Distribution

TIFF 2025 at Halfway Mark: Slow Negotiations, Genre Plays, New Distributors, and Market Jitters

Well into its second week, TIFF 2025 is shaping up less as a buying frenzy and more as a barometer for where the independent business is heading. Deal volume remains lean, but the festival has already produced a $15 million bidding war for a Midnight Madness horror and a seven-figure North American deal for Gus Van Sant’s “Dead Man’s Wire.”

Distribution

Window Shopping: Why Holding Back Pays Off in Streaming Distribution

Studios are no longer tied to a single strategy for releasing films. Instead, each major player is now juggling theatrical, transactional, and streaming windows with increasing precision. Below is an examination of how studios like Universal, Sony, and Paramount are embracing staggered, platform-specific Pay-One strategies.

Distribution

Paramount’s New Slate Financing Deal and the Complexities of Film Investment

Paramount Pictures has recently entered into a significant slate financing agreement with Domain Capital Group, aiming to bolster its film production capabilities. This partnership reflects a strategic move to mitigate financial risk by diversifying investments across multiple films. However, the intricate nature of such deals has historically led to legal disputes, particularly concerning the transparency of financial practices.