It has been a whirlwind year for the Entertainment Industry, the landscape has evolved drastically, and consumer interests have adapted and changed as new trends emerge.
How are Filmmakers, Producers, Financiers, Distributors, and Dealmakers successful in this ever-changing market;

Who are the active players?
How do you stay ahead of the game?
How are deals getting vetted and closed?

Hear from our roster of Elite Panelists on their thoughts about navigating these new trends, what to look out for in the future and how to stay active in the International Film Market.
Make sure to catch our two VERY EXCITING FIRESIDE CHATS with Hollywood Legend Rob Reiner, Director Yann Demange and Producer Thomas Benski.

SPEAKING FACULTY:

Rob Reiner
Two-Time Emmy Award Winning Actor, Director, Activist

Rob Reiner first came to fame as a two-time Emmy Award winning actor on the landmark television series “All In the Family”. He went on to become an acclaimed director of some of the most popular and influential motion pictures. His work ranges from the satire This Is Spinal Tap to dramas like Stand By Me, Misery, A Few Good Men, and Ghosts of Mississippi to romantic comedies like When Harry Met Sally, and The American President, to the enduring classic, The Princess Bride. His now 20 films also include The Bucket List, Flipped, LBJ starring Woody Harrelson and most recently Shock and Awe, about the run up to the war in Iraq, which stars Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Jessica Biel, James Marsden, and Reiner himself.

Reiner is also a dedicated political activist. In 1998 he passed a tobacco tax initiative in California to fund early childhood development. Then for seven years he chaired California’s First Five Commission to oversee the implementation of the initiative. In 2003 he led the effort to save Ahmanson Ranch from an environmentally harmful development in the Santa Monica Mountains. In 2008 he and his wife Michele helped form The American Foundation for Equal Rights, which filed a federal lawsuit to overturn California’s Prop 8. Their victory at the Supreme Court paved the way for marriage equality nationwide.

Recently he and his wife, Michele, along with Matthew George, led a team that raised $175 million to re-launch Castle Rock which currently has multiple projects in development.

Yann Demange
Director

Growing up in London as a man of mixed heritage, Yann has always been passionate about telling unexpected stories. Yann made a name for himself as a filmmaker in the U.K. on productions like TOP BOY and ‘71, for which he received the British Independent Film Award for Best Director. Transitioning to working in the U.S., Yann most recently directed the feature film WHITE BOY RICK (Sony) and the television drama, LOVECRAFT COUNTRY (HBO).

Thomas Benski
CEO and Founder
Pulse Films

Thomas Benski is the BAFTA and Grammy Award-nominated producer and CEO and founder of Pulse Films. Since launching the company in 2005 with Marisa Clifford his co-founder, Benski has led the company's evolution into a multi-disciplinary, award-winning global studio producing feature films, television series, music videos, commercials and branded content. With Pulse Films offices in London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Berlin and Milan, Benski is responsible for the studio’s worldwide creative and strategic development, as well as lead producing specific projects and overseeing output from the company's scripted motion picture and television divisions. Benski oversees an award-winning film team producing narrative and documentary feature films that are redefining in their approach, working with the world’s best emerging and established filmmakers and actors.

