XYZ Films
XYZ Films is an American independent film production and sales company founded in 2008 by Aram Tertzakian, Nate Bolotin and Nick Spicer,[1][2] and is based in Los Angeles. It focuses on international genre films, including The Raid: Redemption, The Raid 2 and On the Job.
Company type
Film
2008 in Los Angeles, California, United States
- Aram Tertzakian
- Nate Bolotin
- Nick Spicer
Film production, sales and distribution
According to an article from Variety, XYZ Films has licensed more than 200 films since 2009.[3] It has produced a handful of Netflix original films, including Apostle (2018), The Night Comes For Us (2015), and I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore (2017), among others.
History[edit]
XYZ Films was founded by Aram Tertzakian, Nate Bolotin, and Nick Spicer, who met at the University of California, Los Angeles.[2] All had worked previously in the industry. Todd Brown, editor-in-chief of film website Twitch Film, joined after they invested there.[4] Early deals included one with Time Inc. that did not produce any projects but raised their profile. Believing the market in the US to be too small, they invested in international genre films.
The Raid: Redemption, an Indonesian action film that was produced on a budget of around $1 million, grossed over $14 million worldwide.[5] They partnered with French film distributor Celluloid Dreams in 2010,[4] and, in 2013, they expanded beyond North American sales into international sales.[6] XYZ limits budgets to keep costs down, then markets films to genre fans based on its reputation.[7] XYZ said they focus on commercial films that still take risks.[8] In 2015, they partnered with distributor Abbolita Films.[9]
In October 2017, XYZ Films founders Aram Tertzakian, Nate Bolotin and Nick Spicer were listed in Variety's New Leaders in Film featured profile.[3] Their 2017 film I Don't Feel at Home in this World Anymore was awarded the Grand Jury Prize in Drama at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
In 2023, XYZ announced the creation of the New Visions label for speculative fiction and horror films by new and emerging directors.[10] The first film to premiere as a New Visions release was Zarrar Kahn's In Flames.[10]