Digital distributor Giant Pictures has acquired Drafthouse Films, the genre movie label formed by Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League.
Giant Pictures general manager Nick Savva will serve as CEO of the company, which will continue to operate under the title Drafthouse Films. League will become the chairman of Drafthouse Films.
“Giant Pictures’ investment enables Drafthouse Films to continue releasing the provocative, visionary, and artfully unusual genre films from around the world that have always defined the Drafthouse brand,” Savva said. “At the same time, this acquisition gives Giant new theatrical releasing capabilities which complement our existing digital distribution and streaming technology businesses.”
Drafthouse Films was created as the distribution arm of Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas in 2010 before being spun off from the exhibitor. Past titles on Drafthouse Films’ slate were “Bullhead,” “The Act of Killing,” “Spring” and “Cheap Thrills.” Giant Pictures partners with studios and filmmakers to release movies and TV shows across major streaming platforms, including Apple TV, Netflix and Peacock. The companies began working together in early 2021, when Giant began representing the Drafthouse Films catalog for sales to digital distributors such as Hulu, Tubi, Kanopy, Mubi and AMC’s Shudder.
As CEO, Savva says he plans to expand the Drafthouse Films label. Both Giant Pictures and Drafthouse Films will attend the upcoming SXSW Film Festival to scout for new distribution titles.
Giant Pictures also intends to work closely with Alamo Drafthouse and its related media companies, such as Fantastic Fest and the Alamo On Demand platform. Already, Drafthouse Films has acquired two movies — “NR. 10” and “Masking Thresold” — which debuted at Fantastic Fest and will be released theatrically this spring at Alamo Drafthouse locations. Following a run on the big screen, “NR. 10” and “Masking Threshold” will move to digital platforms via Giant Pictures, as well as Alamo On Demand.
“Our label has always been about finding and supporting immensely talented genre filmmakers from around the world. I’m thrilled to be working with Nick and the team at Giant Pictures to carry on that vision,” League said. “Our new releases — ‘NR. 10’ and ‘Masking Threshold’ — are both weird and wonderful films, each in their own way fold perfectly into the Drafthouse Films library.”
NR. 10″ has been described as a “gleefully genre-bending thriller” with a “large dose of dark comedy.”
Dutch filmmaker Alex Van Warmerdam, who previously worked with Drafthouse Films on his 2013 movie movie “Borgman,” directed “NR. 10,” which has been described as a “gleefully genre-bending thriller” with a “large dose of dark comedy.” The logline reads: “Found alone in the German woods as a four year old boy, Günter is brought in by a foster family and grows up to lead a relatively normal life. But when a stranger triggers a buried memory from his past, Günter starts to wonder about his mysterious origins.”
“The best way to watch this film is to know as little about it as possible in advance and let the wonder wash over you — you’ll thank me later,” League said.
The distribution deal for “NR. 10” was negotiated by Savva for Drafthouse Films with Nelleke Driessen of Nine Film on behalf of the filmmakers.
“Masking Threshold” is an existential psychological horror film that is “not for the faint of heart.”
Johannes Grenzfurthner directed “Masking Threshold,” a psychological horror film that Drafthouse Films is calling “an experience not for the faint of heart.” One part chamber play, one part scientific procedural and one part YouTube unboxing video, “Masking Threshold” follows a skeptic IT worker who conducts a series of experiments in his makeshift home-lab to cure his harrowing hearing impariment. But, the logline teases, “where will his research lead him?”
The distribution deal for “Masking Threshold” was negotiated by Emma Manfredi for Drafthouse Films with Bill Straus of Bridge Independent on behalf of the filmmakers.