Best-In-Class
Horizon specializes in licensing high-quality content for distribution in the world’s airline and maritime markets and is led by an experienced group of industry distribution executives and movie lovers. Our mission is to be the leading In-Flight entertainment content provider, supplying an enticing mix of mainstream feature films and documentaries that fit the new world. We are committed to supporting our financial and distribution partners.
blur: To The End
10 JULY 2024
A transcendent fly-on-the-wall film charting the journey to the biggest shows of blur’s career. The brilliant 2010 documentary No Distance Left to Run charted the history of the Britpop hitmakers blur and the journey to their huge reunion gig at Hyde Park, after a falling-out a decade before. But despite the band members’ separate lives and other interests, from Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz and operas to Alex James’s cheese, middle age had mellowed the fractious foursome. A new studio album followed in 2015.
Blur live in London: stadium-sized eruptions of pure, utter joy
10 JULY 2023
July 8, Wembley Stadium: the Britpop icons deliver all the showstoppers in a fun-filled set, spliced with unexpected b-sides and surprises. “I’m sure there’s something vaguely hilarious about old men throwing themselves around on stage,” Damon Albarn yells out to a packed-out Wembley Stadium. “Well fuck it, you made us this way!” Blur are performing a raucous rendition of ‘Advert’, as Graham Coxon launches a guitar into the air, lets it do a full 360 spin, and somehow manages to catch it again. His heavy sigh into the camera is the only indication his adolescent stage antics might be getting a little tough on the body. It’s both sublime and ridiculous at once.
‘Freedom Hair’ Wins Best Narrative Fiction
24 JUNE 2024
Last week, the MPI Original feature Freedom Hair was screened as an official selection at the Filmteenth Film Festival at the Landmark Theatre in Pasadena, California, where it won the Best Narrative Fiction award. The film’s Oscar-nominated director, Dianne Houston, and actresses Simona Brown (Netflix’s Behind Her Eyes) and Erica Tazel (Justified, Roots) participated in a post-screening Q&A where Houston discussed how the heart of Freedom Hair lies in delving into the profound significance of hair in black women’s lives—shaping their identities and fostering community bonds. Houston expressed optimism that the film would act as a catalyst for healing, empowering women to embrace their true selves unreservedly.
Russell Crowe’s Horror Thriller ‘The Exorcism’ Trailer Arrives
25 APRIL 2024
The power of Russell Crowe compels you to watch his new trailer. The official trailer is out for The Exorcism, starring Crowe, which will have an wide release in theaters on Friday, June 21st. Directed by Joshua John Miller, The Exorcism follows Anthony Miller (Crowe), a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions, or if there’s something more sinister at play.
Stephanie Beacham stars in film supporting dementia research
2 MARCH 2024
A new partnership between the film star Stephanie Beacham and a small Bristol-based charity could boost research into Alzheimer’s and dementia. BRACE Alzheimer’s Research has released a film called Grey Matter at the Scott Cinema in Westbury Park, Bristol. The small charity funds Alzheimer’s and dementia research across the West country. Actress Stephanie Beacham plays the role of a woman named Peg who lives with Alzheimer’s. “Having witnessed my father’s descent into Alzheimer’s, this film is very personal to me,” said Ms Beacham, who is known for her roles in Dynasty, the Colbys and Bad Girls.
‘Anselm’ Director Wim Wenders Taps Into “Poetic, Immersive” Quality Of 3D For Documentary On Monumental German Artist
17 DECEMBER 2023
The Oscar-contending documentary Anselm marks an encounter between two of the world’s great artists – one renowned for cinema, the other for painting, installations, and sculpture. The filmmaker, Wim Wenders, began his career more than 50 years ago, with credits that include Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire, Buena Vista Social Club, The Salt of the Earth, and Pina, and two this year alone – Anselm and the narrative feature Perfect Days. His protagonist in Anselm – the German-born artist Anselm Kiefer, may not be as well known among the public as Wenders, but his work stuns in its power, erudition, and scale. Simply put, Kiefer makes art of monumental dimensions.
‘She Came to Me’ Poster Puts Peter Dinklage in a Screwball Manhattan Love Triangle [Exclusive]
15 SEPTEMBER 2023
Vertical has shared the first poster for She Came to Me, the music-based romantic comedy starring the incomparable Peter Dinklage, and Collider is delighted to be partnering on the project to exclusively bring the poster to our readers first. Directed by Rebecca Miller (The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Maggie’s Plan), She Came to Me focuses on opera composer Steven Lauddem (Dinklage), who is suffering from a severe case of writer’s block which, combined with an impending deadline for his next piece, is facing something of an existential crisis.
Abigail Breslin-Led Legal Drama ‘Miranda’s Victim’ Sets Vertical Release
16 AUGUST 2023
EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has snapped up North American rights to Miranda’s Victim, a courtroom drama starring Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) that world premiered as the opener for the 2023 Santa Barbara Film Festival. Pic is slated for a day-and-date release on October 6th, with Arclight Films aboard to handle international sales.
