Cargo Entertainment and Radiant Films International have entered into a multi-faceted, strategic partnership to expand their combined production, finance and sales capabilities for commercial feature films, it was announced today by Cargo’s CEO and Managing Partner, Marina Grasic, and Jan Korbelin Managing Partner and Radiant’s President and CEO, Mimi Steinbauer.
As the first step in their new collaboration, Cargo has made an investment in Radiant with Steinbauer assuming the additional role of Cargo’s President of Distribution. Steinbauer and the sales team which includes newly appointed Radiant Senior Vice President John Short, will handle foreign sales for all Cargo titles under the newly formed partnership with immediate effect.
With a focus on combining their respective areas of expertise to build a slate of high quality commercial films, Cargo and Radiant are actively looking to jointly finance, produce and launch 4 to 6 new films per year.
The companies will work side by side on joint initiatives but continue to operate as two separate entities. Radiant Films International has a dynamic slate of titles being sold at Cannes including the newly announced romantic comedy CARRIE PILBY starring Hailee Steinfeld and Tom Wilkinson.
“Mimi is one of the savviest sales executives in the business with a proven track record balancing sales on speciality as well as high profile commercial films such as THE HURT LOCKER, BLUE VALENTINE, THE LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy and THE MATRIX. The strength of her experience make her a perfect partner as we look to substantially increase the scope of our productions. It’s a great partnership and we look forward to making a number of significant announcements to take us to that next level shortly,” said Cargo’s CEO and Managing Partner, Marina Grasic.
“Marina and Cargo have built a reputation for producing high quality theatrical films that resonate with buyers across the globe. As they build on that reputation and expand their production operations with even bigger budget films, we are delighted to be partnering with Cargo. We look forward to this being just the beginning of a long and successful relationship,” said Steinbauer.
Cargo’s current completed titles include the comedy WELCOME TO ME, which had the highest grossing per screen average among limited releases at the US box office opening weekend and stars Kristen Wiig who produces alongside Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jessica Elbaum and Cargo’s Grasic. Their other titles include the political thriller ZIPPER which world premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and stars Patrick Wilson and Dianna Agron from executive producer Darren Aronofosky. US distributor Alchemy is releasing both films and will distribute ZIPPER later in the year.
Cargo’s upcoming films include the suspense thriller THE PRICE with Noomi Rapace, currently in pre-production.
Additional titles on Radiant’s slate include the thriller TAKE DOWN directed by Jim Gillespie and starring Ed Westwick, Jeremy Sumpter, Phoebe Tonkin and Sebastian Koch and the unconventional romance THE DRIFTLESS AREA starring Zooey Deschanel and Anton Yelchin which made its world premiere at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. Both films are making their market screening premieres at the Cannes Film Market. Their other titles include two films coming to US theatres in June: IFC Films’ HUNGRY HEARTS starring Adam Driver and Alba Rohrwacher who both won Coppa Volpi Awards at the Venice Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival selection MADAME BOVARY starring Mia Wasikowska, Ezra Miller and Paul Giamatti to be released by Alchemy.
Other projects include DARE TO BE WILD starring Emma Greenwell (“Shameless”) and Tom Hughes (BBC2’s “The Game”) and WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY in pre-production, set to star Susan Sarandon.
ABOUT CARGO ENTERTAINMENT
Cargo Entertainment (the “Company” or “Cargo”) is an international sales agent, distributor, producer and packager of filmed entertainment. Cargo was launched in 2011 with a presence in New York and Los Angeles.
MARINA GRASIC – CEO AND MANAGING PARTNER
Ms. Grasic has produced or executive produced such films as Academy Award© winner CRASH, ALPHA DOG, SMART PEOPLE and NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU. She has recently finished production on ANGRIEST MAN IN BROOKLYN, IN THE BLOOD, EXTRATERRESTRIAL, ZIPPER and WELCOME TO ME. A former entertainment attorney with a JD in international law, Grasic previously was COO and co-founder of Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and built it into one of the leading independent feature film companies dedicated to the production of high quality independent films. As an entertainment attorney Marina Grasic has been involved in more than 200 film transactions with studios and large independent production companies, including such pictures as THE AVIATOR, TERMINATOR 3, AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS, END OF DAYS, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE, THE BACHELOR and AUTUMN IN NEW YORK.
JAN KORBELIN, MANAGING PARTNER
Korbelin has over 20 years of experience in television, film and digital media, including production, development, programming, management, marketing and finance. He is also one of Cargo’s founding and managing partners, focusing on financing and production operations. Korbelin previously held the position of President of ProSieben Television, which he helped build into one of the largest and most profitable European networks. As partner and managing director of various film and television production companies, Korbelin raised and managed over $150 million dedicated to the production of feature films and television programs. His credits as Executive Producer include Academy Award© winner CRASH, ALPHA DOG, COPYING BEETHOVEN, THE CELL, KILL ME THREE TIMES, and THE ANGRIEST MAN IN BROOKLYN.
ABOUT RADIANT FILMS INTERNATIONAL
Founded by international sales veteran, Mimi Steinbauer, who is President and CEO, Radiant Films International, is an international sales company funded through private equity sources which acquires and distributes theatrical feature films.
Before launching Radiant in 2011, Steinbauer held senior sales positions at Hyde Park International, Franchise Pictures Mobius International and Voltage Pictures. Throughout her career, she has handled sales for a multitude of high profile titles including the Oscar winning THE HURT LOCKER directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Jeremy Renner, GHOST RIDER 2: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE starring Nicolas Cage, BLUE VALENTINE with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in an Oscar nominated performance, Robert Rodriguez’ MACHETE starring Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba and Michelle Rodriguez and Ashton Kutcher starrer SPREAD.