Lions Gate Films

Lions Gate Films ({{nyse|LGF}}) is a Canadian production-distributor company, a subsidiary of Lions Gate Entertainment, that is currently the largest and most successful independent film distributor-studio in North America.

Related Topics:
Canadian - Production - Distributor - Lions Gate Entertainment - Independent film - North America

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It focuses mainly on foreign and independent films, and is perhaps best known for distributing films that are too controversial for the large American companies like Fahrenheit 9/11 and American Psycho.

Related Topics:
Foreign - Fahrenheit 9/11 - American Psycho

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Lions Gate has differed greatly under different managers. The original company was founded by director Robert Altman, who named it after a Vancouver landmark, Lions' Gate Bridge. Among Lions Gate's first films included 3 Women (1977) and A Wedding (1979).

Related Topics:
Robert Altman - Lions' Gate Bridge - 3 Women - 1977 - A Wedding - 1979

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In 1981, Altman sold the company to Jonathan Taplin.

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The current incarnation was initiated in 1997 by Frank Giustra, a Vancouver investment banker hoping to capitalize on the growing film industry in his home town.

Related Topics:
1997 - Frank Giustra - Vancouver

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The company bought a number of small production facilities and distributors.

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Its first success was American Psycho, which began a trend of producing and distributing fare too controversial for the major American studios. Other successes included Affliction, Gods and Monsters, Dogma, and the Michael Moore documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 (which turned out to be the studio's highest grossing film in their history).

Related Topics:
American Psycho - Affliction - Gods and Monsters - Dogma - Michael Moore - Fahrenheit 9/11

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In 2000, Giustra left the firm and it was taken over by Jon Feltheimer and Tom Ortenberg.

Related Topics:
2000 - Jon Feltheimer - Tom Ortenberg

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They decided to focus on the profits of videos and DVDs and began buying struggling firms that controlled large libraries. The two most notable acquisitions were Trimark and Artisan Entertainment. These two along with other firms gave Lions Gate the second largest DVD library of any company which includes Total Recall, Reservoir Dogs, On Golden Pond Young Guns, Dirty Dancing and It's A Wonderful Life, in some cases via output deals with StudioCanal, ITC/Carlton, and Republic Pictures (the result of prior licensing deals with Lions Gate's home video predecessor Artisan).

Related Topics:
Video - DVD - Trimark - Artisan Entertainment - Total Recall - Reservoir Dogs - On Golden Pond - Young Guns - Dirty Dancing - It's A Wonderful Life - StudioCanal - ITC/Carlton - Republic Pictures

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Very rarely does Lions Gate co-produce films with major studios. For example, Lions Gate teamed with Miramax Films for the 2004 sequel ' and with Paramount Pictures for 2002's Narc and 2004's The Prince & Me. Lions Gate was also a silent partner in 20th Century Fox's 2004 sci-fi film The Day After Tomorrow. And also in 2004, for the first time ever, Lions Gate joined forces with independent rival United Artists in producing Hotel Rwanda.

Related Topics:
Miramax Films - Paramount Pictures - Narc - The Prince & Me - Silent partner - 20th Century Fox - The Day After Tomorrow - United Artists - Hotel Rwanda

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The company also has a television division that has made shows such as The Dead Zone. The company also recently has launched a record label.

Related Topics:
The Dead Zone - Record label

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It's continued success is demonstrated by celebrity support such as with it's all-star cast and well recognized film, "Crash", continued with Nicholas Cage's movie "Lord of War", and even with the promising upcoming sequel "Saw 2". Which demontrates it's great power as an independent studio slowly creeping to be proven worthy as a great competitor with mainstream distributors.

Related Topics:
Crash - Lord of War - Saw 2

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