Studiocanal bolsters international arm

Studiocanal is strengthening its international operations with a double appointment that underscores growth at the pan-European film group. Former L'Oreal exec Mathieu Zeller is replacing Rodolphe Buet as head of international distribution. In a new position, he will also head up strategic marketing. Buet will direct Studiocanal Germany from Jan. 1, replacing chairman-CEO Wolfgang Braun, who is returning to film production. Buet will report to Studiocanal chairman-CEO Olivier Courson, who's taking oversight for Germany and U.K. Studiocanal's film financing capacity runs at about $800 million through 2014 thanks to a $196 million financing deal with Anton Capital Entertainment. Among movies Studiocanal is co-producing, financing or co-financing are the Coen brothers' Scott Rudin-produced "Inside Llewyn Davis," the Eli Roth-produced "The Last Exorcism 2," Joel Silver's "The Last Photograph," with Sean Penn and Christian Bale, and Stefan Ruzowitzky's "Blackbird" with 2929 and Mutual Film Co. Studiocanal sells international on all titles. The key brief for Zeller will be co-ordinating movies' international roll-out. Buet also was Studiocanal's head of business development. His next step will be developing Studiocanal in Germany. Courson recently pushed through distribution pacts with RTL for German TV and Lovefilm for pay TV windows. But Germany's highest-performing Studiocanal title over the last year was "The Tourist," released in a snowstorm to a modest $8.8 million cume. Studiocanal will now fire up production and distribution beyond the Rhine. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com