He produced the 2020 Berlinale International Film Festival award-winning MOGUL MOWGLI starring Riz Ahmed; Tribeca Film Festival hit XY CHELSEA; seminal LCD Soundsystem film SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS; and Spike Jonze-directed BEASTIE BOYS STORY. Benski is also personally producing the upcoming feature PERFECT, a biopic on the life of Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug, from director Olivia Wilde and PIG starring Academy Award winning actor Nicolas Cage. In television, Pulse Films produces provocative scripted and non-fiction television for leading networks and streaming services around the world and has cultivated a creator-first sensibility in its approach to content. Benski’s also personally oversaw and served as a hands on executive producer of Pulse’s most recent project, the acclaimed drama series GANGS OF LONDON, debuted in the UK to rave reviews and record ratings. Benski also served as executive producer on THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MADELEINE MCCANN, 2019’s most watched Netflix UK docuseries. Upcoming television projects include the taught global thriller ATOMIC BAZAAR, looking at the world of nuclear trafficking. Music videos, commercials and branded content have always been a principle part of Pulse's DNA and the multifaceted company Benski has established. Partnering with the most celebrated names in the music industry, such as Radiohead, Drake, and The Weeknd, has brought about culturally important and award-winning music and concert films, content and videos. Similarly, collaborations with the leading creatives in the commercial and branded entertainment space have brought about bespoke imaginative solutions and compelling stories that build brand value. McDonald’s compelling “Lights On” COVID-19-related commercial and Apple’s ‘Bounce’ are among the diverse and award-winning work of these Pulse Films units. Much of the company success is driven by the multifaceted and forward thinking vision of our in-house roster of high-quality directors James Marsh and Yann Demange.

nate bolotin
Co-Founder and partner
xyz films

Nate Bolotin co-founded XYZ Films with Nick Spicer and Aram Tertzakian in 2008. XYZ Films, is an independent studio, fully integrated with production, financing, global sales, talent management and US distribution.

XYZ Films’ titles include The Raid franchise, 2017 Sundance winner I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore and cult hit Mandy. Recent productions from the company include Joe Penna’s sci-fi thriller Stowaway, starring Anna Kendrick and Toni Collette, and Gareth Evans’ action thriller Havoc, starring Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker.

Nate has a BA in Economics and Film Studies from UC Santa Barbara and an MFA from UCLA Producer's Program.

judith chan
Executive Director – Media Banking
Coutts & Co

Judith is an Executive Director in the Media Banking Office at Coutts & Co, a leading private bank with a specialist media division involved in all areas of the media and creative industries including film, television, music, theatre, arts, games, advertising, marketing services, publishing, tech and fashion.  She heads up its business development for the team, originating new business, developing new products and specialises in structuring film and television debt transactions.  Judith has over twenty-five years’ experience in media financing, starting her career at an investment bank in Los Angeles where she spearheaded the Bank’s involvement with the independent film and television sectors, followed by Ingenious Media where she managed three equity funds principally investing in film and television content, and over 15 years with the Media team at Coutts.

Judith is currently a Trustee of Film London, The National Film and Television School Foundation, The Resilient Foundation and a Development Board member of the National Youth Theatre.

Philippe Rousselet
Founder; Chairman and Co-CEO
Vendôme Group

Academy Award-winning producer Philippe Rousselet is the founder, chairman and co-CEO of Vendôme Group, a leading global independent production company with a strong track record and production activities across both Europe and the U.S. Rousselet most recently produced the 2022 Academy Award Best Picture winner, CODA. Directed by Siân Heder and starring Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant and Eugenio Derbez, the film premiered on Apple TV+ in 2021. It has since taken out multiple wins at the 2022 Academy Awards, BAFTA Film Awards, Critics Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Writers Guild of America Awards as well as being crowned Movie of the Year at the AFI Awards. Rousselet and Vendôme co-CEO and co-producer Fabrice Gianfermi also nabbed top prize at the 2022 Producers Guild of America Awards for the film.

Vendôme Films has produced more than 20 French-language films to date including: Women on the Sixth Floor, Paris-Manhattan, Haute Cuisine, Dad in Training, How I met My Father, Two is a Family, In and Out, Farewell Mr Haffmann, La Scala and Schoolmates. Alongside French production company Jerico Films, they co-produced a slate that includes: Radin!, Promise at Dawn, Remi sans famille, Small Country and La Famille Bélier, which won three Césars and was nominated for a further nine. In conjunction with French production company Prelude, they also co-produced The Lost Prince.

