HanWay Films

HanWay Films is an independent British international sales, distribution and marketing company specializing in theatrical feature films.

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History

In 1999, Jeremy Thomas founded international sales company HanWay Films with his colleagues Peter Watson and Stephan Mallmann, and continues to chair the board. Two new members joined the board in 2011, Thorsten Schumacher, previously head of sales, was appointed managing director, and former head of business affairs Jan Spielhoff took up the reins as chief operating officer.
HanWay has established itself as leading international sales, distribution and marketing company specialising in high-profile quality films from worldwide talent. HanWay arranges financing, sales and distribution for all films from Recorded Picture Company, along with projects from third party producers.
HanWay also represents an extensive film catalogue of over 500 features including films from Thomas's Recorded Picture Company, and the British Film Institute. Representing the very best in film-making talent, these include productions by Woody Allen, Takeshi Kitano, Bernardo Bertolucci, Wim Wenders, Terry Gilliam, David Cronenberg, Peter Greenaway, Jean-Luc Godard, David Mamet, Miloš Forman, Stephen Frears, Phillip Noyce and Nagisa Ōshima.
In August 2022, it was announced that American film production company Cohen Media Group had acquired HanWay Films from its founder Jeremy Thomas with HanWay Films continued to be branded as an independent label within Cohen Media Group. In January 2025, HanWay became the main representative of the Cohen Film Collection.

Productions

HanWay's productions include Thomas' production of David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method starring Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender and Vincent Cassel, in the true-life story of the young Dr. Jung, his mentor Freud and the beautiful patient that came between them; Lone Scherfig’s coming-of-age drama An Education, which won Carey Mulligan a BAFTA award for Best Actress; James Gunn’s pop-culture actioner Super starring Rainn Wilson, Elliot Page and Liv Tyler, from producer Ted Hope; Nigel Cole’s Made in Dagenham starring Golden Globe nominee Sally Hawkins from producer Stephen Woolley, and Andrea Arnold’s adaptation of the romantic classic Wuthering Heights.
Other films handled include Nowhere Boy, a film by artist Sam Taylor-Wood based on John Lennon’s teenage years starring Aaron Johnson; Gurinder Chadha’s culinary black comedy It's a Wonderful Afterlife which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, Harry Brown starring Academy Award winner Michael Caine; Scott Hicks’ Australian-set drama The Boys Are Back starring Clive Owen; Irish comedy Perrier's Bounty, starring Cillian Murphy and Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent; and Danis Tanović’s Triage, with Colin Farrell in the lead. Theatrical documentary releases include Julien Temple’s Oil City Confidential, and Mugabe and the White African.
Other releases include Jon Amiel's Creation starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly, which opened the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt; Gerald McMorrow’s Franklyn starring Eva Green, Ryan Phillippe and Sam Riley, Christopher Smith’s period thriller Black Death starring Sean Bean, and Michael Winterbottom’s Genova starring Colin Firth.
The company also handled Takashi Miike’s samurai epic Thirteen Assassins, and Jerzy Skolimowski's political thriller Essential Killing, both executive-produced by Thomas. Both films premiered at the 67th Venice International Film Festival, and Essential Killing went on to win the Special Jury Prize, Best Actor for Vincent Gallo, and the Cinemavenniere Award for Best Film in Competition. Upcoming productions include films by David Cronenberg, Terry Gilliam and Phillip Noyce.
The company has previously handled such titles as Woody Allen’s Match Point, starring Scarlett Johansson, Julian Jarrold’s Becoming Jane starring Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy, and Sarah Polley’s multi-Academy Award nominated Away from Her starring Julie Christie.
In its capacity as international sales agent, HanWay works closely with Ecosse Films.
HanWay Films represents collections from the British Film Institute, Merchant Ivory, Peter Weir, Wim Wenders, Phillip Noyce, Jean Doumanian, Alex Cox, Paul Cox, New Zealand Film Commission, Manoel de Oliveira and Recorded Picture Company, comprising some 500 feature films, documentaries and animations. This collection includes films from noted world cinema figures, including Woody Allen, Bernardo Bertolucci, David Cronenberg, Clint Eastwood, Miloš Forman, Stephen Frears, Terry Gilliam, Alfred Hitchcock, James Ivory, Takeshi Kitano, Bob Rafelson, Terence Davies, David Mamet, Martin Scorsese, and Ridley Scott.
With Carol, Brooklyn and Anomalisa, managing director Thorsten Schumacher announced 2015 as "the most successful year for to date."

