Searchlight sales boss Frank Rodriguez joins Amazon MGM Studios as general sales manager

EXCLUSIVE: There’s a big shift happening in film distribution today, as longtime Searchlight distribution executive Frank Rodriguez joins Amazon MGM Studios as its new general sales manager.

Rodriguez will report to Kevin Wilson, head of distribution at Amazon MGM, who was appointed to the position in April following the death of longtime distribution head Erik Lomis. Rodriguez’s recent appointment is part of the restructuring of Amazon MGM’s theatrical distribution group. Amazon MGM includes East Coast distribution veteran Mark Boxer, who joined the studio during the Bob Berney era and was named head of specialty theatrical distribution in April.

Rodriguez – who received ShowEast’s prestigious Bingham Ray Spirit Award last month – has been with Searchlight since 2012, when the company was still called Fox Searchlight, and has overseen domestic distribution for a number of Oscar and award-winning art house hits, including Wes Anderson’s highest grossing film of all time, The Grand Budapest Hotel ($59.3 million domestic, $174.5 million foreign), Guillermo del Toro Best Picture winner The shape of water ($63.8 million domestic, $195.2 million), Taikia Waititi’s absurdist political comedy Jojo Rabbit ($33.3 million domestic, $93.5 million foreign), Best Picture Oscar winner for Steve McQueen 12 years slave ($56.6 million domestic, $187.7 million), Michael Keaton’s comeback film Birdman ($42.3 million domestic, $103.2 million overseas) and Yorgos Lanthimos’ The favorite ($34.3 million domestic, $95.9 million foreign).

Rodriguez’s sales record includes assignments at DreamWorks as sales manager in New York. He founded the studio from scratch until it was initially acquired by Paramount. He later served as SVP of Eastern Sales at the studio prior to Searchlight.

Rodriguez leaves big shoes to fill, and we hear that Searchlight executives are interviewing sales candidates for the job. This position reports to the larger Disney distribution team led by Tony Chambers, EVP of Theatrical Distribution. Movies always book early in theaters, and Rodriguez has already made big plans for Searchlight’s awards show this season, including Waititi’s underdog comedy. The next goal wins (November 17); Winner of the Golden Lion of Venice by Lanthimos Poor stuff (Dec. 8), starring and produced by Emma Stone; and Andrew Haigh’s critically acclaimed romantic drama We are all strangers (Dec. 22), which was just nominated for 4 Gotham Awards.

Here is Wilson’s letter to employees:

Dear Team,

I am writing today to announce a very exciting addition to our ranks. As part of the restructuring of the theatrical distribution group (which I am honored to lead), Frank Rodriguez will join us as General Sales Manager.

As many of you already know, Frank has long been one of our industry’s most important leaders. He comes to us from Searchlight Pictures, where he led sales and distribution for more than a decade and helped the company win four Academy Awards for Best Picture, among numerous other awards and nominations. Frank’s distinguished career also included overseeing DreamWorks’ distribution in the New York market from the company’s inception through its acquisition by Paramount Pictures, where Frank later served as SVP of Eastern Sales. Frank was honored at ShowEast last month with the Bingham Ray Spirit Award for his exemplary vision and creativity in sales, a testament to his impressive professional achievements.

We have achieved so much this past year and I am so proud of the whole team. The addition of Frank only further strengthens us as we continue to look for ways to grow our theater business and bring the best entertainment to audiences around the world.

Honest,

Kevin Wilson