Ashland Hill Media Finance buys into airlines buyer Horizon Distribution (exclusive)
16 MAY 2023
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.
Ashley Judd To Topline Vertical Thriller ‘Lazareth’ From Writer-Director Alec Tibaldi; The Syndicate Launching Sales At Cannes
4 MAY 2023
EXCLUSIVE: Ashley Judd (She Said) has wrapped production in Oregon on Lazareth, a new thriller written and directed by Alec Tibaldi that she stars in for Vertical, TPC and SSS Entertainment. Others rounding out the cast include Katie Douglas (Ginny & Georgia), Sarah Pidgeon (Tiny Beautiful Things), Asher Angel (Shazam!) and newcomer Edward Balaban.
Vertical Acquires Voltage Pictures’ YA Romance ‘See You On Venus’ Starring Virginia Gardner & Alex Aiono
3 MAY 2023
EXCLUSIVE: Following a successful collaboration with Voltage Pictures on the April U.S. release of Beautiful Disaster, Vertical has picked up U.S. rights to See You On Venus, another YA romance from the company. The film from rising Spanish filmmaker Joaquín Llamas (Sorry If I Call You Love), which stars Beautiful Disaster‘s Virginia Gardner and Alex Aiono (Beautiful Wedding), is slated for release in theaters on July 21.
‘Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game’: Vertical Acquires Indie Starring ’West Side Story’s Mike Faist & ‘Teen Wolf’s Crystal Reed
19 DECEMBER 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has secured North American rights to the MPI Original Film Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game, starring BAFTA- and Tony Award-nominated West Side Story breakout Mike Faist and Teen Wolf‘s Crystal Reed, slating it for a day-and-date release on March 17, 2023. The film based on a true story centers on Roger Sharpe (Faist), a GQ journalist and real-life pinball wizard who, in 1976, helped overturn New York City’s 35-year ban on pinball.
Vertical Entertainment Acquires Multi-Generational Rom-Com ‘Maybe I Do’ Starring Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey & William H. Macy From Fifth Season
28 OCTOBER 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American rights to the multi-generational romantic comedy Maybe I Do, starring Diane Keaton (Mack & Rita), Richard Gere (Arbitrage), Susan Sarandon (Monarch), William H. Macy (The Conners), Emma Roberts (About Fate) and Luke Bracey (Elvis), from the global film and television studio Fifth Season, formerly known as Endeavor Content. The first feature written and directed by Oscar nominee Michael Jacobs (Quiz Show) will be released exclusively in theaters nationwide on January 27, 2023.
‘The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry’ Trailer: Kunal Nayyar and Lucy Hale Star in Romantic Drama
8 SEPTEMBER 2022
Vertical Entertainment has just released the official trailer for the upcoming romantic dramedy, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. The film, which is based on the 2014 bestselling novel of the same name by Gabrielle Zevin, will tell the story of a depressed bookstore owner whose world changes in the blink of an eye when a young child is left at his shop. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is directed by Hans Canosa from a script by Zevin. The film stars Kunal Nayyar, Lucy Hale, Christina Hendricks, Blaire Brown, Lauren Stamile, David Arquette, and Scott Foley.
Vertical Entertainment Pre-Buys Family Dramedy ‘Sam & Kate’ Starring Dustin Hoffman And Sissy Spacek
14 SEPTEMBER 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Vertical Entertainment has continued its feature film investment strategy by completing pre-buy financing and securing North American and UK/Ireland distribution rights to Sam & Kate, a family dramedy starring Oscar winners Dustin Hoffman and Sissy Spacek. The film from writer-director Darren Le Gallo, also starring the former actor’s son Jake Hoffman and the latter’s daughter Schuyler Fisk, is slated for a theatrical release on November 11.
Vertical Entertainment Acquires Indie Drama ‘Dinner Party’ Directed By And Starring Chris Naoki Lee; Ensemble Also Includes ‘Top Gun: Maverick’s Kara Wang, ‘Mythic Quest’s Imani Hakim, More
10 AUGUST 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Vertical Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Chris Naoki Lee’s feature directorial debut, Dinner Party, in which he stars alongside Kara Wang (Top Gun: Maverick), Imani Hakim (Mythic Quest) and Kausar Mohammed (The Flash). The global indie distributor has slated the pic for a day-and-date release on August 19.
5 things to watch this week for Black History Month
1 FEBRUARY 2022
HBO Max, Paramount+ and more have exciting documentary entries to stream during the first week of Black History Month. From fascinating dives into the origins of Jazz dance to devastating looks at how this country has made it difficult for a Black middle class to emerge, theGrio has five documentaries to stream during the first week of Black History Month.
