New York, NY, October 23rd 2017 – A new, theatrical distribution company has been launched to focus on releasing diverse, feature-length films. Anerke (pronounced “Anarchy”), the upstart, disruptive company on Madison Avenue, announced yesterday that it will release films produced by women, people of color and other marginalized voices.
Co-founded by entrepreneur and film sales agent Henry Hewes, Anerke is utilizing it’s recent backing and partnerships with theater chains to acquire, market and release slates of diverse feature films theatrically and digitally on an annual basis. “Yes, there are other independent distributors that for years have been opening on a handful of screens and then going wider based on performance,” Hewes admits, “but we’re doing so with a concentrated focus on films and points-of-views that have until now been virtually ignored. We’ve always believed the theatrical release to be one of the best ways to market a picture.”
Recently named Head of Acquisitions at Anerke, prolific producer Princeton Holt is excited by the company’s initiative. While the majority of indie producers enjoy the production phase of filmmaking, Holt fell in love with the distribution and marketing side of the business. “We are entering the golden age of diversity in media. As an exec that happens to be a man of color, theatrically releasing films by culturally diverse filmmakers is the ultimate dream come true.”
The company’s first acquisition is a documentary on American sculptor James Surls, produced by Ashley Arnold. “The House, The Hand, and the Hatchet”, directed by Maitland and Austin Lottimer and also produced by Barclay Lottimer, will have it’s theatrical and VOD release in winter 2018. Theatrical rights to the film were acquired from Hewes Pictures, the sales agency that still maintains control of the film’s non-VOD broadcast and educational rights. Negotiations and deliverables were overseen by junior acquisition executive Alexander Bendo.
Anerke will announce its second feature acquisition and release next month.
