Daniel Battsek Named President of Cohen Media Group

Daniel Battsek has been named president of Cohen Media Group.

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CMG chairman and CEO Charles S. Cohen made the announcement that Battsek will oversee the acquisition, production and distribution of CMG titles as well as the company's vast film library (previously known as The Rohauer Library).

Battsek, a seasoned veteran of the independent film world, will play a key role in overseeing CMG’s production slate, which includes Double Cross, Operation Mincemeat and the remake of the French film You Will Be My Son.

The move comes as CMG is looking to raise its profile and position as a major player in independent cinema. The 3-year-old company's credits include The Other Son, Farewell, My Queen and the upcoming release of the Spanish Oscar entry Blancanieves. CMG also has returned to theaters such modern classics as Luis Bunuel’s Tristana and is bringing historic works by such icons as D.W. Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks and Buster Keaton back into rotation in Blu-ray, DVD and VOD.

Battsek most recently was president of National Geographic Films, where he acquired projects for development/production, operated a boutique theatrical domestic distribution arm for art house titles and documentaries including the Oscar-nominated Restrepo, and oversaw National Geographic large-screen and IMAX projects.

Before National Geographic, Battsek worked at Miramax Films, where he was instrumental in acquiring, greenlighting or distributing such acclaimed films as Tsotsi, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Queen, Happy-Go-Lucky, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood.

“Daniel Battsek is a proven force in film production and distribution, and we are fortunate to have him as we prepare for great things in the coming year and beyond,” said Cohen.

Added Battsek, “Cohen Media Group has quickly become a leading name in independent film, and I am thrilled to arrive as this exciting company is becoming a true powerhouse.”

Battsek will report to Cohen.

CMG’s 2013 slate includes Fernando Trueba’s The Artist and the Model, Pablo Berger’s Blancanieves, Francois Ozon’s In the House, the restored 1924 The Thief of Bagdad and Rachid Bouchareb’s first American film, Just Like a Woman.