New York-based film and television studio and streaming network FilmRise has struck a production and distribution deal with Los Angeles-based Nicely Entertainment.
Under the terms of the deal, FilmRise will co-produce and exclusively distribute in the U.S. holiday-themed films “Sappy Holiday,” starring Vanessa Sears (“The Last Man”) and John McLaren (“Heartland”) and “Snowball Effect” along with two newly completed productions from Nicely – “Adeline,” starring John Schneider (“Dukes of Hazard”) and “Snapshot to Love,” starring Lexi Giovagnoli (“Christmas Lovers Anonymous”) and Benedict Mazurek (“Danger! Danger!”).
In addition, FilmRise is picking up U.S. digital distribution rights to some 20 holiday films in the Nicely library.
Along with the FilmRise Streaming Network, the new productions will be offered to a range of broadcasters and digital partner platforms. In 2021, FilmRise entered a similar deal with Reel One Entertainment, which focuses on female-lead, feel-good romance and holiday films, that included FilmRise acquiring 15 new releases, alongside a distribution partnership for 100 titles in Reel One’s library.
The deal was negotiated by Max Einhorn, senior VP, acquisitions and co-productions for FilmRise and Scott Kirkpatrick, executive VP of distribution and co-productions of Nicely Entertainment.
Einhorn said: “Nicely’s production expertise in the family friendly romance genre makes them the perfect partner for FilmRise to continue to grow its presence in this vertical, which includes growing our offerings of programs and building proprietary destinations in the streaming space. We are delighted to be partnering with Nicely so that audiences will be able to watch festive, feel-good films any time of the year.”
Nicely Entertainment CEO Vanessa Shapiro added: “We are thrilled to be working with FilmRise and couldn’t think of a better home and U.S. digital partner for our content. We look forward to sharing and exposing our programming to countless and diverse audiences.”
Founded in early 2020, Nicely Entertainment filmed in Australia during COVID with “This Little Love of Mine,” which premiered on Netflix in 2021, and has since brought over 30 movies to the distribution marketplace. Shapiro is executive producer on the 2022 Netflix original family series, “Gymnastics Academy: A Second Chance!” and “Dive Club.”
FilmRise was founded in 2012 by producers and financiers Danny Fisher, Jack Fisher and Alan Klingenstein.