After creating a U.K. genre label with Jed Benedict, Studiocanal has forged a partnership with French production company WTFilms to focus on genre films. Under the deal, Studiocanal will be involved as a co-producer and distributor on WTFilms projects, ranging from action, thriller, science fiction and horror.
The pact, which will run for a minimum period of two years, underscores Studiocanal’s ambition to increase its presence in the genre space. Studiocanal’s production team will work together with Benedict on the WTFilms partnership and development slate.
Studiocanal previously collaborated with WTF on Xavier Gens’ “Farang” which was released by IFC Films in the U.S. under the title “Mayhem” and had a successful international roll out.
Studiocanal’s French production team François Mergier and Assia Barge, who negotiated the agreement for Studiocanal, said it “continues a relationship we greatly value and is one of trust and creativity that we wish to perpetuate” following their “successful work together on ‘Farang.’”
“The WTFilms teams are experts in their field and enthusiasts of genre films, who will bring a lot to Studiocanal,” said Mergier and Barge in a statement.
Dimitri Stephanides and Gregory Chambet, WTFilms co-founders, said the success of Farang “reinforced our choice to focus our production projects on genre, ranging from action to thriller and horror.”
“Since its beginning, the DNA of WTFilms has been closely linked to our personal taste for this cinema,” added the pair. “We are very enthusiastic about the idea of plowing this furrow with Studiocanal, whose ambitions in this area align with ours and those of many talented directors, to produce films with strong commercial potential both in France and abroad,” Stephanides and Chambet continued.
Earlier this month, Studiocanal announced a new genre label dedicated to the development, production and distribution of horror, thriller, sci fi and action films and TV series, under the leadership of Benedict, a well-known executive who previously worked for the U.K. distribution banner Elysian Film Group.