Sony Pictures Entertainment Forms New International Production Unit

CULVER CITY, May 1: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has
promoted Deborah Schindler to jointly run its newly created International
Motion Picture Production department as president, along with Gareth Wigan,
currently the vice-chairman of Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group.

Michael Lynton, SPE’s chairman and CEO, and Amy Pascal, the
studio’s co-chairman, made the announcement. Wigan and Schindler will now be
closely involved with the studio's recently announced film ventures in India
and Russia. The new department will also solidify and expand upon the studio's
international production initiatives. SPE is currently active in motion picture
production in China, Spain, France and Mexico. It is the only major studio to
maintain stand-alone, local-language production units throughout Europe, Asia
and Latin America.

Schindler has run the East Coast motion picture production
and development operation for Columbia Pictures since 2005. She is the former
head of Red Om Films and was Julia Roberts' producing partner. Her producing
credits include Maid in Manhattan, Mona
Lisa Smile, How Stella Got Her
Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale. In his position as vice-chairman of the Columbia
TriStar Motion Picture Group, Wigan has been chiefly responsible for building
the studio's local language business over the past 10 years.