Vendôme Pictures develops, finances and produces commercially viable English language motion pictures with strong international appeal. The company’s diverse slate of acclaimed films includes: Academy Award Best Picture winner, CODA for Apple TV+; What Happened to Monday for Netflix; Tom Hanks’ Larry Crowne; Duncan Jones’ Source Code with Jake Gyllenhaal which earned $150 million at the box office; Andrew  Niccol’s Lord of War with Nicolas Cage; and the Idris Elba starrer The Take.

Over the 18 months, Rousselet also spearheaded the production of five new feature films including: Room of Wonders directed by Lisa Azuelos; Sophie Boudre’s Schoolmates!; Fred Cavayé’s Adieu Monsieur Haffman; Pascal Elbé's Hear Me Out and Bruno Chiche’s La Scala.

Vendôme continues to build an impressive television slate, with French and English speaking projects including: “Code Name Hélène” in partnership with Anonymous Content and starring Elizabeth Debicki as well as “Notre-Dame”.

Lee Broda
Founder
LB Entertainment

As a celebrated producer and writer, Lee Broda’s intelligent and passionate creative drive has culminated in the creation of LB Entertainment, where Lee has shepherded over fourty five films to success.

Founded in 2015, the LA-based, LB Entertainment’s mission is to create powerful, important stories that inspire audiences. The company specializes in developing, financing, and producing independent films, television, and documentaries. LB Entertainment’s movies have premiered in the world’s top film festivals including Sundance, Venice, Toronto, Tribeca, SXSW, BFI, and New York Film Festival, and have been distributed worldwide, garnering international recognition and numerous awards. A Private War starring Rosamund Pike and Jamie Dornan received two Golden Globe nominations in the 2019 award season while Driveways was nominated for two Spirit Awards in the 2020 award season. And breakout films such as "The Card Counter” ( Oscar Isaac ) was nominated for two Gotham Awards in 2021.

Since its inception, LB Entertainment has attracted the best talent in the industry, including Call Jane (Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver), The Kindergarten Teacher (Maggie Gyllenhaal), Michael Almereyda’s Experimenter (Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder), The Trust (Nicolas Cage, Elijah Wood), The Forgiven (Forest Whitaker, Eric Bana), Chuck (Liev Schreiber, Elizabeth Moss, & Naomi Watts), Dark Places (Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace Moretz), The Pretenders (Dennis Quaid), and Driveways (Brian Dennehy).

Jeffrey Greenstein
President
Millennium Media

Jeffrey Greenstein joined Millennium Media in 2010, handling more than sixty films during his tenure at the company, includingThe Expendables franchise, Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, and Angel Has Fallen, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, and Mechanic: Resurrection.

Greenstein has risen through the proverbial ranks of Millennium’s corporate ladder with lightning speed. Named President of International Sales & Distribution at Nu Image/Millennium Films in April 2015, Greenstein oversaw the sales and distribution of all Millennium productions. In 2016, Greenstein became President of Millennium Media. In this role, he manages all aspects of the independent studio. He is also a member of the PGA.

 Millennium’s recent releases include The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard with Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, and Salma Hayek, Jolt with Kate Beckinsale and Stanley Tucci, Till Death with Megan Fox, and The Protege starring Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson and Maggie Q. Millennium Media recently wrapped production on The Enforcer with Antonio Banderas, Kate Bosworth, 2 Chainz and The Piper with Charlotte Hope and Julian Sands, and the 4th installment of The Expendables franchise.

Anita Gou
Producer and Founder
Kindred Spirit

Anita Gou is a film and multimedia producer based in Los Angeles. Her upcoming films include Agnieszka Smoczynska’s English language debut The Silent Twins (starring Letitia Wright & Tamara Lawrance) for Focus Features. She previously produced one of the highest grossing independent films of 2019, The Farewell (starring Awkwafina) and Honey Boy (starring Shia LaBeouf and Lucas Hedges) released by A24 and Amazon Studios respectively. Past works include: FOUND (Netflix, 2021); Assassination Nation (Sundance 2018, NEON), Terminal 3 (Tribeca 2018), To the Bone (Sundance 2017, Netflix), and The Assassin (Cannes 2015, Well Go USA).

