Capitol Add-On: ThinkFilm Bought by L.A. Duo

Variety's Steven Zeitchik has the scoop on NYC/Toronto-based indie ThinkFilm's acquisition last week by Los Angeles entrepreneurs David Bergstein and Ron Tutor, who are making their first go at North American distribution after picking up the European darling Capitol Pictures in January. The construction tycoons evidently closed the deal last week for an undisclosed amount; Think's library alone -- with the Oscar-winning Born Into Brothels and Oscar-nominated Murderball and Spellbound joining The Aristocrats, Shortbus, Half Nelson, the upcoming Nick Nolte drama Off the Black and about 100 other pictures -- makes this a nice little pick-up for Bergstein and Tutor, while Think bosses Jeff Sackman and Mark Urman both keep their posts while (theoretically) scoring deeper pockets of their own.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Star reports that Think investor Robert Lantos "made a tidy profit off the sale," finally closing out his long-running contretemps with Sackman as the distributor's power shifts south into the States. So, for those keeping score at home: Except for the part about Sackman and Urman answering to L.A. zillionaires (and they've had far worse problems), pretty much everybody but Canada wins. Like you expected a different outcome?

Posted at October 24, 2006 1:54 PM