DISTRIBUTOR RICHARD LORBER
RECIPIENT OF THE TAFFF IMPACT AWARD 2024.
Distributor Richard Lorber will be the first recipient of the IMPACT AWARD at the AMERICAN FRENCH FILM AWARD on Saturday November 3. This prize, created by the Franco-American Cultural Fund in 2024, celebrates an American professional for his action in favor of French Cinema and/or French series in the US.
Richard Lorber is the Chairman and CEO of Kino Lorber Media Group – the 45-year-old leader in art house distribution in the US for award-winning international, documentary, indie, and classic cinema – the streaming services MHz Choice, specializing in international series, and Kino Film Collection, featuring new Kino Lorber releases fresh from theaters, along with hundreds of films from its expansive library of more than 4,000 titles.
New York-based Kino Lorber acquires and releases 35 first-run and repertory films per year theatrically in North America, as well as over 350 titles on all major digital VOD platforms and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD formats. Kino Lorber has a distinguished awards record with 7 Oscar nominated films in the last 10 years – including French FOUR DAUGHTERS, which was nominated this year for Best Documentary Feature Film – as well as many other award-winners from top global festivals among its highly curated library.
Among the French films and series released by Kino Lorber, several have premiered at THE AMERICAN FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL. They reflect the strong relationship between the company and the festival, built over the years and the eclecticism of the films released by the distributor, a similar strategy to the program of the festival. The list includes MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON (2010), THE WELL-DIGGER’S DAUGHTER (2012), THE BUREAU (2015~2020), AS I OPEN MY EYES & FATIMA (2016), SLACK BAY (2017), PROUD & CUSTODY (2018), OLGA & FRANCE (2021), THE SUPER 8 YEARS, THE WORST ONES & FINAL CUT (2022), ON THE ADAMANT & LA SYNDICALISTE (2023) and, this year, THE EMPIRE.
An industry pioneer with over 40 years’ experience, Richard was the co-founder and head of Fox Lorber for 20 years. He later served for six years as President of Koch Lorber Films, partnered with Entertainment One. He acquired Kino International in 2009 to form Kino Lorber.
Before his business career, Richard earned bachelors, master’s and doctoral degrees from Columbia University and spent a decade teaching art history including as an Assistant Professor, New York University, while also writing art criticism for Artforum and other journals. The French government honored his cultural contributions by awarding him the “Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.” He served for nine years as Chairman of the Board of Film Forum, America’s preeminent non-profit art house cinema. He is a member of the Producers’ Guild of America and a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science, Executives branch.
