HanWay Films is an independent British international sales, distribution and marketing company specializing in theatricalfeature films.
In 1999,Jeremy Thomas founded international sales company HanWay Films with his colleagues Peter Watson (deputy chairman) and Stephan Mallmann, and continues to chair the board. Two new members joined the board in 2011, Thorsten Schumacher, previously head of sales, was appointed managing director, and former head of business affairs Jan Spielhoff took up the reins as chief operating officer.
HanWay has established itself as leading international sales, distribution and marketing company specialising in high-profile quality films from worldwide talent. HanWay arranges financing, sales and distribution for all films from Recorded Picture Company, along with projects from third party producers.
HanWay also represents an extensive film catalogue of over 500 features including films from Thomas'sRecorded Picture Company, and theBritish Film Institute. Representing the very best in film-making talent, these include productions byWoody Allen,Takeshi Kitano,Bernardo Bertolucci,Wim Wenders,Terry Gilliam,David Cronenberg,Peter Greenaway,Jean-Luc Godard,David Mamet,Miloš Forman,Stephen Frears,Phillip Noyce andNagisa Ōshima.
In August 2022, it was announced that American film production company Cohen Media Group had acquired HanWay Films from its founder Jeremy Thomas with HanWay Films continued to be branded as an independent label within Cohen Media Group.[1]
HanWay's productions include Thomas' production ofDavid Cronenberg'sA Dangerous Method starringKeira Knightley,Viggo Mortensen,Michael Fassbender andVincent Cassel, in the true-life story of the youngDr. Jung, his mentorFreud and the beautiful patient that came between them;Lone Scherfig’s coming-of-age dramaAn Education, which wonCarey Mulligan aBAFTA award forBest Actress;[2]James Gunn’s pop-culture actionerSuper starringRainn Wilson,Elliot Page andLiv Tyler, from producerTed Hope;Nigel Cole’sMade in Dagenham starringGolden Globe nomineeSally Hawkins from producerStephen Woolley, andAndrea Arnold’s adaptation of the romantic classicWuthering Heights.[3]
Other films handled includeNowhere Boy, a film by artistSam Taylor-Wood based onJohn Lennon’s teenage years starringAaron Johnson;Gurinder Chadha’s culinary black comedyIt's a Wonderful Afterlife which premiered at the 2010Sundance Film Festival,[4]Harry Brown starringAcademy Award winnerMichael Caine;Scott Hicks’ Australian-set dramaThe Boys Are Back starringClive Owen; Irish comedyPerrier's Bounty, starringCillian Murphy andAcademy Award winnerJim Broadbent; andDanis Tanović’sTriage, withColin Farrell in the lead. Theatrical documentary releases includeJulien Temple’sOil City Confidential, andMugabe and the White African.[5]
Other releases includeJon Amiel'sCreation starringPaul Bettany andJennifer Connelly (produced by Thomas), which opened the 2009Toronto International Film Festival,[6]Sunshine Cleaning starringAmy Adams andEmily Blunt;Gerald McMorrow’sFranklyn starringEva Green,Ryan Phillippe andSam Riley (produced by Thomas),Christopher Smith’s period thrillerBlack Death starringSean Bean, andMichael Winterbottom’sGenova starringColin Firth.
The company also handledTakashi Miike’ssamurai epicThirteen Assassins, andJerzy Skolimowski's political thrillerEssential Killing, both executive-produced by Thomas. Both films premiered at the67th Venice International Film Festival, andEssential Killing went on to win theSpecial Jury Prize,Best Actor forVincent Gallo (theVolpi Cup), and the Cinemavenniere Award for Best Film in Competition (voted by a youth jury). Upcoming productions include films byDavid Cronenberg,Terry Gilliam andPhillip Noyce.
The company has previously handled such titles asWoody Allen’sMatch Point, starringScarlett Johansson,Julian Jarrold’sBecoming Jane starringAnne Hathaway andJames McAvoy, andSarah Polley’s multi-Academy Award nominatedAway from Her starringJulie Christie.[7][8]
In its capacity as international sales agent, HanWay works closely withEcosse Films.
HanWay Films represents collections from theBritish Film Institute,[9]Merchant Ivory,[10]Peter Weir,Wim Wenders,Phillip Noyce,Jean Doumanian,Alex Cox,Paul Cox,New Zealand Film Commission,Manoel de Oliveira andRecorded Picture Company, comprising some 500feature films,documentaries andanimations. This collection includes films from notedworld cinema figures, includingWoody Allen,Bernardo Bertolucci,David Cronenberg,Clint Eastwood,Miloš Forman,Stephen Frears,Terry Gilliam,Alfred Hitchcock,James Ivory,Takeshi Kitano,Bob Rafelson,Terence Davies,David Mamet,Martin Scorsese, andRidley Scott.
WithCarol,[11]Brooklyn[12] andAnomalisa,[13] managing director Thorsten Schumacher announced 2015 as "the most successful year for [HanWay Films] to date."[14]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
