Daniel Battsek
Daniel Battsek | |
---|---|
Born | 1958 (age 65–66) |
Nationality | British |
Alma mater | Oxford Brookes University |
Occupation(s) | film producer and executive |
Title | Director, Film4 |
Daniel Battsek (born in 1958) is an English film producer and executive, and current director of
Life and career
Battsek is a graduate of Oxford Brookes University where he majored in social and political studies.[1]
Battsek began his industry career at The Hoyts Film Corporation in Sydney where he quickly rose through the ranks to general manager in Victoria State overseeing distribution. Between 1985 and 1991, Battsek was managing director of Palace Pictures where he was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of quality independent titles from around the world for release in the UK.
In 1991, Battsek went to work for Disney
In 1998, Battsek was promoted to senior vice president, BVI (UK) Limited where he oversaw approximately 35 films per year from the Disney, Touchstone and Miramax labels. With his expanding role, Battsek began acquiring and developing British film projects for worldwide distribution. He created the BVI UK Comedy Label in 2001 which produced four films, High Heels and Low Lifes, Hope Springs, Calendar Girls, and Kinky Boots.[citation needed]
In 2005, Battsek was named President of Miramax Films, after Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein left the company. Projects that Battsek greenlit and / or acquired whilst at Miramax included Oscar winners The Queen, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, along with Oscar nominees The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and Happy-Go-Lucky.[citation needed]
In 2010, Battsek was announced as President of National Geographic Films, replacing Adam Leipzig. During Battsek's time at National Geographic Films, he acquired projects for development and production, operated a boutique theatrical distribution arm for art-house titles and documentaries, including the Oscar-nominated Restrepo, and oversaw National Geographic large-screen and IMAX projects.[citation needed]
Battsek joined Cohen Media Group in 2012 as President,.[2] working alongside CMG Chairman and CEO Charles S. Cohen in acquiring, producing and distributing top-tier films in a wide range of genres.[3] Battsek helped make the company North America’s premiere independent theatrical and digital distributor of contemporary art-house and foreign films. He also helped oversee CMG’s Cohen Film Collection, a library of some 700 cinema classics being restored for theatrical and Blu-ray release. Releases included festival-winning favorites Mustang and Rams along with the Kent Jones documentary Hitchcock/Truffaut, 2015 Academy Award Best Foreign Language Film nominee, Timbuktu by Abderrahmane Sissako and My Old Lady, with Maggie Smith and Kevin Kline.[citation needed]
Battsek joined Film4 as Director in 2016.[citation needed]
Since joining
References
- ^ a b The Daily Telegraph: "The most influential Britons in America: #12 Daniel Battsek – Film studio chief" 9 January 2008
- ^ Jewish Journal: "New York real estate magnate Charles Cohen builds a movie studio" by Danielle Berrin 20 February 2015
- ^ Broadway World: "Daniel Battsek Named President Of Cohen Media Group" 12 December 2012