Laurie May Departing As Co-President Of Elevation Pictures
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- Laurie May is stepping down as co-president of Elevation Pictures after 13 years with the company, which she helped build into Canada's top indie distributor.
- Elevation Pictures was founded in 2013 during the Toronto Film Festival by Black Bear's Teddy Schwarzman and has handled Canadian distribution of Oscar winners The Imitation Game, Room, Moonlight, and Everything Everywhere All at Once, plus recent A24 titles Backrooms and Marty Supreme.
- Elevation recently released PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie, a Spin Master and Paramount co-production that has grossed over $70 million worldwide.
- Elevation has 14 films at the 51st TIFF, including Neon's Cannes Palme d'Or winner Fjord, All of a Sudden, and A24's The Debut and Club Kid.
- May received the Women in Film and Television Outstanding Achievement Award in 2010 and served as a WIFT mentor.
- Schwarzman, representing Elevation's board, thanked May for her 'vision, commitment and entrepreneurial leadership' in building the company over the past 13 years.
Why it matters: Elevation loses one of its co-presidents mid-festival season while promoting a 14-film TIFF slate that includes a $70M-plus-grossing family hit and Cannes Palme d'Or winner Fjord, leaving Schwarzman and remaining leadership to steer the company through a high-stakes fall without a named successor in place.
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