Protagonist Photos has promoted senior execs Janina Vilsmaier and Mounia Wissinger to senior management roles as a part of a wider transfer to strengthen its gross sales and advertising groups.
Vilsmaier has been upped to SVP Gross sales and Distribution and Wissinger turns into SVP World Advertising and marketing and Publicity.
Protagonist made the announcement because it gears up for the Berlinale and the EFM, the place its slate will embody Nora Fingscheidt’s Panorama title The Outrun, starring Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu, and David and Nathan Zellner’s Berlinale Particular choice Sasquatch Sundown with Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg, which makes its European premiere after a Sundance debut.
Below the promotions, Vilsmaier will lead the gross sales division, overseeing each the primary run and library gross sales actions, and work in partnership with Wissinger to strategize the worldwide roll out of Protagonist titles.
Wissinger will head up the advertising and publicity staff, together with overseeing the competition technique for Protagonist’s movie slate.
Each will report instantly into Chief Industrial Officer George Hamilton.
In an enlargement of the gross sales staff, Lina Marrone, will stay at Protagonist, having initially becoming a member of as maternity cowl, taking on the everlasting place of Head of Gross sales and reporting into Vilsmaier.
Vilsmaier was beforehand Director of Gross sales at Hanway earlier than becoming a member of Protagonist in 2020.
Previous to becoming a member of the corporate in 2018, Wissinger held advertising and publicity positions at Netflix and Studiocanal Worldwide.
Following a 20-year tenure at Arclight Movies the place she was the Govt Vice President of Gross sales, Marrone moved over to Protagonist Photos in 2022. Marrone’s profession contains senior gross sales roles at Iberoamericana/Lola Movies and Canada’s Conduct Media.
“The previous few years have once more confirmed how very important a task gross sales proceed to play within the impartial movie finance ecosystem, particularly worldwide,” says CCO George Hamilton.
“Janina’s dynamic management, mixed with Lina’s wealth of information and relationships are a potent and highly effective combine. We’re so joyful Lina agreed to remain at Protagonist.”
He additionally commented on Wissinger contribution to staff.
“Massively revered all through the business, Mounia’s oversight and imaginative and prescient throughout advertising, publicity and festivals is a real asset. I may consider no higher staff of executives to each maximize the alternatives and overcome the challenges that lie forward.”
The promotions and everlasting hiring of Marrone are a part of a wider reorganization of Protagonist’s staffing construction.
Extra modifications within the gross sales staff see Alexandra da Silva transferring again to managing first run titles in key markets together with Asia, as Isabel Ivars returns to deal with second run gross sales. Max Mepsted has been introduced on board to offer extra assist to the gross sales staff.
Boosting the advertising and publicity staff, Leni Jaeger has been promoted to Advertising and marketing, Festivals and Publicity Coordinator, and new rent Connor Day will tackle the position of Advertising and marketing, Distribution and Publicity Coordinator, with each reporting to Wissinger.
“As Protagonist has continued its regular evolution, increasing into an impartial full-service gross sales, finance and manufacturing firm, we depend on our proficient executives to realize our objectives,” mentioned CEO Dave Bishop.
“The brand new construction not solely doubles down on our dedication to world gross sales but in addition permits us to continue to grow the enterprise additional into new areas.”
Additional titles on Protagonist’s gross sales slate additionally embody Thordur Palsson’s elevated horror The Damned, starring Odessa Younger and Joe Cole; ensemble comedy Rumours, directed by Man Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson, and led by Cate Blanchett and Alicia Vikander; Summer season Camp, with Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodward and Eugene Levy; thriller Berlin No person, with Eric Bana and Sadie Sink; coming of age thriller Spirit within the Blood by C. Might Borgstrom; Nick Moore’s romcom This Time Subsequent Yr, tailored from the NYT eponymous bestseller, starring Lucien Laviscount and Sophie Cookson.
