Altitude Film Entertainment

Overview

Altitude Film Entertainment is a London-based independent film distribution, production, and international sales company founded in 2012 by Will Clarke, Andy Mayson, and Mike Runagall. The company releases 10 to 15 films annually across UK-Ireland theatrical and home entertainment markets, with annual revenue in the $10-20 million range and a team of 22 staff. Altitude is vertically integrated, with divisions covering production (led by Clarke and Mayson), international sales (led by Runagall), UK distribution, home entertainment, and a TV arm.

For British and international filmmakers with commercially positioned independent films targeting the UK theatrical market, Altitude is a realistic acquisition target. The company's commercial instincts, sharpened by releasing films that need to perform at the UK box office, make it a practical and commercially oriented distribution partner. Founder Will Clarke previously built Optimum Releasing into a major UK distributor before selling to Studiocanal in 2010, giving Altitude leadership with a proven track record in UK theatrical distribution.

Corporate Structure and Investment

Altitude Media Group comprises four divisions: Altitude Film Production (led by Clarke and Mayson), Altitude Film Sales (led by Runagall as managing director), Altitude Film Distribution (UK-Ireland theatrical and home entertainment), and Altitude Factual (natural history documentaries, created in March 2020). The TV arm is headed by Chris Clark, with projects including The Wombles and Cold War thriller The Apollo Murders.

In February 2020, 30West acquired a minority stake in Altitude Film Entertainment, providing the company with additional capital resources for acquisitions and production. The company's development slate is headed by Laura Wilson, with Clarke confirming a backlog of projects from the pandemic period set to enter production.

Key distribution team members include Bryony Forde (head of theatrical sales), Adam Eldrett (head of home entertainment), Mark Jones (publicity), and Kenji Lloyd (marketing). Clarke and Mayson have taken a more hands-on role in distribution going forward, reflecting the company's commitment to theatrical releasing.

Distribution Model and Scale

Altitude releases theatrically at a commercial scale above boutique arthouse distributors but below the major studios. The company places releases in multiplex screens alongside arthouse venues when the commercial profile of the film justifies wider booking. For example, the documentary blur: To The End was released at 354 sites in July 2024, demonstrating the company's willingness to book wide when the audience profile supports it.

This flexibility gives Altitude access to a broader range of projects than distributors locked into either commercial or specialist positioning. The company handles prestige arthouse releases (I'm Still Here, Io capitano) alongside commercial genre films (Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey and its sequel) and music documentaries (Wham!, In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon).

Home entertainment operations manage physical media and digital releases following theatrical. Clarke has noted that 4K Blu-ray remains "incredibly successful" for the company, generating ongoing catalog revenue alongside digital licensing to streaming platforms.

Recent and Upcoming Releases (2024-2026)

Altitude's 2024-2026 slate demonstrates the company's range across genres and audience types:

• I'm Still Here (February 21, 2025): Walter Salles' Brazilian dictatorship drama, acquired at script stage with Sony Pictures Classics taking US rights
• Animal Farm (July 11, 2025): Andy Serkis-directed animated adaptation
• Bambi: The Reckoning (August 22, 2025): Horror entry in the public domain character trend
• Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare (February 24, 2025): Low-budget horror from the same universe
• Pinocchio Unstrung (July 24, 2026): Next installment in the horror universe
• SIRAT (TBA): Cannes 2025 Jury Prize winner from Oliver Laxe, acquired for UK-Ireland
• Nouvelle Vague (TBA): Richard Linklater film
• The Leader (TBA): Michael Gallagher film

Previous notable releases include Talk to Me (July 2023, A24 horror that performed strongly at the UK box office), Wham! (June 2023), Radical (August 2024, Sundance award winner), Io capitano (April 2024, Matteo Garrone's Oscar-nominated film), and Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (February 2023) and its sequel (June 2024).

Production and Sales Operations

Altitude's production arm has been increasingly active. The company produced three features in the last year: Marching Powder (which grossed £3.1 million for True Brit Entertainment in the UK, with 55% of its audience aged 16-35), Kenny Dalglish (Asif Kapadia documentary), and Turbulence (Claudio Fah thriller). The company's sales arm represents selected productions for international territory sales, with 47 Meters Down (2017) as a notable example: produced for $4 million and grossing over $60 million worldwide.

Altitude's combined domestic distribution and international sales model gives the company a comprehensive view of a film's commercial potential across markets. This integrated approach allows Altitude to evaluate acquisitions with both UK theatrical performance and international sales revenue in mind, which can result in more competitive offers for films with cross-territory appeal.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Altitude is a realistic acquisition target for British and international filmmakers with commercially positioned independent films. The company acquires at major festivals and markets including Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Sundance, and Berlin. For films with stronger commercial positioning (genre films, star-driven drama, accessible thriller, music documentaries), Altitude provides distribution scale that boutique arthouse labels cannot match.

Clarke has publicly called for more homegrown feel-good UK comedies and genre films, stating that "British audiences want to see British films." He cited Wicked Little Letters (£9.6 million UK box office) and One Life (£10 million UK box office) as examples of commercially successful British films. Filmmakers with projects in the $15 million+ budget range with strong cast, commercial script, and a director who can deliver on the promise of the script align with Altitude's stated acquisition priorities.

The company does not typically acquire purely experimental or avant-garde work. Films need genuine theatrical commercial potential to justify Altitude's theatrical infrastructure investment. For purely arthouse or experimental work, UK distributors like Curzon, New Wave Films, or BFI Distribution are more appropriate targets.

Watch: Trailers and Interviews

See Also

For UK arthouse and specialty distribution, see Curzon and New Wave Films in this directory. For integrated UK sales and distribution, see Wavelength Pictures in this directory. To model UK theatrical revenue as part of an international release plan, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.