New Italian distributor Lion International launches

Italian media execs Giuseppe Gargiulo and Sesto Cifola have formed a new distribution business Lion Pictures International.

The Rome-based company said it will produce and coproduce features TV series and launched at the Cannes Film Festival today. Its main focus will be selling movies.

Gargiulo is an Italian indie producer and will be president and managing director of the new firm. He was running home entertainment distributor Cine Video Corporation. He also owns anime distributor Compagnia Realizzazioni Cinetelevisive and created film production firm Lion Pictures.

The new sales company will be a subsidiary of Lion Pictures.

Cifola will be director of distribution and coproduction having worked in sales at Fida Cinematografica and Sacis and RAI Trade, sales divisions of Italian public broadcaster RAI.

Francesca Breccia is also on board the new company as executive consultant in sales and acquisition. She joins from the Italian MGM channel and has previously worked at Sky Italia, working on the pay TV operator’s film channels.

The inaugural slate of content include thee features that are in production: The Crime Family, sci-fi movie Index Zero and rom-com 45th Parallel.