HanWay Films

Overview

HanWay Films is a London-based international sales, distribution, and marketing company founded in 1998 by producer Jeremy Thomas. The company is headquartered at The Kodak, 11 Keeley Street, London WC2B 4BA, and employs approximately 14 people with an annual revenue between $5 million and $25 million. HanWay was acquired by Cohen Media Group in August 2022. CEO Gabrielle Stewart leads the company's strategic direction and public-facing market presence.

HanWay specializes in quality, high-profile, and commercially driven films from visionary filmmakers. The company offers full-service solutions: arranging financing, sales, marketing, and distribution. HanWay operates two divisions: HanWay Films (new acquisitions and sales) and HanWay Select (a catalog library of more than 550 films available for territorial licensing). The Select library includes works by Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock, D.W. Griffith, Buster Keaton, James Ivory, Agnes Varda, Bernardo Bertolucci, David Cronenberg, Nicholas Roeg, Jane Campion, Sally Potter, Matteo Garrone, Amos Gitai, and Wim Wenders. A 4K restoration of Wenders' Paris, Texas screened in Cannes Classics 2024, 40 years after its world premiere there.

The company was named after 24 Hanway Street in London's Soho, where Thomas founded the sales company in 1998. HanWay has long-term global producing partnerships with a broad slate of international talent.

Current Team and Leadership

Gabrielle Stewart serves as CEO and is the primary public-facing executive at major markets including AFM, Cannes, and Berlin. Peter Watson is President. The production and acquisitions team includes Ivan Kelava (Head of Production), Genevieve Segall (Head of Acquisitions, promoted from Director of Acquisitions in 2023, previously at Universal Pictures Content Group), Joe Jeffreys (Acquisitions Manager), Angharad Edwards (Acquisitions and Production Assistant), and Zoe Boissonnas (International Sales Coordinator). Edward Parodi joined as Director of Sales from Film Constellation, replacing Andrei Kamarowsky.

HanWay tracks 27 decision makers across the company. The team has worked on films including Tornado, Bad Apples, La Cocina, and Dance First.

Recent Slate and Acquisition Activity

HanWay's recent slate demonstrates its focus on star-driven, high-concept prestige features with awards-season potential. The company has tracked 25 slate activities in the past 12 months, with 2 recent acquisitions confirmed.

Recent and current titles on the HanWay slate include:

• Hey Bear (introduced to buyers at AFM, starring Mia Goth, Dan Stevens, and Zach Galifianakis)
• The Julia Set (acquired October 2025, coming-of-age drama)
• Extra Geography (acquired January 2025)
• Tornado (directed by John Maclean, starring Tim Roth, Jack Lowden, and Koki; sold to IFC Films and Shudder for North America)
• Bad Apples (starring four-time Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan, a satirical comedy-thriller based on Rasmus Andersson's novel)
• La Cocina (Berlinale Competition, starring Rooney Mara, directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios; Fifth Season co-financed and co-represented North America with WME)
• Hot Milk (2025 release, based on Deborah Levy's novel)
• Warfare (starring Will Poulter and Kit Connor)
• The Third Parent (horror starring Rob Lowe, Crispin Glover, and Roselyn Sanchez; sales launched at Cannes 2025)
• Legacy (horror directed by David Slade, starring Lucy Hale, Jack Whitehall, and Anjelica Huston; boarded by HanWay for EFM 2026)
• Branded (true crime epic based on a David Grann New Yorker article, directed by Kieron Hawkes)
• 2 Win (directed by Stefano Mordini, inspired by the 1983 Rally World Championships)
• The Spacesuit (starring Vanessa Kirby and Lewis Pullman, directed by Kitty Green; UTA and CAA represent North America)

CEO Gabrielle Stewart has publicly articulated a mandate centered on originality and emotional resonance. Recent representation skews toward complex female characters navigating themes of violence, maternal instinct, and obsession. Stewart stated: "There is nothing more thrilling than coming across a project that breaks barriers in terms of originality."

Deal Structure and Market Approach

HanWay structures deals as the international sales agent, retaining international rights while North American rights are handled by a separate partner. On recent projects, WME Independent has managed North American representation, reflecting a clear division-of-territory strategy typical of prestige independent releases.

The company operates on a pre-sales and market-introduction model. HanWay introduces titles to territory buyers at major markets: AFM (confirmed active deal-making venue), Cannes (Marche du Film), Berlin (EFM), and Toronto. Pre-sales on independently financed projects are a core mechanism, with star-driven packages used to anchor buyer interest across territories. For Hey Bear, HanWay introduced the title to buyers at AFM before the film was complete, using the cast package to generate pre-sale commitments.

Budget terms for recent acquisitions have not been disclosed publicly. Projects with strong talent packages and original concepts are best positioned to attract HanWay's pre-sales interest. The company also moves upstream into production financing and development, packaging projects with established and emerging directors before they are shot.

Co-Production and UK Financing Access

HanWay's co-production activity connects UK production financing with international partners. The company understands UK co-production treaty structures and maintains relationships with UK financiers including Film4, BBC Films, and the BFI. For international producers seeking UK co-production involvement, and the access to UK tax credits, Film4, and BBC Films financing that comes with it, HanWay's production relationships provide a practical navigation path through the UK financing ecosystem.

HanWay's production arm, led by Ivan Kelava as Head of Production, allows the company to participate in projects at the development and financing stages rather than only acquiring completed films. This gives filmmakers a potential partner for packaging and financing, not just sales representation.

What Filmmakers Should Know

HanWay is a selective representation target requiring significant festival credentials, established directorial reputation, or strong talent attachments. The company focuses on films positioned at the top of the international arthouse and prestige market. Its acquisition decisions reflect a high quality threshold: films that can compete at Cannes, Venice, or Berlin in competition or high-profile parallel sections.

For established directors with significant track records, or for films with confirmed major festival selections at the competition level, HanWay is one of the most effective UK-based sales partners. The company's buyer relationships at major US specialty distributors (IFC Films, Shudder, A24, Neon), European arthouse distributors, and premium streaming platforms give it leverage to achieve strong territorial values for qualifying films.

For emerging directors, HanWay is a longer-term aspiration rather than an immediate target. Building the critical track record that attracts HanWay's attention requires multiple significant festival selections and a growing international critical reputation. However, the company's expansion into production financing means it may engage with emerging talent earlier in the development process if a project has a strong original concept and initial talent attachment.

Access runs through major international film markets. AFM is confirmed as an active deal-making venue. Direct outreach to the London-based team is appropriate for projects at script or package stage. Contact: +44 (0)20 7290 0750 or info@hanwayfilms.com. The company tracks 27 decision makers, suggesting a team with meaningful coverage depth. Projects should arrive with a clear originality hook and, ideally, some talent attachment.

Notable Representations

HanWay's catalog spans the history of British prestige cinema over the past 28 years. The company has represented films by directors including Mike Leigh, Stephen Frears, and other major British directors, alongside international co-productions with significant festival and awards track records. The HanWay Select library of 550+ films includes classics by Hitchcock, Lang, Cronenberg, Campion, and Wenders, making it one of the deepest prestige catalogs among UK sales agents.

Watch: Trailers and Interviews

Watch: Trailers

See Also

For how UK international sales representation works alongside Film4 and BBC Films financing, see Distribution Deals Explained. For UK theatrical distribution for HanWay-represented productions, see Curzon and BFI Distribution in this directory. To model the financial structure of an international sales deal with pre-sales across territories, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For how pre-sales and MGs work as financing instruments, see Streaming vs Theatrical Revenue.