Leading Toronto-based digital distribution company Syndicado has inked a digital distribution deal with multi award-winning British documentary director Tony Palmer that sees the company acquire the digital distribution rights to seven of his documentary films for the US.
The agreement with Tony Palmer and Isolde Films features the ‘long-lost’ ‘Bird on a Wire’ documentary that follows Leonard Cohen on his legendary 1972 tour. The film sees Cohen coming into confrontation with fans and security guards and culminates in Cohen experiencing an emotional crisis in Jerusalem. Revered by Cohen devotees, the film only ever existed in bootleg form until 2010 when it was painstakingly restored from the original footage.
Other titles featured in the deal with Tony Palmer Films include ‘The World of Peter Sellers’, a documentary originally banned by the BBC in 1971. Palmer’s profile of the late Peter Sellers was, in the words of the film’s subject himself, “the only portrait which really understood me.” The film features interviews with such friends, fans, and colleagues as Raquel Welch, Yul Brenner, Spike Milligan, Laurence Harvey, and others revealing the true personality behind the man who was loved by everyone, but still viewed himself as entirely alone.
‘The World of Hugh Hefner’, ‘The World of Liberace’, portraits of the German composers Hindemith (‘Hindemith‘), Carl Orff (‘O, Fortuna!’ – with the true story behind Carmina Burana, his most famous work, and his connections with the Nazi Party), plus the controversial examination with and about The Wagner Family, (‘The Wagner Family’) are also included in the agreement.
“It is an incredible honor to be able to work with Mr. Palmer and bring his legendary films to North America on VOD. And for avid Leonard Cohen fans such as myself, ‘Bird on a Wire’ is a special treat. The long-lost documentary can finally get the audience it deserves” said Greg Rubidge, President of Syndicado.
“I’m delighted that someone finally believes in what I had done over the years” said Tony Palmer.
Syndicado is a film and television digital distribution company founded in 2009 and headquartered in Toronto with an office in Las Vegas. The company’s focus is on global digital distribution to major Internet and cable VOD major outlets such as Amazon, iTunes, Google, Vudu, Shudder, Popcornflix, cable VOD in the US and Canada and several other leading VOD platforms.
Syndicado recently announced sales of over 40 hours of both scripted and unscripted content Popcornflix and the acquisition of 100 hours of Spanish, French and UK factual content from Feelsales, Java Films and Filmcell International.