Liesl Copland
EVP Content and Platform Strategy
Participant

In the newly created role of EVP, Content and Platform Strategy for Participant, Liesl Copland works in tandem with the company’s content teams throughout development and production, advising on and targeting optimal strategic options for all properties, including overseeing all sales. Her appointment comes as Participant continues the evolution of its approach in bringing the highest quality film and television content to the widest possible audience in today’s rapidly changing distribution landscape, serving as the foundation for the company’s impact efforts addressing today’s most vital issues.

Liesl Copland was born and raised in Northern California. Before joining Participant, Liesl was a Partner and EVP at Endeavor Content where she ran the Non-Scripted Advisory practice, overseeing feature documentaries and premium non-fiction series and providing strategic advice to the studio’s growing production partners. A 20-year entertainment industry veteran, Copland has worked in the specialty film sector for most of her career with the goal of democratizing distribution for unique, independently produced projects. During her twelve years with the Endeavor suite of companies Liesl focused the emerging digital distribution space as part of her corporate advisory work, ran the film sales practice and consulted numerous startups always with an eye to the changing media landscape.

Prior to joining Endeavor in 2008, Liesl acted as the Head of Red Envelope Entertainment, the former original content division of Netflix, where she oversaw the acquisition, marketing and distribution of close to 100 films a year during their three years in existence. She developed a reputation for successfully forging innovative partnerships with studios and mini-majors, boutique distribution labels and more non-traditional, new media-focused outlets. Her previous entertainment industry experience includes time at New York based Cinetic Media, years as an independent producer as well as posts at the Tribeca Film Festival and IFP.

Across her entire career, Liesl has built in a double bottom line approach to her practice and has a deeper focus on social justice reform and impact focused content. She serves on the Board of Represent Justice, the advisory board of SommTV and is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with degrees in both English Literature and Art History. Liesl lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children and their rescue mutt, Starsky.

Patrick Rizzotti
Producer and Founder
Blue Fox Financing

Patrick Rizzotti is a veteran film, television, and podcast producer and founder of Crossroad Productions.

Blue Fox Financing (previously Crossroad Lending) was created by Rizzotti as the first digital platform exclusively developed for connecting filmmakers with a curated database of film and television lenders and equity financiers.

His feature film credits include the critically acclaimed Pride, starring Academy Award Nominee Terrence Howard, the three film horror genre franchise The Collector, co-written and directed by Marcus Dunstan, and The Super, a psychological thriller starring Val Kilmer. Upcoming films include Maximum Truth starring Ike Barinholtz & Dylan O’Brien, and Bunker, directed by Adrian Langley.

https://bluefoxfinancing.com

Marlon Vogelgesang
CEO
Media Finance Capital

Marlon Vogelgesang has a comprehensive view on the film industry, having a wealth of experience in both physical production as well as the business side of filmmaking.

After working in the field of scripted TV for UFA Entertainment as a production manager, Marlon re-oriented his career towards feature film production where he worked as a 1st AD on Forward Side Close (2015), as a Producer on StarDog and TurboCat (2020).

As CEO of Media Finance Capital, Marlon executive-produced the first in-house feature production, Barbarians (2022).

Past projects that Marlon has provided executive producing services to includes but are not limited to:

My Happy Ending (For Media Finance Capital) (post-production)

Nocebo (For Media Finance Capital) (post-production)

Second Chance (For Samuel Marshall Films) (post-production)

2022 Barbarians (For Media Finance Capital)

2021 The Colour Room (For Media Finance Capital)

2021 South of Heaven (For Media Finance Capital)

2021 The Lost Daughter (For Samuel Marshall Films)

2021 Tina (For Media Finance Capital)

2021 The Greenhouse (For Media Finance Capital)

Jon Gosier
CEO and Founder
FilmHedge

Jon Gosier is the CEO and Founder of FilmHedge (http://filmhedge.com), a financial technology company that uses data and technology to improve Film and TV financing. FilmHedge accomplishes this by partnering with large institutional capital partners and automating placement of capital on their behalf. Meanwhile, eligible borrowers are issued debt financing up to $10M per project.

