EXCLUSIVE: Indie movie vet Justin DiPietro has been named EVP of MPI Media Group and Dark Sky Films and can oversee the relaunch of the distribution labels with an purpose on increasing the corporate’s international footprint and figuring out bigger scale initiatives and releases.
DiPietro can be accountable for overseeing all points of the corporate’s distribution operations and advertising efforts, together with advertising and enterprise improvement.
Previously, DiPietro led advertising, publicity and distribution efforts at Oscar-winning distributor Cohen Media Group after serving as Director of Sales and Distribution at Netflix. DiPietro managed and helped develop theatrical and Academy campaigns for a number of award-nominated titles, together with 2023’s Best Foreign Film Academy Award nominee IO Capitano and two 2020 Best Picture Oscar nominees, Mank and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Prior to Netflix, DiPietro was the Head of Distribution at IFC Films, the place he oversaw theatrical and non-theatrical releasing and labored on award-winning movies resembling Boyhood, Frances Ha, The Trip sequence, Let the Sun Shine In, and Wildlife in addition to style pics The Babadook and Lars Von Trier’s The House That Jack Built.
DiPietro’s newly fashioned workforce will encompass a number of seasoned industry professionals:
Audrey Delaney has been introduced on as Head of Marketing, having served as a high-level senior govt for a number of distribution firms, together with Blue Fox Entertainment, Myriad Pictures, Lightning Entertainment, and others. Delaney has overseen the releases of The Wolf & the Lion; Eleanor Coppola’s Love is Love is Love; Eiffel, the epic biopic starring Romain Duris and Emma Mackey and Monster directed by Patty Jenkins, for which Charlize Theron gained an Academy Award.
Michael DiSalvo joins as Marketing Content Strategist and can lead the Company’s ongoing social media efforts. DiSalvo was most not too long ago a Senior Producer at Warner Bros Discovery, the place he created digital content material for MAX, Discovery+, TLC, and TRVL along with launching TLC’s first podcast.
William Gruenberg will lead Theatrical Distribution. As a veteran distribution marketing consultant, Gruenberg launched Seismic Releasing in 2022 and oversees theatrical gross sales and operations for movies of all sizes. Gruenberg has led theatrical distribution for Blue Fox Entertainment, Strand Releasing, Metrograph Pictures, Global Road Entertainment, Broad Green Pictures, Millennium Entertainment, The Film Arcade, Our Alchemy and First Look Studios.
Greg Newman, MPI Media Group’s and Dark Sky’s long-time manufacturing and acquisitions govt, will proceed to supervise acquisitions and productions for MPI and Dark Sky. Newman launched MPI’s elevated style model Dark Sky Films in 2008.
MPI Media Group was based in 1976 by Malik and Waleed Ali. The entertainment firm is greatest identified for traditional releases resembling Texas Chain Saw Massacre and has launched such function works as Ti West’s The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, and Jim Mickle’s Stake Land. Recently taking on the reins for his or her late uncle Waleed and father Malik are sons Badie and Hamza Ali. MPI and Dark Sky’s unique productions and releases embody Girl on the Third Floor, We Are Still Here, Emelie, Catfight, 1BR and lots of others.
DiPietro mentioned, “I’m thrilled to have the chance to develop an organization so deeply rooted in and dedicated to the unbiased movie industry. MPI Media Group’s spectacular historical past is inspiring, and its confirmed observe file speaks volumes. I’m absolutely decided to raise the Company to new heights.”
Badie Ali mentioned, “We’re thrilled to begin the following chapter of our firm’s journey, bringing in these distinctive additions to our already proficient workforce. With Justin main the way in which, we consider he’ll drive development on this thrilling enterprise and make us a fair stronger associate in releasing excessive stage content material.”
Hamza Ali added, “It turned instantly clear to us that Justin DiPietro has constructed a flawless fame within the industry and is a extremely revered govt. Justin’s intensive expertise in guiding quite a few excellent movies to theaters and past is extremely worthwhile to our father’s and uncle’s imaginative and prescient and supreme objective.”
Content Source: deadline.com