UK-based repertoire giant Park Circus has secured distribution in France for Warner Bros. Classic Film Library CEO Doug Davis made the confirmation to Variety ahead of the International Classic Film Market (MIFC) in Lyon.
“We will be theatrically distributing Warner Bros.’ classic film library in France, which is completely new territory for us in our partnership with Warner Bros. We are extremely honored to be the stewards of these classic libraries,” Davis said.
The deal brings the French market into line with Park Circus’ existing Warner partnerships in the UK and other territories, and underlines the growing confidence major studios have in the company.
Park Circus has long collaborated with the Lumière Film Festival, an eight-day celebration of old and new films, and MIFF, the world’s largest market dedicated to heritage films, but this is the first time Park Circus has formally partnered with the market.
For Davis, the timing felt right. “I think the combination of festival and marche is becoming more and more powerful. There are more representatives, more guests of honor. Our mission in life is to bring classic cinema back to the big screen, where it primarily belongs,” he said.
Park Circus announced a lineup of 24 titles for Lumière, including Michael Mann’s Heat and The Thief, in honor of this year’s Lumière tribute to director Michael Mann, and also screened Sean Penn’s Into the Wild in conjunction with his appearance as the festival’s guest of honor.
More than a dozen Martin Ritt films, from The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Paris Blues to The Romances of Murphy and Nuts, will be screened as part of Lumière, which celebrates the iconic Hollywood director.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, “Heat” closes out the festival with a new 4K restoration. “Thief,” also shown in a 4K restored version, is a director’s cut directed and approved by Mann. Although “Into the Wild” is not a restored version, it will be screened in a new version with French subtitles, funded by Park Circus, and will be available for distribution in French-speaking countries after the festival ends.
The combination of prestige restoration works and rediscovered titles from major studios demonstrates the scale of the opportunity in the heritage market, which extends far beyond festivals and repertory venues. During the pandemic and in the midst of the subsequent Hollywood strike, multiplexes turned to classic titles to fill their screens, sparking a surge in demand that Davis said hasn’t slowed down.
“I’m happy to report that this movie is not going away. Multiplexes are very happy with the performance of the classic,” he said, noting that the revival is attracting older as well as younger audiences thanks to clever trailer-based promotion across social media platforms such as Letterboxd.
Davis also pointed to the recent 4K re-release of Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon as an example of how fan-generated content can go viral on platforms like TikTok. “It’s kind of like a vinyl record. There’s a social and cultural reputation to the first thing you know when you watch an old movie.”
As traditional titles continue to find new audiences at multiplexes, Park Circus sees its mission as both cultural and commercial. “Our mission as a company (to grow the audience for the theatrical experience of classic films) is one of smart, responsible growth. As an exhibition partner, we help attract, retain and delight new audiences. Our growth continues with existing partners, convincing new partners to give classics a try, and expanding globally,” Davis said.
MIFC will be held in parallel with the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon from October 14th to 17th.
