RCV Ready To Roll

After a recent restructuring, RCV Film Distribution is now set to be a major player across Benelux this year, said new president San Fu Maltha. Adam Minns reports.

The Netherlands-based distributor will release between 25 and 30 titles theatrically this year, compared to 14 in 1996, and has between 40 and 45 titles positioned for video releases. As of last September, the new look RCV is headed by Maltha as president, Wiljan Roelofs as commercial director and Jan Couwenhoven as financial director.

PolyGram Killed Meteor

"Especially since PolyGram killed [its specialised Dutch distribution arm] Meteor, there is definately enough space for us to move into," said Maltha. "We have peope with a lot of experience in the market, who know the Benelux market on all levels, and we have the line-up."

RCV's upcoming slate now contains a host of upscale specialist titles through its deal with Miramax at Mifed last year. Maltha said all have mainstream appeal, highlighting titles such as The English Patient, Scream and Mimic as impossible to label either art-house or commercial.

Belgium

He maintained he was happy for the time being releasing many RCV tiles through Cineart and Kinepolis, with which RCV now has distribution deals for Belgium. Kinepolis is releasing most RCV titles in Belgium this year, though Cineart takes rights to Rotterdam screeners such as Basquiat, Big Night, Different For Girls and Courting Courtney.

Maltha maintained this is an ideal relationship for the time being. "We want a deal where we can work together as partners," he said. "Belgians know the Belgian market while we have a presence across Benelux."

Production

Maltha also has three productions in the pipeline through the company he set up last year, Fu Works. He is co-producing Greenwich Meantime with Taylor Hackford, and producing The Salami Man, which J K Amalou is writng and directing and for which Mayfair has international rights. He is executive producing To The Green Fields Beyond, with Christopher Figg producing. both greenwich meantime and the salami man are to start principal photography this year.

But he stressed RCV takes proirity. "The aim is to establish ourselves as an all-media organisation, covering theatrical, TV and video," he said.