EXCLUSIVE: Gillian Hormel, the American heir to the Hormel Foods brand, founded Partners in Kind with author Shelly Tygielski, founder of Pandemic of Love. Mary Aloe has been named head of features. The plan is to use a $50 million equity fund over the next three years to develop and invest in film and television projects aimed at inspiring concrete acts of kindness and compassion.
Partners in Kind will produce and fund projects that focus on a variety of issues, including women’s rights, empowering underprivileged voices, climate change and diversity. The team is actively seeking financing, production and executive production film packages and specializes in equity, mezzanine and gap financing. Dorothy Toran will serve as president of the new company.
Aloe is an industry veteran and independent filmmaker who has produced/financed 44 films and manages several film funds.
About Partners in Kind, Aloe says: “I believe this fund is more important than ever given what is currently happening in our world, and I am grateful that we can use the medium of film to strengthen our global impact. While Gillian and Clearly economic success together enjoyed, we share a desire to raise social awareness and inspire change through cinema.
Hormel and Aloe have been producing together since 2019 and, among other things, worked on the film directed by Halle Berry Bruiseddirector: Sean Penn Flag Day, Rumors with Cate Blanchett and the Jamie Foxx-Robert De Niro star Tin soldier.
Hormel calls Aloe “the biggest film partner of the last few years.” In the number of films we have worked on together, I have seen firsthand her impressive instinct for identifying successful projects. “Mary’s expertise in film financing and production, as well as her strong intuition and altruistic nature, led her to lead Partners in Kind’s film division,” says Hormel.
Aloe will maintain her Beverly Hills-based production company, Aloe Entertainment, while also leading the film division at Partners in Kind to produce/export and finance independent films. In addition to projects under the PIK banner, Aloe and Hormel will continue to produce and finance under their current names Aloe Entertainment and Ludascripts.
Partners in Kind will work with productions to create impact campaigns that match everything they do. A central principle of the fund is to create a tangible impact in which viewers can participate.
The company is represented by Marc Chamlin at Loeb and Loeb.
Source: Deadline
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
