Cineflix buys ‘Coroner’ prodco Back Alley Films, as founders exit

L-R: Adrienne Mitchell & Janis Lundman

Cineflix Media has acquired Canadian prodco Back Alley Films and its content library, which includes its stake in shows such as CBC crime series Coroner.

Co-founders Adrienne Mitchell and Janis Lundman are to depart to “explore new opportunities”, having founded the Toronto- and Montreal-based company in 1989. Financial details of the deal have not been revealed.

Following the takeover, Lundman is moving to a consultancy role, while Mitchell will continue to produce under her BentFrame Film & TV label, which aims to develop and produce “ambitious, provocative, and diverse” female-driven dramatic series and feature films.

The deal sees Cineflix buying Back Alley’s operations and its programming assets, including interests in series such as the Anna Paquin-starring Bellevue, wartime drama Bomb Girls, and crime show Durham County.

The acquisition also includes the company’s stake in Coroner, the crime procedural which launched its fourth season on CBC in January. Back Alley and Muse Entertainment have co-produced the series with Cineflix Studios since 2019, and Cineflix Rights is the exclusive global distribution partner.

Coroner

Coroner airs in more than 150 territories on networks and platforms including The CW in the US, NBCUniversal International Networks, Sky Witness in the UK, Globo in Brazil and Nine Network in Australia.

Background & context

Cineflix has been expanding its reach over recent years, with a growing joint-venture line-up that includes Mirage producer Connect3 Media and Marcella producer Buccaneer Media.

Last year, Cineflix Media’s COO Andrew Akman stepped down from his role to launch Canadian production firm Husk Media, backed by the company and with Coroner creator Morwyn Brebner also onboard.

Cineflix also houses Cineflix Productions, Cineflix Studios and sales arm, Cineflix Rights.

Peter Emerson, president of Cineflix Media, said: “It has been such a pleasure to collaborate with Janis and Adrienne over the past 20 years as they grew Back Alley Films. I’m such a huge fan of their work that we jumped at the opportunity to acquire the company’s IP and also to continue to support them in any new projects or endeavours.”

“I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with amazing creatives and network executives over the past three decades and I’m incredibly proud of all the shows Back Alley Films has produced,” Lundman added. “I can’t think of a better company than Cineflix to take the reins and shepherd in new possibilities for the Back Alley IP – there are plenty of exciting opportunities ahead for us all.”

“Our goals were to push creative boundaries and tell diverse and authentic stories, making for thought-provoking and compelling film and television. I am thrilled that Cineflix Media, an industry powerhouse, has acquired our library and I feel they are the perfect fit to represent our stories for the global marketplace,” added Mitchell.