Team

Executive Board

Jeremy Thomas - Chairman
Peter Watson - Vice Chairman
Marie-Gabrielle Stewart - Managing Director

Marketing and Publicity

Tom Grievson - Head of Marketing and Distribution
Tejinder Jouhal - Director of Marketing and Distribution
Joseph Hewitt - Marketing Manager

Sales

Nicole Mackey - Head of Sales
Mark Lane - Director of Sales
Marta Ravani - Director of Sales, HanWay The Collections

Acquisitions

Matthew Baker - Director of Acquisitions

Business Affairs & Finance

Justin Kelly - Head of Business & Legal Affairs
Beverley Cullen - Contracts Manager
Elizabeth Kormanova - Director of Business Affairs
Ivan Kelava - Senior Business Affairs Manager
Rachel Barbut - Financial Controller
Siu Lee - Assistant Accountant
Gareth Melia - Assistant Accountant

Films

1999

Just Looking Story of a Bad Boy Women Talking Dirty SunburnThe Cup

''Buena Vista Social Club''

2000

Help! I'm a FishBrother

''Innocence''

2001

Lotte Reiniger The Mystic Masseur The Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky The Triumph of Love Love the Hard Way

''The Last Minute''

2002

Junimond Half the Rent Serving Sara Revengers Tragedy Lost in La Mancha

''Rabbit-Proof Fence''

2003

House of Sand and Fog The Boys from County Clare Festival Express Travellers and MagiciansThe Dreamers Danny Deckchair The Soul of a Man Young Adam To Kill a King Fools

''All the Real Girls''

2004

Night of TruthIt's All Gone Pete Tong Human TouchLand of Plenty Promised LandEgoshooter CreepThe Football Factory Derek Jarman: Life as Art

''Boo, Zino & the Snurks''

2005

Dreaming Lhasa Brothers of the Head Tideland Magic Mirror Don't Come KnockingMatch Point

''The Devil and Daniel Johnston''

2006

Goya's Ghosts Anger MeAway from HerBelle ToujoursImpy's IslandScoopSeveranceFast Food NationSamoan WeddingA Woman in Winter Kidulthood

''Glastonbury''

2007

Battle for HadithaNever ApologizeMister LonelyControlMoving MidwayBecoming JaneKaluapapa Heavan

''Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten''

2008

A Bunch of AmateursFranklyn SalvationGenovaIs Anybody There? Brideshead Revisited Palermo Shooting Of Time and the City Impy's Island Sunshine Cleaning

''Two Fists, One Heart''

2009

Nowhere BoyOil City Confidential Beyond the Pole The Boys Are Back Harry BrownTriagePerrier's BountyCreation Mugabe and the White African Empire of Silver

''An Education''

2010

Robinson in Ruins Made in Dagenham Super13 AssassinsEssential KillingChico and RitaBlack DeathThunder Soul

''It's a Wonderful Afterlife''

2011

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel Roman Polanski: A Film MemoirYou're Next Wuthering Heights ShameA Dangerous MethodHara-Kiri: Death of a SamuraiThe Decoy BrideTT3D: Closer to the Edge Pina Life in a Day

''Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey''

2012

Great Expectations QuartetSeven PsychopathsKon-Tiki Woody Allen: A Documentary Me and You

''Anton Corbijn''

2013

Vara: A BlessingFinding Vivian MaierDom Hemingway The Unknown Known Tracks Only Lovers Left Alive Seduced and Abandoned All Is Bright Houston