Tomcat Struts Into Mainstream Markets With 'Leading Lady' for Audiences Worldwide

PHOENIX - Oct. 13, 2014 - PRLog -- TomCat Films (http://ctt.marketwire.com/?release=1150064&id=4771759&type=1&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.tomcatfilmsllc.com%2f), a genre label perhaps best known for its mockbusters such as Aliens Vs. Avatars, Jurassic Shark and Rise of the Black Bat, is pleased to announce the launch of Summer Hill Films (http://ctt.marketwire.com/?release=1150064&id=4771762&type=1&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.summerhillfilms.com%2f), a mainstream boutique label specializing in U.S. theatrical and worldwide film sales and distribution.

Summer Hill will debut at AFM (#AFM2014) next month with a fantastic market line up. Headlining will be Leading Lady, a U.K. / South Africa co-production from writer/director Henk Pretorius and Dark Matter Studios, starring Katie McGrath (Merlin, Dracula, and the much anticipated Jurassic World). Deal was negotiated between Summer Hill execs and Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films.

Leading Lady, best described as a Notting Hill for the new millennium, stars McGrath as a beautiful, idealistic British ingénue who journeys to Africa to prepare for the film role of her career. She finds herself embraced by a quirky community in a small South African town where an unlikely romance develops between her and a cynical farmer who teaches her there's more to life, and love, than lights...camera...action. Ster Kinekor will release the film theatrically in South Africa. Summer Hill Films anticipates its U.S. theatrical run in 2015.

The new team has been busy adding even more to the Summer Hill Films AFM line-up, such as and The Congregation, an urban faith-based comedy; Found in Time, an award-winning, sci-fi thriller in which a man must travel between past and present to solve a murder in the future; and The Breaking Point, a courtroom festival drama highlighting racial tension in Central Florida.

Summer Hill Films is the brain child of Ted Chalmers, CEO of TomCat Films, who has recently been crowned as "King of Mockbusters" by VICE Magazine, "TomCat Films has been successful in establishing its brand of fun mockbusters and genre films. But, we see the need to provide mainstream content to our theatrical and television buyers," says Chalmers. "I think we have the right team and the right films at the right time."

TomCat Films CEO Chalmers has equipped the label with seasoned executives and is eager to participate in a resurgence of quality independent titles seeking U.S. theatrical releases and worldwide distribution.

Jon Bonnell, formerly of ICAP MEDIA and MOVING PICTURES FILM & TV will serve as President of Summer Hill Films, overseeing all day to operations of the new label, including domestic theatrical and Digital sales.

Monique R. Nayard, who has had stints at ICAP MEDIA, MOVING PICTURES, OVERSEAS FILMGROUP and KEYSTONE, will serve as SVP, Sales and Acquisitions and will oversee all international sales and pickups.

Chalmers, Bonnell and Nayard were part of the team that turned Moving Pictures Magazine into a worldwide distribution company in 2008 to eventually be sold to ICAP plc's North American division, ICAP NORTH AMERICA in 2011. The three worked together on the North American distribution of HENRY'S CRIME starring Keanu Reeves among many other films globally.

Summer Hill will run autonomously under the leadership of Bonnell and Nayard with Chalmers staying focused on building up the TomCat brand. The company is based in Phoenix, Arizona but will open an L.A. office to be manned by Nayard and staff sometime in 2015.

Leading Lady will be screened at this year's AFM on November 7that 7:00pm in Loews 1.

ABOUT SUMMER HILL FILMS:

Summer Hill Films is a worldwide film distribution sales company with international and domestic appeal. We provide a full range of services relating to the sales, marketing, licensing and distribution of feature films, television and special interest content across all media in the Worldwide market with focuses on four channels: (i) Theatrical, (ii) Home Entertainment, (iii) Television, and (iv) VOD & Digital Media.

ABOUT TOMCAT FILMS, LLC:

TomCat Films LLC is a vertically integrated film sales, licensing and distribution company with headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona and affiliate locations in Beverly Hills, California, New York City, New York, and Selangor, Malaysia. TomCat Films attends all the major film markets including the American Film Market, European Film Market in Berlin, Hong Kong Filmart and the Cannes Film Festival. The company distributes over 100 feature films with distribution deals in place worldwide. Many of TomCat's films can be seen on Netflix, InDemand, Family Video, Best Buy, Amazon and other establishments in the U.S./Canada and around the world. http://tomcatfilmsllc.com/ (http://ctt.marketwire.com/?release=1150064&id=4771765...)