Indie Stalwart ICM Agent Bart Walker To Gersh; Sofia Coppola, Spike Lee Among Top Director Clients Making Move

Mike Fleming Jr
·3 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Bart Walker, one of the last star ICM agents not going to CAA, has joined Gersh as Senior Partner in the New York office.

Walker, who decided not to stay when CAA acquired that agency, will continue to represent his esteemed clients in film, television and theater including Oscar nominees/winners such as David Byrne, Lisa Cholodenko, Sofia Coppola, Tamara Jenkins, Spike Lee, Mira Nair, Oliver Stone and Thomas Vinterberg; Cannes, Venice and Sundance prize winners including Mati Diop, Michel Franco, Mia Hansen-Love, Jim Jarmusch, the Kloster Brothers and Lorenzo Vigas; and multi-hyphenate artists such as Benoit Delhomme, Iram Haq, Sally Potter, Richard Press and Olmo Schnabel.

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Walker, along with ICM indie film head Jessica Lacy, have been fixtures of the film festivals and the independent filmmaking sphere for as long as I can remember. Lacy recently left to join Range Media Partners. He had been talking with agencies and management companies, and landing Walker is a coup for Gersh.

“Bart Walker is a brilliant agent with impeccable taste,” Gersh partners Bob Gersh, David Gersh and Leslie Siebert said in a statement. “The list of filmmakers he represents is formidable and we anticipate amazing integration with our existing clients. He is one of this industry’s unique agents with an expertise in sourcing financing and securing distribution. With Bart in the New York office, he will bolster Gersh’s already strong presence in talent, theatre, books to film, production and branding. We have deep respect for Bart, his clients and his experience, and we are looking forward to him becoming a leader for our company.”

Walker said in a statement: “The challenge of the moment in representation is focus and advocacy that is specific to the individual clients. My clients and I are thrilled to be joining the team at Gersh. David, Bob and Leslie have created a unique environment, and the agents there have impressed me across the board with their clarity about what it means to represent artists with passion and skill. I believe this is the direction of the future.”

Walker started his career as an entertainment attorney at ICM’s Business Affairs and in independent film finance and distribution with Cinecom. He worked as an agent for ICM from 1991-2004, rising to the head of the New York Motion Picture department. He spent three years at CAA before partnering with John Sloss at Cinetic Media in 2007. He shepherded such films as Precious, The Kids Are Alright and the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. In 2010, Walker and Sloss co-founded Producers Distribution Agency, a company focused on developing alternative theatrical distribution models for independent films. Walker rejoined ICM as a partner in 2012. Walker has three decades of experience in film sales, film financing, consulting and talent and literary representation, since graduating from Harvard Law School.

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