Bob Berney (born 1953) is an American independent film executive based in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. Currently, he is the CEO of Picturehouse, an independent motion picture marketing and distribution company that acquires, markets and distributes films from the U.S. and around the world. In September 2021, Picturehouse announced that it will release '' Becoming Cousteau'', a documentary that uses previously unseen archival footage to chronicle the life and career of the adventurous oceanographer and filmmaker

Jacques-Yves Cousteau Jacques-Yves Cousteau, (, also , ; 11 June 191025 June 1997) was a French naval officer, oceanographer, filmmaker and author. He co-invented the first successful Aqua-Lung, open-circuit SCUBA ( self-contained underwater breathing apparatus). T ...

, who coinvented scuba diving and foretold the impact of pollution on

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

. Directed by

Liz Garbus Elizabeth Freya Garbus (born April 11, 1970) is an American documentary film director and producer. Notable documentaries Garbus has made are '' The Farm: Angola, USA,'' ''Ghosts of Abu Ghraib,'' ''Bobby Fischer Against the World,'' ''Love, Maril ...

, the film is scheduled to be released on October 22, 2021. In May 2021 the company released '' Fatima'', a historical drama directed by

Marco Pontecorvo Marco Pontecorvo (born November 8, 1966, Rome) is an Italian cinematographer and film director. Marco Pontecorvo was initially interested in black and white photography, but eventually became a filmmaker like his father Gillo. He debuted as di ...

and starring

Joaquim de Almeida Joaquim António Portugal Baptista de Almeida (born 15 March 1957) is a Portuguese actor. Almeida began his acting career in theatre during the 1980s, he started his film career appearing on the 1982 action film '' The Soldier'', and later ach ...

Goran Višnjić Goran Višnjić (; born 9 September 1972) is a Croatian actor who has appeared in American and British films and television productions. He is best known in the United States for his roles as Dr. Luka Kovač in '' ER'' and Garcia Flynn in ''Time ...

, Stephanie Gil,

Lúcia Moniz Ana Lúcia Pereira Moniz (born 9 September 1976) is a Portuguese singer and actress. Moniz represented her country in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996 and has released five music albums She has also acted in several television shows, in theat ...

Sônia Braga Sônia Maria Campos Braga (; born 8 June 1950) is a Brazilian actress. She is known in the English-speaking world for her Golden Globe Award–nominated performances in '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' (1985) and ''Moon over Parador'' (1988). She ...

and

Harvey Keitel Harvey Keitel ( ; born May 13, 1939) is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of morally ambiguous and "tough guy" characters. He first rose to prominence during the New Hollywood movement, and has held a long-running association with ...

. Berney has guided the acquisition, marketing and/or distribution of many notable independent films, including '' Manchester by the Sea'', '' Memento'', ''

My Big Fat Greek Wedding ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Joel Zwick and written by Nia Vardalos, who also stars in the film as Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos, a middle class Greek American woman who falls in love with White Anglo-Sax ...

'', ''

The Passion of the Christ ''The Passion of the Christ'' is a 2004 American epic biblical drama film produced, directed and co-written by Mel Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth, Maia Morgenstern as Mary, mother of Jesus, and Monica Bellucci as Mary ...

'', ''

Pan’s Labyrinth ''Pan's Labyrinth'' ( es, El laberinto del fauno, lit=The Labyrinth of the Faun, links=no) is a 2006 dark fantasy horror film written, directed and co-produced by Guillermo del Toro. A Spanish-Mexican(78% Spanish production, 22% Mexican productio ...

'' and ''

Drive Drive or The Drive may refer to: Motoring * Driving, the act of controlling a vehicle * Road trip, a journey on roads Roadways Roadways called "drives" may include: * Driveway, a private road for local access to structures, abbreviated "drive" ...

''. The films he has been associated with have won multiple

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

and grossed more than $1 billion at the North American box office.

Early years

Berney studied film history and production at the

University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

at Austin. Before graduating with a B.A. in communications he was a manager and projectionist for

AMC Theatres AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a AMC Theatres, originally an abbreviation for American Multi-Cinema; often referred to simply as AMC and known in some countries as AMC Cinemas or AMC Multi-Cinemas) is an American movie theater chain fou ...

. Berney continued working for the theater chain until he left to renovate the Inwood Theatre in

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, which he and his partners reopened as an arthouse venue in 1984. After gaining this experience he served as a distribution executive for companies including FilmDallas ('' Kiss of the Spider Woman''), Triton Pictures (''

A Brief History of Time ''A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes'' is a book on theoretical cosmology by English physicist Stephen Hawking. It was first published in 1988. Hawking wrote the book for readers who had no prior knowledge of physics. I ...

'', '' Hearts of Darkness'') and

Orion Classics Orion Classics started in 1982 as the distribution label for the then independent film production company Orion Pictures, now owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was relaunched in 2018. The original focus of 1980-era Orion Classics was on acquirin ...

('' Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey'', ''

Prisoner of the Mountains ''Prisoner of the Mountains'' (russian: Кавказский пленник, ''Kavkazskiy plennik''), also known as ''Prisoner of the Caucasus'', is a 1996 Russian war drama film directed by Sergei Bodrov and written by Bodrov, Arif Aliyev and B ...

