Cornerstone Films

What Cornerstone Films does

Cornerstone Films Limited is a privately held international film sales and distribution agency headquartered in London, with an additional office in Los Angeles. Founded in 2015 by Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder, the company operates as an intermediary between independent film producers and global territorial distributors, acquiring international sales rights to films and licensing them territory-by-territory across markets including the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Poland, Portugal, Israel, Latin America, and Benelux. Its core product is film sales agency services supported by a slate of 11+ active titles in various stages of development, pre-production, production, and distribution (including Pillion, Bedford Park, Stuffed, When Darkness Loves Us, Foxfinder, Cavendish, A Waiter in Paris, From Below, The Arrival, Fangs, and Breathe Deep), with marquee cast and auteur attachments (Mike Leigh, Bijan Sheibani, Aoife McArdle, Jodie Comer, Emilia Clarke, Tessa Thompson, Alexander Skarsgård, Harry Melling).

The business model is transaction-based: Cornerstone earns commissions on the territory-by-territory sales it closes on behalf of producers, with go-to-market concentrated at major international film markets and festivals — Cannes Film Market, American Film Market (AFM), and Sundance — where it launches titles and negotiates with buyers. Distribution partners include A24 (US), Picturehouse (UK), Sony Pictures Classics, Bleecker Street, Memento (France), Weltkino (Germany/Austria), and iWonder (Italy), among others. The company maintains co-financing and co-production relationships with public and private financiers including BBC Film, BFI, Film4, and CAA Media Finance, and works closely with leading UK and European production companies such as Element Pictures, House Productions, DMC Film (Michael Fassbender), and Wild Swim Films.

The company has demonstrated recent commercial and critical momentum: Pillion won Un Certain Regard Best Screenplay at Cannes 2025 and four British Independent Film Awards, with BAFTA nominations; Bedford Park won the Sundance 2026 U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature and was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. No external investment, parent entity, or ownership change is disclosed; the firm operates independently with a small headcount of 1–10 employees.

Name

Cornerstone Films

Legal name

Cornerstone Films Limited

Website

https://cornerstonefilm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cornerstone Films is a London-based international film sales and distribution agency representing independent producers by acquiring worldwide rights and licensing them to territorial distributors across 20+ markets via Cannes, AFM, and Sundance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Sales and Distribution

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Royalty, Reporting & Revenue Share Administration (MPADALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Development & Packaging (IP Sourcing, Script, Attachments) (MPADAAAA)

Keywords

• International film sales
• Film distribution services
• Independent film representation
• Worldwide rights sales
• Film sales agency

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Film Sales and Distribution: Cornerstone Films acts as an international film sales agent, handling worldwide sales and distribution for films. They acquire sales rights to films and sell them to distributors across different territories.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cornerstone Films is an international film sales agency that acquires sales rights from independent film producers and sells/licenses distribution rights to territorial distributors worldwide. The company handles the full commercial lifecycle from development through distribution, connecting filmmakers with global buyers at major film markets (Cannes, AFM, Sundance) and through an established network of distribution partners across 20+ countries.

Product overview

Cornerstone Films is a film sales agency offering a comprehensive platform for films from development through to global distribution. The company provides international sales representation and distribution services, connecting creative vision with global commercial success. The core product is their Film Sales Agency Services, supported by their Current Film Slate of films in various stages (Tender Loving Care, Pretend I'm Not Here, The Arrival, Cavendish, Foxfinder, A Waiter in Paris, When Darkness Loves Us, Stuffed, From Below, Fangs, Breathe Deep). The company operates a territory-specific distribution network with partnerships across major markets worldwide including A24 (US), Picturehouse (UK), and regional distributors across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia. Cornerstone also provides specialized sales services at major film markets including Cannes Film Market and American Film Market (AFM), representing films like Pillion, Bedford Park, Foxfinder, Cavendish, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film Sales Agency Services

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Element PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElement Pictures is a major Irish film production company that has produced films including Pillion. Cornerstone works closely with Element on film projects, with Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe producing films like Pillion together.
• BBC FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBC Film is a co-financier and co-producer on multiple Cornerstone films including Pillion, Bedford Park, and others. They provide development and production financing.
• A24coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA24 acquired US distribution rights for Pillion and handles US theatrical distribution.
• PicturehousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPicturehouse acquired UK distribution rights for Pillion and is handling UK theatrical distribution.
• September FilmcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeptember Film handles distribution in Benelux territories for Pillion and other films.
• Memento FilmscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMemento acquired French distribution rights for Pillion.
• WeltkinominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWeltkino acquired German and Austrian distribution rights for Pillion.
• Sony Pictures ClassicscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSony Pictures Classics acquired Bedford Park for distribution following its Sundance premiere.
• Logical Pictures GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogical Pictures Group co-represents international sales and distribution for Foxfinder alongside Cornerstone.
• Bleecker StreetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBleecker Street is handling US distribution for When Darkness Loves Us starring Emilia Clarke.
• House ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouse Productions (behind Conclave) co-produced The Arrival and develops/produces quality British independent films.
• DMC FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMC Film (Michael Fassbender's production company) produced The Arrival alongside Cornerstone.
• FremantleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFremantle is an executive producer on Pillion and a media company involved in film production and distribution.
• Wild Swim FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWild Swim Films (Ivana MacKinnon and Emily Leo) produced Cavendish, a film Cornerstone is launching at Cannes.
• January FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJanuary Films (Rosa Attab and Jacqueline De Croy) co-produced Cavendish.
• MadantsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish production entity Madants co-produced Cavendish with Klaudia Smieja-Rostworowska and Bogna Szewczyk-Skupien.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wild Bunch International: Paris-based international sales and distribution company handling independent films across global territories; comparable to Cornerstone in scope and business model, with a deeper European catalog.
• Films Boutique: Berlin-based international sales agent specializing in arthouse and festival-driven independent films; directly comparable to Cornerstone in business model, slate type, and reliance on Cannes/Berlinale market windows.
• The Match Factory: Cologne-headquartered international sales and distribution company for arthouse cinema; comparable to Cornerstone as a European sales agent focused on festival titles and auteur-driven projects.
• Altitude Film Distribution: UK-based international sales and distribution company handling independent features across multiple territories; comparable to Cornerstone in business model and UK-based festival-to-market strategy.
• Playtime: Paris-based international sales, production, and financing company for independent films; comparable to Cornerstone in handling European auteur titles and managing multi-territory distribution.
• Protagonist Pictures: London-headquartered international film sales and co-finance company handling worldwide rights for independent films; directly comparable to Cornerstone on size, business model, UK base, and prestige indie focus.
• mk2 Films: Paris-headquartered international sales and arthouse distribution company with a curated catalog of independent and art films; closely comparable to Cornerstone's festival-driven, prestige-focused slate strategy.
• Bankside Films: London-based international sales and distribution company specializing in independent features; comparable to Cornerstone as a UK boutique sales agent of similar scale handling festival titles.
• HanWay Films: London-based international sales, production, and distribution company representing independent features across global territories; closely comparable as a UK boutique sales agent competing for similar art-leaning slates.
• Celluloid Dreams: Paris-based international sales and production company focused on independent arthouse cinema; comparable to Cornerstone as a boutique European sales agent operating at Cannes and other major festivals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/filmcornerstone
• Facebookfacebook.com/FilmCornerstone
• Instagraminstagram.com/filmcornerstone
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cornerstone-films

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cornerstone Films