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This week’s episode of Display screen Speak welcomes two friends to assist us make sense of the present scrambled theatrical universe: Megan Colligan and Steve Garrett, the president and head of acquisitions/distribution, respectively, behind Row Okay Leisure. (That title? It comes from what’s understood by filmmakers as one of the best row in a film home.)
The rising distributor launched in August 2025 forward of the Venice Movie Competition, the place it acquired Gus Van Sant‘s Seventies-set hostage thriller “Lifeless Man’s Wire” and since has introduced acquistions of movies by Maude Apatow (“Poetic License”), Jaume Collet-Serra (a “Cliffhanger” remake), and Tom Dean and Mac Eldridge (TIFF breakout “Charlie Harper”).
We’ve identified Megan for years as a advertising govt at Searchlight, Paramount Photos, and IMAX. Garrett beforehand served as an SVP of distribution at IMAX after years at Paramount Photos and as head of gross sales for the previous Paramount Vantage.
On the episode, they focus on why they selected Gus Van Sant’s newest movie as their flagship title, what alternatives they see for indie narrative films, their dedication to theatrical-first releases, and what their plans are for the Sundance Movie Competition. As we all know, the acquisition markets at festivals have dwindled, making method for festivals to return to their authentic operate: network- and relationship-building. Colligan and Garrett’s hopeful views, as you’ll hear within the podcast, are refreshing relative to the disruption and chaos wrought upon the business prior to now 12 months. Even the previous month.
Elsewhere within the episode, Anne Thompson and Ryan Lattanzio depend down the 15 new films they’re most excited for in 2026; our standards, for probably the most half, had been movies with assured launch, i.e., distribution and a date. We additionally look again on the week within the awards season, from the Critics Alternative Awards to the New York Movie Critics Circle gala.
Hearken to this week’s podcast episode beneath or through your favourite podcast platform.
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