Ashland Hill Media Finance has purchased a 50% stake in airline rights distributor Horizon Distribution and the companies will be engaging in talks with sales agents and producers in Cannes.
James MacLean heads Horizon Distribution, which received a strategic investment from Vertical Entertainment several years ago and has licensed titles like 2022 TIFF selection Riceboy Sleeps, rom-com Maybe I Do with Emma Roberts, Richard Gere and Diane Keaton, and mystery thriller The Tutor starring Garrett Hedlund.
The transaction will bolster the roster at Horizon, which over the years has assembled a pipeline of premium independent titles comprised of Vertical and third-party features.
Going forward MacLean and his team may add select titles from Ashland Hill Media Finance, which works with a range of sales agents on the films it finances and produces.
Peter Jarowey of Vertical Entertainment negotiated the deal with Simon Williams of Ashland Hill.
“We look forward to supporting Horizon and its growth as we enter the Cannes 2023 Market and beyond,” said Williams. Ashland Hill shares Horizon’s commitment to providing unique entertainment for the airline sector. Joe, Jonathan and I hope to develop a strong partnership to achieve this goal. This investment gives us a great chance to grow and expand. Our commitment to delivering the highest quality content and service to our clients remains resolute as we move forward together, and we are excited to see what the future holds.”
Vertical partner Jarowey said, “When we partnered with Horizon almost three years ago, we immediately knew we made the right decision. James and his team at Expectational have been great in growing the business and delivering results. And we have had a fantastic track record with Simon and team at Ashland Hill and expect it to continue on many levels for years to come.”
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