Bleiberg Entertainment is a Beverly Hills-based production and international sales company formed by veteran film producer Ehud Bleiberg. The company operates on a proven andbusiness plan with respect to the production, acquisition, financing and distribution of filmed entertainment to the worldwide marketplace with a slate of projects geared toward the theatrical, DVD and TV markets.
The company develops, funds and produces a diverse array of feature films and is currently in various stages of production on a number of high-profile projects including Danny Lerner's sophomore project, the action thriller "Kirot" starring Olga Kurylenko ("Quantum of Solace," "Hitman"), which premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.
Bleiberg recently produced the drama "Adam Resurrected," helmed by legendary screenwriter and director Paul Schrader ("Taxi Driver," "American Gigolo," "Affliction"), starring Jeff Goldblum and Willem Dafoe. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, and subsequently screened in Toronto, AFI and the Berlinale.
Bleiberg also produced “The Band’s Visit,” a co-production with July August Productions, which won over 35 awards at festivals including the Cannes Film Festival, Tokyo IFF, Karlovy Vary, Zurich, Munich and Copenhagen. The film also won 8 Israel Film Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, and Screenplay; as well as Best Actor and Best Discovery at the European Film Academy Awards. Sony Pictures Classics released domestically.
With vast knowledge and experience in the global film industry, Bleiberg presents the ideal source for packaging films creatively and strategically in today's dynamic international marketplace, tailoring to the particular needs of each project by bringing in co-production partners, equity investment from distributors, tax-driven funds, subsidies and other sources of financing.
Compound B is Bleiberg Entertainment’s alternate division, focusing on cutting-edge action, horror and sci-fi films, with regards to both production and acquisitions. The label’s first production, “Dance of the Dead” directed by Gregg Bishop, was a huge success and was released by Lionsgate and Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Underground. Compound B has two new productions coming up: the recently completed “Necromentia,” director Pearry Teo’s follow-up to “The Gene Generation” (which Compound B also sold internationally); and “Freeway Killer,” the true story of serial murderer William Bonin, featuring Michael Rooker, which was released by Image Entertainment.
Bleiberg Entertainment also focuses on the acquisition of film rights for distribution into the domestic and international marketplace as well as the financing and production of motion pictures, whereby the company retains the international film rights for sale and distribution through its own channels, and enters into distribution agreements for the sale of remaining rights to established domestic sales entities.
Maintaining reasonably-sized slates enables the company to service each title with the careful marketing and sales attention it merits, while strengthening existing relationships and cultivating new ones with filmmakers across the globe.
Bleiberg has a strong library of over 70 films with marquee stars that includes: "He Was a Quiet Man" starring Christian Slater, Elisha Cuthbert and William H. Macy; “Costa Rican Summer” with Pamela Anderson; "Pedro," Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black's follow-up to "Milk"; from executive producer Neil LaBute “The Vicious Kind”; "Red" starring Brian Cox and Tom Sizemore; Sci-fi actioner "The Gene Generation" with Bai Ling and Faye Dunaway; Sundance award-winner "Stephanie Daley" starring Tilda Swinton, Amber Tamblyn and Timothy Hutton; "Prince of Jutland," starring Christian Bale, Gabriel Byrne, Helen Mirren and Kate Beckinsale; “Made in Romania” with Jennifer Tilly and Elizabeth Hurley; "Heckler," a documentary by Jamie Kennedy; "Day on Fire" with Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis and Martin Donovan; recent cult hit "The Other Side"; "The Soft Kill" starring Carrie-Anne Moss; the true-life serial killer movie "Dahmer" starring Jeremy Renner and Bruce Davison; the comedy "Rainbow" directed by and starring Bob Hoskins and Dan Aykroyd; "Snide and Prejudice" starring Angus MacFadyen and Mena Suvari; "Parting Shots," a comedy starring Ben Kingsley, John Cleese and Bob Hoskins; “Play Dead” starring Chris Klein and Fred Durst; the adventure comedy "Erik the Viking," starring Tim Robbins, directed by Monty Python alum Terry Jones; "Rampage" starring Clifton Collins Jr., Brittany Daniel and Lake Bell; and the comedy "The Manor," with Peter O'Toole and Greta Scacchi.
