Maverick goes Int'l. at Cannes

Launching a new international division seems to be have paid off for Maverick at the Cannes Market, part of the Cannes Film Festival last week on the French Riviera.

At Cannes, Maverick signed sales deals in Eastern and Western Europe and Latin America for seven of its titles:This Thing of Ours, Nora’s Hair Salon, Bahama Hustle, A Night in Compton, 3 Play, Carlita’s Secret and Surrender.

The company’s other titles being offered internationally included horror titles Mr. Hell, Side FX and Woods of Evil.

Maverick also has picked up international rights to the western Gang of Roses, which was released on DVD in the U.S. by Sony. The film stars Louis Mandylor (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and rapper Lil’ Kim.

Additionally at Cannes, Maverick picked up rights to four films for its domestic Creep FX horror label: The Toybox, The Brink, Blood Descendants and Slip, the latter of which also will carry the Maverick Platinum label for higher quality films.

Known more for its domestic DVD premiere offerings, Maverick announced at the 2005 American Film Market plans to launch Maverick Global under the leadership of director of international sales Jack Campbell.

“We’ve diversified,” says Maverick president Doug Schwab.

Although the company still releases what Schwab calls “theatrically challenged” films—a.k.a. direct to video—the company also is releasing titles with budgets of more than $1 million that have limited theatrical runs.

“I personally think there will always be a place for the niche DVD premiere films that fill a void that the studios don’t have a constant flow of,” Schwab says. “But it’s becoming more competitive, so the films need to be even better within that niche.”

To hedge against competitive pressures, Maverick also has diversified into other markets such as TV and video-on-demand.

At Cannes, Schwab says he was looking to acquire comedies, thrillers and even family films, which he says do well outside the U.S. even if they’re DVD premieres.

“In the U.S., [independent] direct-to-video family films are a tough sell because the majors have a lock on them, but overseas, they’ll get a second look,” he explains.