David Cronenberg, Clint Eastwood, Milos Forman, Amos Gitai, Stephen Frears, Peter Greenaway, Todd Haynes, Jim Jarmusch, Neil Jordan, Takeshi Kitano, Steve McQueen, Takashi Miike, Nagisa Oshima, Sally Potter, Wim Wenders and more.
That can now be paired with the Cohen Film Collection of more than 800 films, which includes wide-ranging classic cinema from Buster Keaton and the independent films of Merchant Ivory Productions, best known for “Howards End” and “Maurice.” HanWay will also continue to represent The Jeremy Thomas Collection, Thomas’ library of great films.
“HanWay is an established and recognized leader in the international sales market and Jeremy Thomas has long had a commitment to a style of filmmaking that aligns perfectly with our vision,” Cohen said in a statement. “With the fundamental changes continuing to happen in our industry, we are proud to make HanWay part of our existing brand.”
Thomas added, “Twenty-five years in the sales agency business has given me enormous satisfaction. I am immensely proud of the business I have built with Peter Watson. In Gabrielle Stewart, the company has an outstanding CEO. I look forward to continuing the vital and stimulating relationship with HanWay that has sustained my films for so many years. I’m pleased to be handing over the baton to Charles Cohen.”
Philip Knatchbull, CEO of Cohen Media Group’s U.K.-based Curzon cinema chain, negotiated the deal.
