Press Releases

Culver City & Beverly Hills, CA (March 15, 2012) - Sony Pictures and Fluent Entertainment have entered into a three-year, worldwide first-look agreement for Sony Pictures to distribute local-language films produced by local producers in collaboration with Fluent.

Fluent's distribution arrangement with Sony is one of the first of its kind to deliver the advantages of a major studio-aligned distribution deal to local-language film financing and production.

Fluent Entertainment's CEO Clifford Werber commented, "This deal comes at a time when the market share and revenues for local productions are on the rise in many key markets around the world. Sony has a long and storied history in this robust sector of the business and is an ideal partner as Fluent expands its horizons, uniting filmmakers around the world, investment capital and cutting-edge marketing and distribution."

"Partnering with Fluent will enable Sony Pictures to leverage our world-class distribution network for a broader slate of local productions with special resonance in their home markets and appeal around the world," said Brian Burkin, Executive Vice President, International Motion Picture Productions at Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Fluent Entertainment supports production and distribution of local-language films within their originating territories while leveraging export and remake opportunities in other territories, including the US. Working with US and international-based banks and financial institutions, Fluent's financing is being assembled from a combination of private equity, strategic and institutional investors. Fluent is being advised by CIT Communications, Media & Entertainment, Libby Savill of Olswang LLP and advisory board member Jon Gumpert of Apex Film Capital. In France, Fluent has a preexisting co-financing and distribution arrangement with SND.

Sony Pictures has ongoing interests in local-language productions around the world.
 

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 142 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

ABOUT FLUENT ENTERTAINMENT
Fluent Entertainment's Clifford Werber, was a senior executive in charge of worldwide co-productions and acquisitions at Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros. During his major studio tenure, in addition to structuring and coordinating film deals with affiliated financing entities such as Beacon, Lightstorm, Icon, and Alcon, Werber was an architect of the studios' successful local-language film strategies. Local-language films that were co-produced or acquired included Germany's Asterix Conquers America, Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro, Juan Campanella's El mismo amor, la misma lluvia and Alejandro Amenabar's Abre los ojos. Werber's expertise in this niche market continues to be widely recognized. Fluent was instrumental in setting up SamFilm's recent German hit, Funf Freunde, and delivering its underlying literary material, Enid Blyton's Famous Five. Among other properties, Fluent is adapting the Brazilian blockbuster comedy, If I Were You as a German remake with H&V Entertainment and Markus Goller. Goller directed Sony's 2010 hit German film, Friendship! and the current German hit, Eine Ganz Heibe Nummer. If I Were You is also being adapted in other international territories.

Contact:
Jason Allen
Sony Pictures Entertainment
310.244.3502
jason_allen@spe.sony.com

Shannon Sonnier
Facet PR
Shannon@facet-pr.com
323.696.0048