Toby Hill Joins Embankment Films As Head of Production & Acquisitions

Zac Ntim
·2 min read

UK production and sales company Embankment Films has hired former WestEnd Films executive Toby Hill as Head of Production & Acquisitions.

At Embankment, Hill will manage company IP with the goal of converting IP to production and global distribution. He will work closely with Embankment CEO Tim Haslam, co-founding partner Hugo Grumbar, and producer Kevin Loader — who teamed with Embankment earlier this year to create a new label, Free Range Entertainment.

More from Deadline

Hill succeeds Max Pirkis, who leaves Embankment after nine years.

Hill was previously Head of Acquisitions & Development at WestEnd Films, where he worked on titles like Mr. Malcolm’s List, The Last Rifleman, and the forthcoming Freud’s Last Session, starring Anthony Hopkins.

Prior to that, he was Head of Global Acquisitions at the UK-based financing company AI Film. During his time at AI, Hill was responsible for greenlighting titles like I, Tonya, American Animals, Mr. Holmes, and Lee Daniels’ The Butler.

Hill’s Embankment appointment reunites him with former colleague Hugo Grumbar with whom he worked at Icon Film Distribution while managing Icon’s UK distribution acquisitions, including A Single Man, Once, Precious, Man On Wire, Drive, and Paranormal Activity.

“Toby’s experience is rooted in distribution, production, and financing; he is such a well-liked cinephile who is, critically, both audience and finance-facing,” Loader said. “His metier in development and production is informed by satisfying audience demand, and the harsh reality of opening weekend screen averages, holdover bookings, and platform socio-demographics.”

Hill added: “Whilst Embankment is in post-production and delivery of seven movies to global markets, I join highly energized to compliment the company’s dynamic delivery of high-quality storytelling, excited to contribute to a formidable brand and growing business that is going places.”

Embankment currently has Frances O’Connor’s Emily, starring Emma Mackey, in cinemas. Next month sees the international rollout of Florian Zeller’s The Son, starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, and Anthony Hopkins.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.