'', ''

Ulee's Gold ''Ulee's Gold'' is a 1997 American drama film written and directed by Victor Nuñez and starring Peter Fonda in the title role. Co-stars include Patricia Richardson, Christine Dunford, Tom Wood, Jessica Biel, J. Kenneth Campbell and Vanessa Zima. ...

''). Berney released

Todd Solondz Todd Solondz (; born October 15, 1959) is an American filmmaker and playwright known for his style of dark, socially conscious satire. Solondz's work has received critical acclaim for its commentary on the "dark underbelly of middle class America ...

’s ''

Happiness Happiness, in the context of mental or emotional states, is positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Other forms include life satisfaction, well-being, subjective well-being, flourishing and eudaimonia. ...

'' under the

Good Machine Good Machine Productions was an American independent film production, film distribution, and foreign sales company started in the early 1990 by its co-founders and producers, Ted Hope and James Schamus. David Linde joined as a partner in the la ...

Releasing banner and

Christopher Nolan Christopher Edward Nolan (born 30 July 1970) is a British-American filmmaker. Known for his lucrative Hollywood blockbusters with complex storytelling, Nolan is considered a leading filmmaker of the 21st century. His films have grossed $5&nb ...

’s '' Memento'' under the

Newmarket Films Newmarket Films, LLC was an American privately owned independent film production and distribution company and a former film distribution subsidiary of Newmarket Capital Group. The company produced such films as ''The Mexican'', ''Cruel Intentions ...

banner. The success of the latter film led to the formation of

as a theatrical distribution company.

2000 to 2005

In October 2000 Berney became SVP, Marketing & Distribution at

IFC Films IFC Films is an American film production and distribution company based in New York. It is an offshoot of IFC owned by AMC Networks. It distributes mainly independent films under its own name, select foreign films and documentaries under its ...

, starting his tenure with the company in Los Angeles before moving to New York in 2001. Films acquired and theatrically released included ''

Y Tu Mama Tambien Y, or y, is the twenty-fifth and penultimate letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. According to some authorities, it is the sixth (or sevent ...

'', ''

The Safety of Objects ''The Safety of Objects'' is a 2001 American drama film based upon a collection of short stories of the same name written by A. M. Homes and published in 1990. It features four suburban families who find that their lives become intertwined. The f ...

'' and ''

''. In 2002 Berney founded Newmarket Films’ theatrical distribution division with

Newmarket Capital Group Newmarket Capital Group, LLC. is a Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States a ...

owners Will Tyrer and Chris Ball. Their releases included ''

Real Women Have Curves ''Real Women Have Curves'' is a 2002 American comedy-drama film directed by Patricia Cardoso, based on the Real Women Have Curves (play), play of the same name by Josefina López, who co-authored the screenplay for the film with George LaVoo. Th ...

'', ''

Whale Rider ''Whale Rider'' is a 2002 New Zealand drama film written and directed by Niki Caro. Based on the 1987 novel ''The Whale Rider'' by Witi Ihimaera, the film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve-year-old Māori girl whose a ...

'', '' Monster'' and ''

''.

Initial tenure with Picturehouse

In 2005 Berney was hired to launch Picturehouse, a joint venture created by

Time Warner Warner Media, LLC ( traded as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States. It was originally established in 1972 by ...

subsidiaries

New Line Cinema New Line Cinema is an American film production studio owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and is a film label of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye as an independent film distribution company; later becoming a film studio after ...

and

HBO Films HBO Films (formerly called HBO Premiere Films and HBO Pictures) is an American production and distribution company, a division of the cable television network HBO that produces feature films and miniseries. The division produces fiction and non- ...

with the mandate to acquire, produce and distribute independent films. In its first two years of existence the company released features such as Robert Altman’s '' A Prairie Home Companion'', starring

Meryl Streep Mary Louise Meryl Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Often described as "the best actress of her generation", Streep is particularly known for her versatility and accent adaptability. She has received numerous accolades throu ...

and

Lily Tomlin Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. She started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the varie ...

; Guillermo del Toro’s ''

'', which tallied six

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

nominations and won in three categories; '' La Vie En Rose'', which garnered

Marion Cotillard Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress, film producer, singer, and environmentalist who is widely known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters in both European and Hollywood productions. She has received ...

an Oscar for Best Actress; and

Sergei Bodrov Sergei Vladimirovich Bodrov ( rus, Серге́й Влади́мирович Бодро́в, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej bɐˈdrof; born June 28, 1948) is a Russian film director, screenwriter, and producer. In 2003 he was the President of the Jury at the 25 ...

’s Genghis Khan biopic ''

Mongol The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member ...

'', an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.

2009 to 2012

Berney and producer/financier Bill Pohlad formed Apparition in August 2009. The company's projects included '' Bright Star'', ''

The Runaways The Runaways were an all-female American rock band who recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. The band released four studio albums and one live album during its run. Among their best-known songs are " Cherry Bomb", "Hollywood", "Queens of ...

