By Ray Pride Pride@moviecitynews.com

Annapurna Promotes Chelsea Barnard To President Of Film

Posted Thursday, January 12th, 2017 - Comments Off on Annapurna Promotes Chelsea Barnard To President Of Film
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ANNAPURNA PICTURES PROMOTES CHELSEA BARNARD TO PRESIDENT OF FILM

Barnard will continue to serve her role as Chief Creative Officer for the company and is currently an Executive Producer on Mike Mills’ Golden Globe-nominated film, 20th CENTURY WOMEN.

Annapurna Pictures has promoted Chelsea Barnard to President of Film, it was announced today by Founder and CEO Megan Ellison. Barnard will oversee all motion picture development and production for the company as Annapurna’s overall slate expands. Barnard will also continue her duties as Chief Creative Officer, working closely alongside Ellison to maintain the company’s commitment to producing highly original, artist driven content.

 

Barnard has been with Annapurna since its inception 6 years ago. Her tenure at the company began with overseeing production on Paul Thomas Anderson’s THE MASTER (2012). Barnard executive produced both Spike Jonze’s HER (2013) and Bennett Miller’s FOXCATCHER (2014) and most recently, 20th CENTURY WOMEN, written and directed by Mike Mills. The film, starring Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig, Elle Fanning, Lucas Zumann, and Billy Crudup is in release by A24 and was nominated for two Golden Globes. Barnard will continue to report to Ellison.

 

“I have been fortunate to work alongside Chelsea since I first started Annapurna. Chelsea has consistently demonstrated an aptitude for leadership and finding deeply interesting material and has established herself as a thoughtful producer that I and our filmmakers trust and value immensely. Chelsea’s specific eye for content that supports and enhances the Annapurna brand is invaluable and I could not be happier to watch her step in to a role that I have always hoped and envisioned for her,” said Ellison.

 

Commented Barnard, “As a lifelong film lover, I’m deeply grateful to Megan for her vision and determination to start this company 6 years ago – and for offering me the incredible opportunity to be a part of it. The expanding Annapurna family is an extraordinary group of people that I’m lucky enough to collaborate with and learn from every single day. I couldn’t be more excited to accelerate our creative endeavors and diversify the types of high quality and imaginative films we’ll be producing as Annapurna continues to grow in exciting new ways. ”

 

In addition to overseeing all development and production, Barnard will remain the lead executive on Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming untitled film reuniting him with Daniel Day Lewis and Bennett Miller’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL being written by Tom Stoppard.

 

Barnard’s ascension to President of Film bolsters Annapurna’s expanding executive roster, and fortifies the leadership team around Megan Ellison. The company has recently added Marc Weinstock as President of the company, Sue Naegle as President of the new Annapurna Television division, and has elevated David Kaminow to President of Marketing and Erik Lomis to President of Distribution internally.

 

Prior to joining Annapurna, Barnard served in various creative and production roles on films such as BORAT, BRUNO, and RELIGULOUS.

 

ABOUT ANNAPURNA PICTURES

Annapurna Pictures, founded by Megan Ellison, focuses on creating sophisticated, high-quality content that is critically and commercially conscious while still appealing to a diverse audience. By upholding Ellison’s vision to put filmmakers and artists first and preserve their authentic creative voices no matter the genre or medium, in 5 years, the company has garnered a total of 31 Academy Award nominations for their projects, including ZERO DARK THIRTY, JOY, THE MASTER, FOXCATCHER, and THE GRANDMASTER. Ellison is also one of only four honorees ever to receive two Best Picture nominations in the same year, with HER and AMERICAN HUSTLE both earning nods in 2014. Annapurna’s most recent project is Mike Mills’ Golden Globe-nominated 20TH CENTURY WOMEN, starring Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig, and Billy Crudup, which A24 released in December. Other 2016 titles from the company include SAUSAGE PARTY, WIENER-DOG, and EVERYBODY WANTS SOME, with THE BAD BATCH set for release in 2017. Annapurna is currently in post-production on Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal’s UNTITLED DETROIT PROJECT and is developing the film adaptation of Maria Semple’s WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE, to be directed by Richard Linklater. Additionally, Annapurna is partners with Boal on the company Page One, where they produced season two of the hit podcast SERIAL. Bigelow also directed and partnered with Annapurna on the animated short LAST DAYS, about illegal elephant poaching and the ivory trade.

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