Cohen Media Group

Overview

Cohen Media Group is an independent film distribution, restoration, and exhibition company based in New York. Founded in 2008 by real estate developer Charles S. Cohen, the company has distributed more than 120 features and shorts, specializing in foreign-language, arthouse, and documentary titles for the North American market. The company operates three integrated divisions: theatrical distribution, the Cohen Film Collection (classic film restoration and home video), and exhibition through Landmark Theatres.

Cohen Media Group releases between 10 and 20 films per year theatrically and across home entertainment and digital platforms. The company's EVP Robert Aaronson negotiates acquisitions with international sales agents at Cannes, Berlin, and the Marche du Film. Recent acquisitions include Eagles of the Republic (Tarik Saleh, 2026 US release), Bonnard, Pierre & Marthe (Martin Provost, 2025), Think Good (Geraldine Nakache, acquired July 2026 at Cannes), and Everybody Digs Bill Evans (Grant Gee, Berlinale Silver Bear winner, acquired at Cannes 2026).

Distribution Model and Exhibition Infrastructure

Cohen Media Group distributes theatrically through partnerships with arthouse cinemas in major US markets, with a particular advantage through its ownership of Landmark Theatres. Cohen acquired Landmark in December 2018 from Wagner/Cuban Companies (associated with Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner). At the time of acquisition, Landmark operated 52 theaters with 252 screens in 27 cities, specializing in independent and foreign films. Landmark venues continue to show first-run films from multiple distributors, but the ownership connection gives Cohen Media Group direct access to premium arthouse screen placement.

The company also owns the Quad Cinema in Greenwich Village, which Cohen purchased in 2014 and reopened in 2017 after renovation. Cohen Media Group films regularly play at Quad Cinemas and Landmark venues including Landmark Century Centre Cinema (Chicago), Landmark Midtown Art Cinemas 8 (Atlanta), and Landmark Westwood (Los Angeles).

Digital and home entertainment releases follow the theatrical window. The company launched the Cohen Media Channel, a streaming service offering classic worldwide cinema and new titles for $4.99 per month or $49.99 annually. The channel operates alongside the company's Blu-ray and DVD distribution through the Cohen Film Collection label.

Cohen Film Collection and Restoration

Cohen's investment in classic film rights is a defining part of the company's identity. In 2011, Cohen acquired the Rohauer Library, a collection assembled by film archivist Raymond Rohauer, and renamed it the Cohen Film Collection. The collection includes over 800 films, including works by Buster Keaton, D.W. Griffith, and Merchant Ivory Productions. The company restores and reissues classic films theatrically and on home video.

Restoration projects have included Jacques Demy's The Young Girls of Rochefort and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Claude Chabrol titles, Marcel Pagnol films, and the Merchant Ivory catalog. Blu-ray releases from the Cohen Film Collection are known for restored archival materials, filmmaker interviews, and scholarly liner notes. The collection generates revenue from collectors, educational institutions, and the Cohen Media Channel alongside standard retail sales.

HanWay Films Acquisition and International Sales

In 2022, Cohen Media Group acquired British international sales company HanWay Films, founded by producer Jeremy Thomas. HanWay continues to operate as an independent unit selling theatrical titles to international distributors, with Peter Watson remaining president and Gabrielle Stewart serving as chief executive. The acquisition gave Cohen Media Group an international sales arm and a library of prestige titles for global distribution.

Financial Situation and Charles Cohen's Real Estate Troubles

Cohen Media Group's financial stability is connected to Charles Cohen's broader real estate portfolio through Cohen Brothers Realty. Since the pandemic emptied offices, many of Cohen's prized properties lost tenants. At least six of his buildings sit more than 20% empty, with three less than 60% occupied. Cohen has struggled to make payments on at least $1.1 billion in debt, resulting in the loss of four properties at a foreclosure auction in November 2024.

In March 2024, Fortress Investment Group filed suit alleging default on a $534 million loan backed by seven properties including a Florida design center, a Westchester redevelopment site, a New York office tower, a Fort Lauderdale hotel, and three theaters. Fortress sought a $187 million judgment against Cohen personally as guarantor. In February 2025, the New York Appellate Division unanimously affirmed the judgment, putting Cohen on the hook for the $187 million personal guarantee. Fortress took back the collateral properties in what was reported as the largest UCC foreclosure ever, making a $148 million credit bid.

The foreclosure included Curzon Cinemas, the British arthouse cinema group Cohen acquired in December 2019, which included 13 British locations, the Curzon Artificial Eye distribution division, and the Curzon Home Cinema streaming business. Fortress acquired Curzon in 2024 after the foreclosure auction. Despite these real estate troubles, Cohen Media Group's film distribution operations have continued acquiring and releasing titles through 2025 and 2026.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Cohen Media Group acquires from international sales agents at Cannes, Berlin, the European Film Market, and Toronto, with a focus on French, Italian, and broader European arthouse cinema. The company's acquisitions tend toward prestige drama, documentary, and films with strong critical credentials from festival runs. Recent acquisitions demonstrate continued activity despite the parent company's real estate financial issues.

For US-based filmmakers, Cohen Media Group is a less common acquisition target than higher-volume specialty distributors. For international filmmakers, particularly European directors whose films have secured festival playdates and international sales representation, Cohen is an active and credible US distribution partner with the added advantage of guaranteed theatrical placement through Landmark Theatres and the Quad Cinema.

The company's connection to Charles Cohen's broader investment portfolio has historically provided financial stability that independent distributors lack, allowing Cohen Media Group to sustain long-form theatrical campaigns. However, the Fortress foreclosure and $187 million judgment have altered this financial picture. Filmmakers should evaluate current offers carefully and confirm that distribution commitments are backed by the distribution entity rather than the broader real estate portfolio.

Notable Releases

Eagles of the Republic (2026, Tarik Saleh, Swedish Oscar submission), Bonnard, Pierre & Marthe (2025, Martin Provost), Everybody Digs Bill Evans (2026, Grant Gee, Berlinale Silver Bear), Think Good (2026, Geraldine Nakache), Our War (2025), A Separation (2011, US distribution), The Salesman (2016, Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film), Timbuktu (2014), Mustang (2015), Tom of Finland (2017), Varda by Agnes (2019). The Cohen Film Collection catalog includes restored works by Buster Keaton, Jacques Demy, Claude Chabrol, Marcel Pagnol, and Merchant Ivory.

Watch: Trailers and Interviews

See Also

For how restoration projects generate revenue through home entertainment and theatrical re-release, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model the revenue profile of an arthouse release across theatrical, home entertainment, and streaming windows, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For comparison with other US specialty distributors, see the A24 entry and the Bleecker Street entry in this directory.