Ehud Bleiberg Chairman & CEO, Bleiberg Entertainment
Producer Ehud Bleiberg launched Beverly Hills-based production and international sales company Bleiberg Entertainment in September 2005. The company develops, funds, produces and sells a diverse array of feature films geared toward both the domestic and foreign theatrical, DVD and TV markets. The company recently completed on a number of projects including: the period drama "Adam Resurrected" (2009), directed by Paul Schrader and starring Jeff Goldblum and Willem Dafoe, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and screened at Toronto, AFI and the Berlinale, amongst others; and the horror comedy "Dance of the Dead" (2008), directed by Gregg Bishop, released by Lionsgate domestically. Also coming up is the action drama "Kirot" (2010), starring Olga Kurylenko, star of “Quantum of Solace” and “Hitman.”
Bleiberg also produced “The Band’s Visit” (2007), a co-production with July August Productions, which won more than 40 international festival awards, including the Coup de Couer at the Cannes Film Festival, Grand Prix at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the NETPAC Award at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. The film won 8 Israeli Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Screenplay. It also had two wins at the European Film Academy Awards, nabbing Best Actor and Discovery of the Year. Sony Pictures Classics released the film in the US. Other recent production credit include: producing the festival hit “Love & Dance” (2006); executive producer on the critically-lauded "Frozen Days" (2006); executive producer on director Pearry Teo’s upcoming supernatural thriller “Necromentia” (2009); executive producer on true-crime film “Freeway Killer” (2009). Prior to launching Bleiberg Entertainment, Ehud Bleiberg served for 12 years as Chairman & CEO of an international production, distribution and sales company he co-founded in 1993. His producing credits include: "100 Girls," (2001) which won the Video Premiere Award for Best Picture starring Jonathan Tucker, Jaime Pressly and Katherine Heigl; "According to Spencer" (2002) starring Jesse Bradford, Mia Kirshner, David Krumholtz, Adam Goldberg and Giovanni Ribisi; the tongue-in-cheek horror “Monster Man” (2003) directed by Michael Davis (“Shoot ‘Em Up”); and “More Dogs Than Bones” (2000) with Joe Mantegna and Oscar-winners Mercedes Ruehl, Louise Fletcher and Whoopi Goldberg. Bleiberg's extensive management and creative background have allowed him to set up development and financing for previous productions, run all aspects of production, through to delivery of the films, and establish business relationships with talent, agents, and financial institutions worldwide. A graduate of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where he majored in Economy and Political Science,
Bleiberg managed advertising agencies, foreign news entities, and was a business developer before devoting his career to the entertainment industry. Before arriving in the U.S., Bleiberg produced feature films in Israel. His film "Himmo: King of Jerusalem" (1988) was highly acclaimed abroad and was an official selection in the Toronto, Chicago, and Edinburgh Film Festivals. His next film, "The Appointed" (1990), enjoyed even more success as an official selection of the Cannes Film Festival. This was followed by the hit film "Tel Aviv Stories" (1992) which was one of the year's most successful films in Israel and throughout Europe.
In addition to producing quality feature films, Bleiberg served four terms (2003-2006) on International Film & Television Alliance (IFTA's) Board of Directors, as well as two years (2007-2008) as Chairman of Export Alliance for the association.
Roman Kopelevich Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales, Bleiberg Entertainment
SVP of Worldwide Sales, Roman Kopelevich oversees Bleiberg Entertainment's international sales slate including the company's film library, in all territories worldwide as well as North America. These include the international sensation, "The Band’s Visit," which won awards at the Cannes Film Festival, Munich Film Festival, Karlovy Vary, Copenhagen and Jerusalem Film Festivals; as well as "He Was a Quiet Man" starring Christian Slater, Elisha Cuthbert and William Macy; "Adam Resurrected" directed by Paul Schrader and starring Jeff Goldblum and Willem Dafoe; "Lonesome Jim" starring Casey Affleck and Liv Tyler; "One Last Dance" starring Harvey Keitel; "Heckler," starring Jamie Kennedy; and "Stephanie Daley" starring the Oscar winner Tilda Swinton. Most recently, he spearheaded the acquisition and foreign sales of "Gene Generation," a science fiction action film starring Bai Ling and the Sundance Festival favorite, "The Vicious Kind" starring Brittany Snow. His knowledge, creativity and vision help to shape every aspect of the company’s business ventures including distribution, acquisitions, development, production and marketing.
