MICHAEL ROBSON ON THE RISE AT D FILMS

By: Jeremy Kay

The Toronto distributor has promoted Michael Robson to senior vice-president of acquisitions and new business development.
 

February 10, 2016 – Robson will report to D Films’ CEO Jim Sherry, who made the announcement on Wednesday and said Robson was an “integral part of the company’s growth since its beginning” and “ideally suited” to lead expansion in the digital age.

Prior to joining D Films in 2009 as vice-president of marketing and acquisitions, Robson spearheaded online and interactive marketing initiatives at Alliance Films. He also brings experience in film production.

D Films recently distributed The Gift and its pipeline includes Fifty Shades Of Black, Max Steel, Green Room and Neon Demon.

D FILMS BRINGS PUBLICITY IN-HOUSE WITH NEW VP

By: Jordan Pinto

Angie Burns moves from Strut Entertainment to the Toronto distributor
 

January 11, 2016 – Toronto-based indie distributor D Films has hired industry veteran Angie Burns as its VP, publicity and promotions.

Burns will handle all aspects of D Films’ publicity and promotional campaigns, as well as its corporate communications. Previously, all the company’s publicity/communications work was outsourced.

The hire is the topper on what is “by far” D Films’ best year of business to date, Michael Robson, VP of marketing and development, told Playback Daily.

Burns worked previously with D Films’ CEO Jim Sherry at Maple Pictures, which was acquired by Alliance Films from Lionsgate Entertainment in 2011. In her most recent position, Burns was VP, public relations and promotions at Toronto’s Strut Entertainment.

The company’s first theatrical release of the year is 50 Shades of Black on Jan. 29, followed in April by TIFF Midnight Madness thriller Green Room and Andrew Cividino’s Sleeping Giant, which D Films acquired prior to its debut at TIFF. The distributor will then release Keanu Reeves-starrer Neon Demon and sci-fi Max Steel later in the year.

D Films will also release a second film through its output deal with Blumhouse International toward the end of 2016. The two companies inked the agreement in October 2014, with D Films releasing the deal’s first film The Gift in Canada last year. Robson described the release as the most successful in the company’s seven years of business.