Directory > United States > Entertainment Industry > Independent Film Companies

The Weinstein Company is an independent American film studio founded by Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 2005 after the pair left the Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979. The Dimension Films label of Miramax followed the brothers to their new company. Advisors to the new studio include Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

Magnolia Pictures is the theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban's 2929 Entertainment, specializing in a unique and eclectic slate of films. Formed in 2001 by Bill Banowsky and Eamonn Bowles, Magnolia's releases have included the Academy Award nominated documentaries ENRON: SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS, the groundbreaking BUBBLE by Steven Soderbergh, and numerous other successes: ONG BAK, DISTRICT B13, PULSE, KEANE, THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN, WOMAN THOU ART LOOSED, READ MY LIPS, LATE MARRIAGE, and the 2006 Oscar Nominated Shorts.

Picturehouse is a specialty film production company formed in 2005 as a joint-venture of New Line Cinema and HBO Films, both divisions of Time Warner. The company was formed from New Line and HBO's acquisition of the distribution arm of Newmarket Films and New Line's Fine Line Features specialty division. Its DVD releases are split between HBO Home Video and New Line Home Video.

ThinkFilm, founded in 2001, is an independent film distribution company. Having handled acclaimed documentaries such as Born Into Brothels and The Story of the Weeping Camel, ThinkFilm enjoyed success with The Aristocrats. ThinkFilm is also distributing the film Strangers with Candy and will be releasing the controversial film Shortbus in Canada.

Miramax Films was a Big Ten film motion picture distribution and production company headquartered in New York City before being bought out by The Walt Disney Company. Founded by the brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein in 1979, and named by combining the first names of their parents Max and Miriam, the company was originally created in order to distribute independent films which were deemed commercially inviable at the major studios.

Palm Pictures, an audio/visual entertainment company has quickly become one of the most highly respected independent studios and has distinguished itself as a leader in the converging music, digital media, theatrical and home video market. Palm Pictures is actively involved in the acquisition, production and distribution of innovative music and independent film projects. Releasing 10 - 12 films theatrically per year, Palm Pictures has solidified its brand as the film studio dedicated to bringing audiences quality cutting-edge cinema and continues to deliver the best in foreign, arthouse and music films. Films currently and coming soon to theaters include: Clean, starring Maggie Cheung and Nick Nolte; Lower City from the filmmakers of City of God and The Motorcycle Diaries; from the producers of Chuck and Buck and The Good Girl, The Motel; 13 Tzameti, the directorial debut of Géla Babluani and Wondrous Oblivion from the filmmakers of Stage Beauty and I Heart the Huckabees.

Paramount Classics is the specialty film division of Paramount Pictures (which in turn is owned by Viacom), charged with producing, purchasing, distributing and marketing films, generally those with a more "art house" feel than films made and distributed by its parent company. In 2006, Paramount Classics President John Lesher announced that the name of the unit will be changed to Paramount Vantage. The Paramount Classics brand will be relaunched as a distributor of "smaller, review-driven films", such as foreign-language acquisitions and documentaries.

Warner Independent Pictures is the independent film studio and distributor division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Launched in August 2003, its first film, Before Sunset, was released in 2004.

Focus Features (formerly USA Films) is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Studios, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films. Focus also serves as a producer and distributor of low-budget action/horror films through its Rogue Pictures division (similar to the Weinstein Company's Dimension Films and Sony Pictures Entertainment's Screen Gems). Focus was formed from the 2002 divisional merger of USA Films, Universal Focus and Good Machine. USA Films was created by Barry Diller in 1999 by combining October Films, Gramercy Pictures, and USA Home Entertainment. Its most successful release to date was Brokeback Mountain (2005), which earned more than $85,000,000 at the boxoffice.

Fox Searchlight Pictures was founded in 1994 as the independent arm of Twentieth Century Fox. It has its own marketing and distribution operations. International distribution is handled by Twentieth Century Fox.

Participant believes that a good story well told can truly make a difference in how one sees the world. Whether it is a feature film, documentary or other form of media, Participant exists to tell compelling, entertaining stories that also create awareness of the real issues that shape our lives. We seek to entertain our audiences first, then to invite them to participate in making a difference next. Participant believes that people are basically good and that everyone deserves the chance to be a participant!

Founded in 1994 by William Tyrer and Chris Ball, Newmarket Entertainment Group has grown from a private film finance company to one of the preeminent producers and distributors of independent film in the world. By 1998, having been involved in the financing of over 75 features such as THE USUAL SUSPECTS, Jim Jarmusch's DEAD MAN, and the Wachowski's debut BOUND, Tyrer and Ball built a creative team and expanded into production. Newmarket's first film was MEMENTO, by Christopher Nolan, and was followed up by such productions as THE MEXICAN, and co-productions as CRUEL INTENTIONS and THE SKULLS.

Michael Barker, Tom Bernard, and Marcie Bloom are the co-Presidents of Sony Pictures Classics - an autonomous company of Sony Pictures Entertainment founded in January 1992 that produces, acquires and distributes independent films from America and around the world. The trio has worked with many of the world's finest independent filmmakers including Akira Kurosawa, John Boorman, Louis Malle, David Mamet, James Ivory, Zhang Yimou, Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, Allison Anders, Agniezska Holland, John Sayles, Fred Schepisi, Errol Morris, Alan Rudolph, Hal Hartley, Pedro Almodóvar, Mike Figgis, Woody Allen, Francois Truffaut, R.W. Fassbinder, Lily Tomlin, Richard Linklater, Merchant Ivory, Neil LaBute, Sally Potter, David Cronenberg, Hector Babenco, Guillermo del Toro, Gary Oldman, Paul Schrader, Robert Altman, Ingmar Bergman, Norman Jewison and Ang Lee.