'' and ''

The Young Victoria ''The Young Victoria'' is a 2009 British period drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Julian Fellowes, based on the early life and reign of Queen Victoria, and her marriage to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Produce ...

''. Next, Berney formed

FilmDistrict FilmDistrict Distribution LLC. was an American independent motion picture company based in Los Angeles. It specialized in acquisitions, distribution, production, and financing. It was founded in September 2010 by Bob Berney and Peter Schlessel in ...

with Graham King and Tim Headington of GK Films and released ''

Insidious Insidious may refer to: * ''Insidious'' (film series), a horror film series consisting of the films listed below ** ''Insidious'' (film), a 2010 American supernatural horror film ** '' Insidious: Chapter 2'', a 2013 sequel ** '' Insidious: Chapt ...

'', ''

Soul Surfer A soul surfer (term invented during the 1960s) is a surfer who surfs for the sheer pleasure of surfing. Although they may still enter competitions, winning is not the soul surfer's main motive, since they scorn the commercialization of surfing. T ...

'', ''

'', '' Don't Be Afraid of the Dark'', '' The Rum Diary'' and ''

In the Land of Blood and Honey ''In the Land of Blood and Honey'' ( bs, U zemlji krvi i meda) is a 2011 war drama film written, produced, and directed by Angelina Jolie and starring Zana Marjanović, Goran Kostić, and Rade Šerbedžija. The film, Jolie's first commercial re ...

'',

Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...

’s directorial debut.

Reopening Picturehouse

In 2013 Berney and his wife Jeanne took ownership of Picturehouse and relaunched the label as an independent theatrical distributor. That same year they released Nimród Antal's '' Metallica Through the Never'', a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

nominee for Best Music Film. The company's other initial releases included

Adriana Trigiani Adriana Trigiani is an American best-selling author of eighteen books, playwright, television writer/producer, film director/screenwriter/producer, and entrepreneur based in New York City. Trigiani has published a novel a year since 2000. E ...

’s ''

Big Stone Gap Big Stone Gap is a town in Wise County, Virginia, United States. The town was economically centered around the coal industry for much of its early development. The population was 5,643 at the 2010 census. History The community was formerly kno ...

'', starring

Ashley Judd Ashley Judd (born Ashley Tyler Ciminella; April 19, 1968) is an American actress. She grew up in a family of performing artists: she is the daughter of the late country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music singer Wynonna ...

, and Christian Keller's '' Gloria'', with

Sofía Espinosa Sofía Espinosa Carrasco (born September 22, 1989) is a Mexican actress, writer and director. She began her artistic preparation at the National Conservatory of Music, and followed with studies at Casazul in Mexico, Claudio Tolcachir's schoo ...

Amazon Studios

Berney joined

Amazon Studios Amazon Studios is an American television and film producer and distributor that is a subsidiary of Amazon. It specializes in developing television series and distributing and producing films. It was started in late 2010. Content is distributed th ...

in 2015 as head of marketing and distribution. There he built and oversaw the company's theatrical distribution arm and oversaw the release of more than 50 films including double Academy Award winner '' Manchester by the Sea'' (the first Oscar nominee for Best Picture released by a streaming platform), ''

The Big Sick ''The Big Sick'' is a 2017 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Showalter and written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani. It stars Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Adeel Akhtar, and Anupam Kher. Gordon and Nanj ...

'' (Oscar nominee, Best Original Screenplay), '' Cold War'' (nominated for three Oscars, including Best Director) and '' The Salesman'' (Oscar winner, Best Foreign Language Film).

Picturehouse acquires ''Fatima''

In 2019 Picturehouse acquired '' Fatima'', a historical drama directed by

and starring

, Stephanie Gil,

and

Selected filmography

* '' Becoming Cousteau'' (2021) * '' Fatima'' (2020) * '' Cold War'' (2018) * ''

'' (2017) * '' The Salesman'' (2016) * '' Manchester by the Sea'' (2016) * '' Gloria'' (2014) * ''

'' (2014) * '' Metallica Through the Never'' (2013) * ''

'' (2011) * ''

'' (2011) * '' The Rum Diary'' (2011) * ''

'' (2011) * '' Don't Be Afraid of the Dark'' (2011) * ''

'' (2010) * '' Bright Star'' (2009) * ''

'' (2009) * ''

'' (2008) * '' Kit Kittredge: An American Girl'' (2008) * '' The Orphanage'' (2007) * '' The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters'' (2007) * '' La Vie En Rose'' (2007) * ''

'' (2006) * '' A Prairie Home Companion'' (2006) * ''

'' (2004) * '' Monster'' (2003) * ''

'' (2003) * ''

'' (2002) * ''

'' (2002) * '' Memento'' (2001) * ''

'' (1998) * ''

'' (1992) * ''

'' (1997) * ''

'' (1997) * '' Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey'' (1993) * '' Hearts of Darkness'' (1991) * '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' (1985)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Berney, Bob 1953 births Living people American film studio executives University of Texas at Austin alumni American independent film production company founders