Bob Berney out as FilmDistrict closes NYC office

Bob Berney is leaving FilmDistrict as its president of theatrical distribution as the company eliminated its New York office.

His wife, Jeanne R. Berney, will also depart as the executive vice president of marketing. Both will continue with the company through March 1, 2012.

Berney, a respected figure in the indie world, joined the company in June 2010, shortly after abruptly leaving Apparation. He brought on several high-profile projects such as Drive and Angelina Jolie's directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey to FilmDistrict.

Drive earned critical raves at Cannes, but has had a middling performance at the box office. Other films, Insidious and Soul Surfer, were low-budget hits for the company, however.

His exit comes as the company consolidates marketing operations to Los Angeles. Berney said he would prefer to remain in New York.

FilmDistrict's Los Angeles office will consist of 10 employees after the consolidation. There are roughly 20 employees in New York and they have been told they can remain in their current positions until the end of the year.

While I believe in the strategy of FilmDistrict, I remain committed to my roots and family in New York where there is a vibrant film community, Berney said in a statement.

Backed by Graham King, FilmDistrict launched in September 2010 with plans to release between four and eight films theatrically each year.

Peter Schlessel and Bob Berney came aboard to be its public face at the company's founding. The idea was Berney would head up distribution, while Schlessel oversaw acquisitions.

Berney made headlines when he abruptly quit the company he founded, Apparition Films, just before the start of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

Berney's indie film experience includes stints at IFC Films, which he launched, and Newmarket Films. Before launching Apparition, he was head of Picturehouse, a now-defunct partnership between HBO and New Line Cinema created to release specialty films.