October Films

Last updated
October Films
Industry Independent film
Founded1991;32 years ago (1991)
Founder Bingham Ray
Jeff Lipsky
Defunct1999;24 years ago (1999)
FateSold to USA Networks and merged with Gramercy Pictures, Interscope Communications and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
SuccessorUSA Films (1999-2002)
Focus Features (2002-present)
Owner Seagram (1997-1999)
Parent Universal Pictures (1997-1999)

October Films was a major U.S. independent film production company [1] and distributor founded in 1991 by Bingham Ray and Jeff Lipsky as a means of distributing the 1990 film Life Is Sweet .

Contents

A series of mergers and acquisitions began when Universal Pictures (then a division of the Seagram Company) bought a majority stake in October Films in 1997. [2] Universal then sold its shares to Barry Diller in 1999, who renamed the company USA Films and merged it with Interscope Communications and Gramercy Pictures. [3] Vivendi then acquired USA Films, who in 2002 acquired Good Machine and merged it with USA Films, forming Focus Features.

Filmography

1990s

Release DateFilmsNotes
October 25, 1991 Life Is Sweet
August 21, 1992 The Living End
September 4, 1992 The Tune
June 25, 1993 Chain of Desire
October 8, 1993 Ruby in Paradise
February 11, 1994 The Cement Garden
March 30, 1994 Cronos
May 6, 1994 Kika
August 19, 1994 Killing Zoe
October 26, 1994 The Last Seduction
January 31, 1995 The Silence of the Hams
May 5, 1995 Search and Destroy
September 1, 1995 Nadja
October 6, 1995 The Addiction
November 10, 1995 The Kingdom
November 17, 1995 When Night Is Falling
December 7, 1995 Man with a Gun
April 26, 1996 Cemetery Man
May 10, 1996 Someone Else's America
June 18, 1996 Haunted
August 14, 1996 Small Faces
August 21, 1996 Girls Town
September 27, 1996 Secrets & Lies
November 1, 1996 The Funeral
November 13, 1996 Breaking the Waves
February 21, 1997 Lost Highway
April 18, 1997 Traveller
April 25, 1997 Female Perversions
August 8, 1997 Career Girls
October 8, 1997 Year of the Horse
November 14, 1997 Kiss or Kill
February 20, 1998 The Apostle
May 1, 1998 Still Breathing
May 6, 1998 The Kingdom II
June 12, 1998 High Art
August 7, 1998 Safe Men
August 1998 The Naked Man
September 18, 1998 A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries
October 9, 1998 The Celebration
January 15, 1999 Hilary and Jackie
February 5, 1999 The Last Days
April 2, 1999 Cookie's Fortune
April 30, 1999 Three Seasons
June 18, 1999 The Phantom of the Opera
July 9, 1999 Autumn Tale
August 27, 1999 The Muse
September 10, 1999 Black Cat, White Cat
September 17, 1999 Sugar Town
September 24, 1999 Lucie Aubrac
November 5, 1999 Rosetta
December 15, 1999 Topsy-Turvy distributed by USA Films

2000s

Release DateTitleNotes
March 3, 2000 Agnes Browne distributed by USA Films
March 10, 2000Condo Paintingdistributed by USA Films
April 28, 2000 The Idiots distributed by USA Films
May 5, 2000 Up at the Villa distributed by USA Films
May 26, 2000 Joe Gould's Secret distributed by USA Films
June 21, 2000Boricua's Bonddistributed by USA Films
August 30, 2000 Alice and Martin distributed by USA Films
October 20, 2000 A Room for Romeo Brass distributed by USA Films
October 20, 2000 Cherry Falls distributed by USA Films
December 27, 2000 Traffic distributed by USA Films
March 2, 2001 Series 7: The Contenders distributed by USA Films
April 27, 2001 One Night at McCool's distributed by USA Films
June 8, 2001 Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? distributed by USA Films
August 10, 2001 Session 9 distributed by USA Films
November 2, 2001 The Man Who Wasn't There distributed by USA Films
January 19, 2002 Gosford Park distributed by USA Films

Distributor

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References

  1. "Are the U.S.A.'s Independent Films a Distinct National Cinema?". TheFilmJournal.com. Retrieved 2013-08-12.
  2. Eller, Claudia (1997-05-01). "Universal Says It Will Acquire October Films". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  3. "Interscope Communications". Audiovisual Identity Database. 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-09.