Newen Connect Promotes Alice Damiani To Head Of Film Sales
EXCLUSIVE: Film and TV distribution division Newen Connect has announced the promotion of Alice Damiani to SVP International Film Sales on the eve of the Berlinale’s European Film Market.
Damiani takes over from Sabine Chemaly, who has been head of film sales at TF1 Studio, and then Newen Connect, since 2012.
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Newen Connect was created in 2020 in the wake of TF1’s acquisition of French production giant Newen Studios, out of the fusion of their distribution divisions Newen Distribution, TF1 Studio and Reel One International.
Damiani’s promotion is part of an ongoing restructuring and expansion of the resulting division by CEO Rodolphe Buet, which also saw Leona Connell being upped to Chief Commercial Officer last September, in a role giving her oversight of international and French markets for both film and TV.
In her new role, Damiani will take on responsibility for identifying and championing new cinema projects from TF1 Studio and companies within the Newen Studios Group as well as third parties.
She will also oversee the international distribution and sales of Newen Connect’s current and future slate of films and look after the back catalogue of 1,000 titles, which include classics such as Berlinale Retrospective title Muriel’s Wedding, The Piano and La Vie En Rose.
Damiani has spent most of her career in distribution.
She was previously VP International Cinema Sales at TF1 Studio having joined the company in 2017. Prior to that, Damiani was previously International Sales Manager at France Télévisions Distribution and Doc & Film International and spent the early part of her career working with Pyramide Distribution.
”As we continue to build and broaden our range of premium cinema titles supporting the TF1 Studio lineup, those fantastic in-house producers who recently joined Newen Studios and some of the industry’s most respected talent and production companies, I can think of nobody better to lead our team,” said Buet.
”Alice has a fantastic track record in identifying entertaining projects that offer a strong narrative, which both delight audiences and drive global sales.”
Newen Connect’s EFM film slate features Marco La Via and Hannah Ladoul’s comedy-drama Funny Birds, starring Andrea Riseborough, Catherine Deneuve and Morgan Saylor; Frédéric Forestier’s comedy Open Season and Pierre-François Martin-Laval’s Mr Putifar’s Wacky Plan starring Christian Clavier and Isabelle Nanty.
The company will also market screen Philippe Lacheau’s new hit comedy Alibi.com 2, Denis Imbert’s The Wandering, starring Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin, and Frédéric Quiring’s Our Tiny Little Wedding, starring Camille Lou and Ahmed Sylla.
“I’m thrilled to be leading the cinema sales team at an important point in Newen Connect’s growth phase,” said Damiani.
”We already have a fantastic catalogue of some of the most iconic cinema titles, and as I look at our upcoming slate, I’m very proud of the range of projects we have coming through, made by – and featuring – some of the very best talent in the business.”
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