Film4 Promotes Daniel Battsek, Ollie Madden

Naman Ramachandran
·3 min read
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Daniel Battsek, director, Film4, has been elevated to chair, while deputy director and creative director Ollie Madden will succeed Battsek as director.

Film4 is the filmmaking arm of U.K. broadcaster Channel 4, which invests £25 million ($31 million) annually to develop and co-fund British films with British talent. Since its launch, films it has backed have won 37 Oscars and 84 BAFTAs.

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Madden will take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the organization. Battsek will continue to work closely with Madden on Film4’s activities and will also take on a widened brief to include Film4’s role within parent company Channel 4, the distribution and marketing of Film4 titles as well as U.S. distributor and equity co-financing relationships. Battsek and Madden will continue to have joint responsibility for greenlighting Film4 projects as well as strategy, corporate and press relations.

Madden joined Film4 in 2017. He has spent 25 years working across film and high-end television, at Dragon Films, Miramax Films, Intermedia Films, Warner Bros and Kudos. Battsek joined Film4 in 2016 from Cohen Media Group where he was president, and has had previous stints at National Geographic Films, Miramax Films, Buena Vista International Films, Palace Pictures and Hoyts Entertainment.

Madden said: “In an increasingly over-saturated landscape, what Film4 offers is vital: a space where the most innovative and distinctive British filmmakers can be nurtured and supported to do their best work. It’s an immense thrill and huge responsibility to lead it into this next chapter, and I want to thank Daniel Battsek for his inspiring leadership and generosity over the last five years, as well as Alex Mahon and Channel 4’s deep-rooted commitment to independent film. I couldn’t be more excited to work with the incredible Film4 team in launching the next generation of cutting-edge talent.”

Battsek said: “Ollie has excelled in all aspects of his role as Film4 head of creative and in taking on the extra responsibilities as my deputy, we have formed an even stronger business relationship. Now the time has come for Ollie to become director, with oversight over all Film4’s day to day activities. This allows me the freedom to develop other aspects of my role at Channel4 whilst remaining closely involved with Film4 in partnership with Ollie.”

Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon added: “Since its creation, and particularly in the last five years, Film4 has made a significant and vital contribution to the U.K. film industry, and I am incredibly proud that it remains the biggest investor in British films with British talent. Daniel and Ollie’s incredible dedication and expertise has ensured that Film4 is the partner of choice, producing some of the most thrilling, genre-defining and successful films of the last decade. In their new roles, they will ensure that Film4 will continue to be a major player – both creatively but also in terms of the discovering and nurturing the wealth of talent in front of, and behind the camera which makes the U.K. film industry the benchmark globally.”

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