A new Italian distribution and international sales company called PiperFilm is launching in Cannes, having scored rights for Italy to Paolo Sorrentino’s Cannes competition title “Parthenope.”
Former Vision Distribution managing director Massimiliano Orfei is president of PiperFilm, while Luisa Borella, who is also a former top-level Vision Distribution executive, serves as the new media company’s COO.
PiperFilm is adopting an innovative distribution model by striking an agreement with Netflix under which the streaming giant will have the first exclusive post-theatrical window for Italy on their titles, while Warner Bros. Entertainment Italia will handle the operational distribution of their lineup of movies in Italian theatres.
“This procedure will ensure that films branded PiperFilm will reach Italian film audiences in their entirety,” the company said in a statement, which noted that they are “building a new business model thanks to a partnership with the largest players on the Italian and international market.”
The rest of the PiperFilm team, including their international sales agent, will be announced in coming weeks.
The first announced title in the PiperFilm lineup is Sorrentino’s hotly anticipated “Parthenope,” which will go out in Italian theaters at an unspecified date later this year and subsequently drop on Netflix in Italy. It will be interesting to see how long the window between theatrical and streaming play on “Parthenope” in Italy will be.
“Parthenope” is a Fremantle film co-produced by its The Apartment label with France’s Pathé, in association with Sorrentino’s Numero 10 shingle, PiperFilm and Saint Laurent from Anthony Vaccarello and Logical Content Ventures, with support from Canal+ and the participation of Cine+. “Parthenope,” on which Pathé is handling international sales, will be distributed in North America by A24.
