Cinelicious Pics

Overview

Cinelicious Pics is a Los Angeles-based independent film distribution and restoration company founded in 2010. The company releases restored classic and contemporary arthouse films theatrically and on home entertainment in the United States, with a particular focus on films that require or benefit from restoration work before re-release. Cinelicious combines its restoration expertise with distribution activity, making it uniquely positioned to revive films that need technical restoration as a precondition for contemporary release.

The company's parent operation, Cinelicious (a post-production and digital intermediate facility), gives Cinelicious Pics direct access to technical restoration capabilities. This integration of restoration and distribution allows the company to acquire films in deteriorated condition and bring them back to presentable quality before releasing them theatrically and on home video.

Restoration Work

Film restoration is a technically and financially demanding process. Restoring a film from original 35mm elements requires scanning, digital repair of damage and deterioration, colour grading against original reference materials, and audio restoration -- a process that can cost tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a comprehensive 4K restoration. Cinelicious Pics' access to post-production infrastructure through its parent company reduces the per-project cost of this work relative to independent distributors who must hire outside facilities.

For rights holders of films in need of restoration, Cinelicious Pics offers a model where the distribution company handles the restoration investment in exchange for distribution rights. This structure allows important films to be revived without requiring the rights holder to fund costly restoration work independently.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Cinelicious Pics is primarily relevant for rights holders of classic films requiring restoration rather than for contemporary filmmakers seeking distribution for new work. The company's niche -- restored classics for the US theatrical and home entertainment market -- places it alongside Kino Classics, the Criterion Collection, and Arrow Films as a restorer and re-releaser of significant film history.

For contemporary filmmakers whose work fits the company's arthouse acquisition profile, Cinelicious Pics does acquire new films alongside its restoration catalog. Films with strong festival credentials and arthouse audience potential are the most likely contemporary acquisition targets.

See Also

For how film restoration generates new theatrical and home entertainment revenue from classic film catalogs, see Distribution Deals Explained. For comparable restoration and distribution operations, see Kino Classics and Criterion Collection in this directory.