By Ray Pride Pride@moviecitynews.com
First Run Features folded into Icarus Films
The company lives, but a familiar micro-distribution label disappears: “FIRST RUN/ICARUS FILMS BECOMING ICARUS FILMS.” Seymour Wishman, President of First Run Features, and Jonathan Miller, President of First Run/Icarus Films, announced today that First Run Features has sold its interest in First Run/Icarus Films back to the company. The result of this transaction is that First Run/Icarus Films is now wholly owned by Jonathan Miller, who will continue as President of the company. Additionally, First Run/Icarus Films will change its name to Icarus Films, as of June 1, 2008.
First Run/Icarus Films was formed in 1987 when Icarus Films (founded in 1978) and First Run Features merged their non-theatrical divisions to create a new company to serve the non-theatrical marketplace.Founded in 1979, First Run Features is a leading distributor of fiction and documentary films, with a library of approximately 450 titles. First Run releases between 10 and 15 films annually in theatres, and around 50 new films per year on DVD. Recent releases have included Michael Apted’s 49 UP, Daniel Karslake’s FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO and Oren Jacoby’s CONSTANTINE’S SWORD.
First Run Features will continue its distribution in the theatrical, home video, and television markets, and also offer many of its titles to the non-theatrical market through Icarus Films. In the coming months it will announce plans to offer a select number of its titles directly to the non-theatrical market exclusively through a new division of First Run Features. Its website is www.firstrunfeatures.com
First Run/Icarus Films is a leading distributor of documentary films in North America, with a library of almost 900 titles and releasing approximately 50 new documentary films each year. Recent releases have included I FOR INDIA (directed by Sandhya Suri), and FOREVER (directed by Heddy Honigmann). Upcoming is Nina Davenport’s OPERATION FILMMAKER, opening at the IFC Center in New York on June 4th.
First Run/Icarus Films will be doing business as Icarus Films as of June 1st, and will soon be announcing plans for new theatrical, non-theatrical, home video and digital releases and initiatives. Its website iswww.frif.com