ScreenOpus Makes AFM Debut

LONDON/LOS
ANGELES, November 3: Courtney Williams, formerly with MGM, and Nicolas Bonard,
an ex-MTV Networks International executive, are heading up the new
international film-and-TV-distribution firm ScreenOpus, which makes its U.S.
market debut at the American Film Market this week.

Williams
is a former VP of international sales and marketing at MGM, while Bonard was
previously the VP of sales and co-productions at MTVNI. The are heading up a
firm that is a joint venture of U.S.-based Severance Pictures and Paris-based
MK2. Formed
early this year, ScreenOpus has already signed agreements to represent various
distribution rights to nine films, three international TV channels and has six
films in development. For AFM, the company is focusing on two films: The Hide, a psychological thriller, and The Golden Age, a documentary, narrated by Edward James Olmos,
about ex-professional football players, many from Latin America, playing in an
amateur football league in Queens, New York.

"We formed ScreenOpus to work with independent content
creators, buyers and distributors of all kinds and from all over the
world," said Williams. "We feel that they can benefit greatly from
the expertise and agility presented by a small company with experienced
management, global contacts and well-represented backers."

"Our strategy is to establish formal and informal
partnerships and output deals with clients and like-mind distributors from
around the world," noted Bonard. "AFM will be our first U.S. market
for ScreenOpus and we are hoping to not only introduce U.S. buyers and sellers
to our portfolio, but to this company's strengths in the global media space
overall."

—By Mansha Daswani