Kopelevich has over 16 years of experience in the international sales arena. Prior to his current post, he served as Director of International Sales at Morgan Creek where he sold the foreign rights to "The Good Shepherd" starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro, as well as "Two For the Money" starring Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey. Prior to Morgan Creek, he served as Director of Distribution Services for Media 8 Entertainment, where he handled foreign rights sales and distribution focusing on international theatrical, video/DVD and television distributors in Europe, South Asia, Latin America and the Middle East for films including the Oscar-winner "Monster" starring Charlize Theron; "The Upside of Anger" starring Kevin Costner; "Havoc" starring Anne Hathaway; "Man About Town" starring Ben Affleck and "Running Scared" starring Paul Walker.
Before joining Media 8, Kopelevich held the position of Vice President Entertainment Sales & Marketing at Filmbazaar.com. As a founding partner, he conceptualized, developed and launched the web site and created and executed global marketing activity as well as sales campaigns to sell services to independent foreign sales companies and international distributors. Additionally, he spearheaded development of strategic outreach programs and oversaw campaigns to secure industry partnerships and led business trips to China, Hong Kong and Italy.
Prior to Filmbazaar.com, Kopelevich served as Director of Sales at Fox International Home Entertainment for two years overseeing sales of Fox theatrical and straight to video titles. He began his career at New World Entertainment in 1992; where he handled sales in both the video and television arena’s for one of the largest independent film libraries including the Wonder Years and Marvel Comics, which at the time was owned by New World Entertainment.
Shannon Banal Senior Vice President of Operations, Bleiberg Entertainment
As Senior Vice President of Operations, Banal oversees all facets of Bleiberg Entertainment's day to day office activity.
Most recently, she was an associate producer on the Gregg Bishop film "Dance of the Dead," which premiered at SXSW and was subsequentially released by Lionsgate and Ghost House Underground. The film was a joint production of Bleiberg Entertainment and Bishop Studios and was filmed in her home state of Georgia. Banal served similar duties on the upcoming horror film "Freeway Killer," about famed serial murderer William Bonin, in addition to co-producing "Necromentia," visionary director Pearry Teo's follow-up to "The Gene Generation."
Prior to joining Bleiberg, she served as Distribution Coordinator for Dream Entertainment where she oversaw the company's delivery and marketing initiatives. Additionally, she oversaw the creation of trailers & key art of over 10 films a year.
Before joining Dream, Banal worked for American World Pictures where she managed the daily office duties and assisted the President, as well as executives in International Sales, Acquisitions, and Distribution. She also assisted in banking and completion bond requirements for productions.
Banal holds a Bachelors degree in Cinema-Television with a production emphasis from the University of Southern California and has her Masters of Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University.
Nicholas Donnermeyer Head of Acquisitions & Development, Bleiberg Entertainment
As Head of Acquisitions & Development, Nicholas Donnermeyer is responsible for seeking out new films and projects for Bleiberg Entertainment's ever-growing library of titles.
Donnermeyer recently co-produced "Necromentia," a supernatural horror film directed by Pearry Teo ("The Gene Generation"). He also served as associate producer on the lauded high school zombie adventure film "Dance of the Dead," which was released by Sam Raimi ("The Evil Dead," "Spiderman") and Rob Tapert's Ghost House Underground label through Lionsgate; as well as "Freeway Killer," a biopic on notorious serial killer William Bonin, starring Scott Leet and Michael Rooker.
Prior to his work at Bleiberg Entertainment, Donnermeyer worked as a production assistant and office manager. His credits include the "Jay Z / Linkin Park: Collision Course DVD," Vh1’s "The Surreal Life," "Love Lounge" and E!’s "The Girls Next Door." Donnermeyer also interned for Fox 2000 Pictures in Century City and MTV Networks in Santa Monica.
Donnermeyer graduated from Loyola Marymount University, where he earned a BA in Film Production.