Liam Neeson Gets Deadly Serious In BLACKLIGHT Trailer – Only In Theatres February 11
4 JANUARY 2022
Trust, identity, and the danger of unchecked power push a covert operative to the edge in director Mark Williams’ intense action thriller BLACKLIGHT. Travis Block (Neeson) lives and fights in the shadows. A freelance government “fixer,” Block is a dangerous man whose assignments have included extracting agents out of deep-cover situations. When Block discovers a shadowy program called Operation Unity is striking down ordinary citizens for reasons known only to Block’s boss, FBI chief Robinson (Quinn), he enlists the help of a journalist (Raver-Lampman), but his past and present collide when his daughter and granddaughter are threatened. Now Block needs to rescue the people he loves and expose the truth for a shot at redemption. Nothing and no one is safe when secrets are hidden in BLACKLIGHT.
‘After Love’ Dominates British Independent Film Awards With Six Wins
5 DECEMBER 2021
Aleem Khan’s directorial debut “After Love” dominated the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) with six wins. The film, in which a recently widowed woman comes to terms with a shocking secret about her husband’s life won the award for Best British Independent Film, presented by Kate Beckinsale. Khan won three more BIFAs – Best Director, The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director and Best Screenplay, with Joanna Scanlan winning Best Actress and Talid Ariss Best Supporting Actor for their performances in the film.
Pierre Morel Action Film ‘Al Kameen’ Smashes UAE Box Office Records
1 DECEMBER 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Pierre Morel-directed action movie Al Kameen (The Ambush) has become the highest-grossing Emirati and Arabic-language film ever in the UAE after posting a mammoth opening weekend relative to the market. The big-budget movie, which is a co-production between AGC International and Image Nation Abu Dhabi, scored 100,000 cinema admissions between November 25 and November 27, making it the fifth-largest opening this year in the UAE, behind only Fast 9, Venom 2, No Time to Die and Godzilla vs Kong.
Sundance-winner Luzzu selected as Malta’s international Oscar entry
14 OCTOBER 2021
Acclaimed Maltese language film Luzzu has been chosen as Malta’s Oscar contender for Best International Feature Film in the 94th Academy Awards. The Malta Academy Selection Committee chose Alex Camilleri’s feature as its entry to the awards, to take place on March 27 next year. Luzzu tells the fictional story of Jesmark, a struggling fisherman forced to turn his back on generations of tradition and risk everything by entering the world of black market fishing to provide for his wife and newborn baby.
Liam Neeson Action Thriller ‘Blacklight’ Set For Wide U.S. Release Through Briarcliff; Solution Entertainment Group Pic Gets February 2022 Release Date
21 SEPTEMBER 2021
Briarcliff Entertainment, with The Solution Entertainment Group and Sina Studios, is set to distribute Blacklight, the new action thriller starring Liam Neeson and directed by Mark Williams. A wide domestic theatrical release has been set for over 2,000 theaters on February 11, 2022. Briarcliff CEO Tom Ortenberg and Solution CEO Myles Nestel made the deal.
HanWay lands worldwide sales for Unabomber drama ‘Ted K’
18 JUNE 2021
HanWay Films has closed a raft of deals on Tony Stone’s Unabomber drama Ted K, ahead of the Cannes Pre-Screenings. The US feature, which premiered in Berlin’s Panorama strand in March, has been picked up for distribution in the UK and Ireland (Altitude), Italy (Movies Inspired), Scandinavia (NonStop), Portugal (Films4You), Greece (Odeon), CIS & Baltics (Paradise), Middle East (Front Row), ships and airlines (Horizon), Singapore (Shaw) and Latin America (CDC).
Zac Efron survival thriller ‘Gold’ lands key Europe, Asia deals (exclusive)
10 JUNE 2021
Altitude Film Sales has closed a raft of deals in major territories across Europe and Asia for Anthony Hayes’ upcoming survival thriller Gold, starring Zac Efron. The film has been acquired for German-speaking Europe (Leonine Studios), Italy (Adler), Benelux (Just Entertainment), Spain (Youplane), Scandinavia (MisLabel), CIS (Exponenta Films) and Latin America (CDC).
Vertical Entertainment Enters IFE Market With Horizon Distribution
14 DECEMBER 2020
The holidays came early this year for Santa Monica-based startup, Horizon Distribution, in the form of a freshly minted, non-exclusive partnership with indie upstart, Vertical Entertainment. Offering up a compelling mix of new releases for the January and February 2021 cycles, the infusion of content from Vertical sets Horizon up as one of the premier indie film purveyors on the in-flight entertainment (IFE) scene.
Vertical Entertainment expands into airline, non-theatrical distribution (exclusive)
16 NOVEMBER 2020
The company has made a strategic investment in Horizon Distribution and is helping the latter launch as a non-theatrical rights buyer, and has brought on former Entertainment In Motion executive James MacLean to head up Horizon’s sales and acquisitions.