Prior to starting FilmHedge Jon spent years in tech and venture capital before becoming an independent film and media investor. He then developed an interest in successfully disrupting media finance models. His previous tech company, Audigent, provided music artists like Camila Cabello, Eminem, Post Malone, Blake Shelton, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Shakira, Rihanna, Jay-Z, and others new ways of understanding data with corporate partners that include: Condé Nast, TransUnion, Warner Music Group, Penske, a360 Media, Fandom and many others.

Jon is local to Atlanta, Georgia and is an alum of Savannah College of Art and Design.

PROGRAM:

10:00AM-10:10AM

WELCOME AND OPENING ADDRESS

Amy Baker, CEO & Co-Founder, Winston Baker

10:10AM-11:00AM

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

 Productions are moving forward, and we want to know how those deals were closed, who to look out for in the market and what distribution will look like now. Consumers want to be entertained in new and exciting ways and we are eager to learn about how to keep audiences interested in this post-COVID world. We’ve seen an increase in engagement with documentaries, untold stories and local language content from around the world. It is the time to explore new facets of the industry and further explore the use of multi-purpose platforms. We will hear from our elite speakers on their thoughts about the re-emergence of live aspects of our industry, and all the new and exciting trends to look forward to in 2022 and beyond.

Moderator:

Judith Chan, Executive Director, Media Banking Office, Coutts & Co

Panelists:

Jeffrey Greenstein, President, Millennium Media

Lee Broda, Founder, LB Entertainment

Nate Bolotin, Partner, XYZ films

Patrick Rizzotti, Producer and Founder, Blue Fox Financing

Jon Gosier, CEO and Founder, FilmHedge

11:00AM-11:45AM

FIRESIDE CHAT WITH ROB REINER 

Rob Reiner, Director, CEO of Castle Rock Entertainment, Two Time Emmy Award Winning Actor

Moderator: Scott Roxborough, European Bureau Chief, The Hollywood Reporter

11:45 - 12:30 PM

MONEY AND MEDIA: ARE INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTION AND CO-FINANCING DEALS THE KEY TO GLOBALIZATION

Moderator: 

Amy Baker, CEO & Co-Founder, Winston Baker

Panelists:

Philippe Rousselet, Academy Award-Winning Producer, Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO, Vendôme Group

Anita Gou, Producer and Founder, Kindred Spirit

Liesl Copland, Executive Vice President, Content and Platform Strategy, Participant

Marlon Vogelgesang, CEO, Media Finance Capital

12:30 - 1:00 PM

FIRESIDE CHAT with Yann Demange and Thomas Benski

Yann Demange, Director
Thomas Benski, CEO & Founder, Pulse Films

Moderator: Scott Roxborough, European Bureau Chief, The Hollywood Reporter

HOSTED BY:

Amy Baker
CEo and co-founder
WINSTON | BAKER

As Co-Founder and CEO of WINSTON | BAKER, Amy Baker oversees the company’s global strategic planning, editorial programming, event production, business development and vendor relationships. Amy co-founded the FILM FINANCE FORUM® SERIES, a series of conferences across the globe dedicated to bringing film and finance executives together.

Prior to establishing Winston Baker, she successfully directed B2B and B2C business development efforts for over 10 years by leveraging innovative sponsorship methods to engage business professionals. At ALM, as Vice President of Business Development, she provided finance executives and marketers with targeted channels for reaching decision-makers within the legal, entertainment, healthcare and tech sectors. In her previous position, Director of Business Development at RPMC, she worked with entertainment, music, and sports companies, creating event marketing programs, travel incentive services, sweepstakes, and media promotions.

Amy received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with honors from New York University and is proud to be a member of the National Board of Advisors for the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.
Amy is also a Certified COVID-19 Compliance Officer.

For more information please email:

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