VMI & Verdi Productions Team For U.S. Distribution Fund With Eye On AFM For First Acquisitions

EXCLUSIVE: Vantage Media, the domestic distribution arm of sales firm VMI Worldwide, is partnering with Chad A. Verdi’s Verdi Productions (Bleed For This) on a fund to acquire and distribute independent films.

Vantage has grown its slate in recent months with titles including What Remains, the true crime-thriller starring Andrea Riseborough and Stellan Skarsgård, Fernando Trueba’s Haunted Heart starring Matt Dillon, and The Ballad of Davy Crockett, starring William Moseley.

Vantage and Verdi are planning on an annual slate of twelve cast-driven titles and the former will be attending the upcoming American Film Market in Las Vegas to meet with sales agents and filmmakers.

The deal was negotiated by Chad A. Verdi, CEO of Verdi Productions, and Andre Relis, CEO of Vantage Media and VMI Worldwide.

“Verdi and VMI have been long standing partners working on countless pictures for over a decade. I am looking forward to bringing this partnership to a full fold and starting this new venture,” said Relis.

Chad A. Verdi added: “We are excited to continue our partnership with VMI in this exciting and new journey. With the combined expertise of VMI and Verdi Productions, we will handpick a slate of unique and bankable titles to hit the screens and platforms in 2025 and beyond.”

VMI Worldwide’s recent sales slate includes A Sudden Case of Christmas starring Danny DeVito and Andie MacDowell, The Yellow Tie starring John Malkovich and Sean Bean, and Darkness of Man starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.