Levelfilm

levelFILM was founded by Michael Baker and David Hudakoc in August 2013, who had previously worked together at the U.S. distribution house ThinkFilm.{{cite news|last=|first=|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/05/business/010613-the-children-of-thinkfilm.html |title=The Children of ThinkFilm|work=The New York Times|date=|access-date=2023-03-16}} The company's first acquisition, Chen Kaige's Caught in the Web, was announced along with the company's creation.

In 2017, the company sold a majority stake to Laurie Venning, a Canadian investor, entrepreneur, and producer.{{cite news | last=Lang |first=Brent| url=https://variety.com/2017/film/markets-festivals/levelfilm-sells-majority-stake-to-laurie-venning-exclusive-1202548741/| title= LevelFILM Sells Majority Stake to Laurie Venning (EXCLUSIVE) | work=Variety | date=2017-09-07 | access-date=2022-07-12}}

At the 2018 Berlin Film Festival levelFILM announced its acquisition of another Canadian distributor, Search Engine Films (SEF). John Bain, the head of SEF at the time, joined as the company's new Head of Distribution. SEF's library was folded into levelFILM's existing catalogue, including titles such as Equals, Kilo Two Bravo, and Mary Shelley.

In 2019, it was announced that levelFILM and U.S.-based distributor Good Deed Entertainment had struck a four-year output deal, ending in 2023.{{cite news| last=Wiseman| first=Andreas| url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/levelfilm-good-deed-entertainment-canada-distribution-1202551698/| title=Canadian Distributor LevelFILM Strikes Output Deal With 'Loving Vincent' Firm Good Deed Entertainment| work=Deadline | date=2019-02-07 |access-date=2022-07-12}}

At the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival levelFILM announced a multi-year output deal with the U.S. company Greenwich Entertainment, beginning with The Capote Tapes.{{cite news | last=Wiseman | first=Andreas | url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/free-solo-distributor-greenwich-entertainment-sets-canadian-output-deal-with-levelfilm-tiff-1234829458/| title='Free Solo' Distributor Greenwich Entertainment Sets Canadian Output Deal With LevelFILM — TIFF| work=Deadline | date=2021-09-10 | access-date=2022-07-12}} Later in the fall, levelFILM acquired KinoSmith, and folded in its CEO, Robin Smith, as the new Head of Factual. Simultaneously, the company partnered with Smith's other venture, the documentary financing and distribution house Blue Ice Docs, a subsidiary of the Blue Ice Group.

In April 2022 the company was listed at number 9 in The Globe and Mail's list of the 22 most influential people in the Canadian film industry.{{cite news | last=Hertz | first=Barry | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-22-most-influential-canadians-film/|title=The 22 most influential people in Canadian film| work=The Globe and Mail| date=2022-04-07 | access-date=2022-07-12}}

During the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival levelFILM signed an exclusive output deal with Bleecker Street. Mafia Mamma, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, is set to be the first release of the deal and is scheduled for April 2023.{{cite news | last=Ravindran | first=Manori | url=https://variety.com/2022/film/global/bleecker-street-levelfilm-canada-distribution-1235366377/ |title= Bleecker Street Signs Output Deal With Canada's LevelFilm | date=2022-09-09 | access-date=2023-01-30}}

In October 2022, levelFILM released Eternal Spring, which was selected to be Canada's official submission to the 95th Academy Awards for the Best International Feature Film category.{{cite news | last=Tapp | first=Tom | url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/oscars-canada-eternal-spring-oscar-entry-1235099342/ |title= Oscars: Canada Sets 'Eternal Spring' As Its Best International Feature Entry | date=2022-08-24 | access-date=2023-01-30}} The film was also eligible for Best Documentary and Best Animated Feature, but did not make the shortlist in either category.{{cite news | last=Giardina | first=Carolyn | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/marcel-the-shell-with-shoes-on-animated-feature-oscar-1235258749/ |title= 'Marcel the Shell With Shoes On' Qualifies for Oscars' Animated Feature Race (Exclusive) | date=2022-11-09 | access-date=2023-01-30}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|level.film}}

{{Film Studio}}

Category:Film distributors of Canada

Category:Companies based in Toronto

Category:2013 establishments in Ontario

Category:Entertainment companies established in 2013