Toronto: Electric Entertainment Launches International Sales Arm With ‘The Wannabe’

Los Angeles, CA (September 5, 2013) – Electric Entertainment, the film and television production company/studio headed by producer Dean Devlin, announced today it will launch an international theatrical film and television sales and acquisitions division. Devlin has appointed industry veteran Sonia Mehandjiyska to run the new division, which will represent Electric’s original productions as well as third-party product from A-list filmmakers and seasoned television producers from around the globe. Mehandjiyska will introduce Electric’s slate to buyers at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival and American Film Market. Mehandjiyska was previously Head of Sales at Global Screen, a Bavaria-Telepool joint venture in Munich, Germany, where she negotiated license agreements on theatrical films, TV Series and M.O.W.’s for one of Europe’s biggest libraries. Since 2003, she has served in a variety of international distribution positions with Gibraltar Entertainment, Lightning Entertainment and Echo Bridge, where she served as Vice President of International Sales in their London office.

Devlin commented, “Sonia’s business acumen, professionalism, and taste for material represents exactly what I am looking for in the person we want to head our new division. We welcome her to the Electric family, and look forward to working with her as we present our product to the global marketplace.”

“I am thrilled to be working with Dean as he builds Electric into a full-service independent production and distribution company. His reputation and astonishing body of work is indisputable, and an inspiration as I move half-way across the globe to join the company,” said Mehandjiyska.

The first project for the new division is THE WANNABE, a film written and to be directed by Nick Sandow, starring Patricia Arquette (STIGMATA, TRUE ROMANCE, “Boardwalk Empire”), Vincent Piazza ( JERSEY BOYS, “Boardwalk Empire”), and Michael Imperioli (“Oldboy,” “The Sopranos”). Martin Scorsese will Executive Produce the project. Electric Entertainment is fully financing the film and Executive Producing along with Traction Media (SHORT TERM 12). Lizzie Nastro (BLUEBIRD) and Michael Gasparro are producing. Set in New York City during the early 1990s, the film centers on Thomas (Piazza), a man obsessed with mob culture who attempts to fix the jury in the trial of John Gotti. But as the plot is foiled and he’s rejected by the ones he idolizes most, he sets off with Rose (Arquette), a neighborhood fixture, on a ride worthy of mob lore.

Electric recently wrapped its fifth and final season of TNT’s action-packed drama “Leverage,” which starred Academy Award® Winner Timothy Hutton and was Executive Produced by Dean Devlin, John Rogers, Chris Downey and Marc Roskin. “Leverage” won the 2013 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Cable TV Drama.

Electric’s other television credits include TNT’s “The Librarian” starring Noah Wyle, which was the highest rated movie on cable that year (2004), its sequel, “The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines” and the third installment of the franchise, “The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice.” Along with Bryan Singer’s Bad Hat Harry production company, Electric produced SyFy Channel’s “The Triangle,” which won an Emmy for its Visual Effects, and was the highest-rated miniseries on the cable channel since “Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN” (2002).

Devlin is currently in pre-production on his feature directorial debut, GEOSTORM, which he is producing with Skydance Pictures’ David Ellison and Dana Goldberg and his Electric Entertainment team of Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan.