Triumph Films (also known as Triumph Releasing Corporation) was an American independent film studio division of Sony Pictures Entertainment that geared towards theatre and direct-to-video film production and distribution.

Triumph Films
FormerlyTriumph Releasing Corporation (1988–1994)
Company typeIn-name-only division[1]
IndustryFilm
Founded1982; 42 years ago (1982) (original)
1988; 36 years ago (1988) (relaunch)
Defunct1985; 39 years ago (1985) (original)
2014; 10 years ago (2014) (relaunch)
FateDormant
SuccessorStudio:
Destination Films
Library:
Sony Pictures Entertainment (with some exceptions)
Headquarters
Key people
Samuel White (Co-President)
Benjamin Lewis (Executive Chairman)
ProductsMotion pictures
ParentColumbia Pictures (1982–1985)
Gaumont (1982–1985)
Sony Pictures Entertainment (1988–2014)

History

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It was founded in 1982 as a joint venture between Columbia Pictures and the French company Gaumont to distribute foreign films in the US. In 1984, Marcie Bloom, who was formerly of the New York Film Festival, joined Triumph Films to serve as New York publicity director (Bloom would later co-found Sony Pictures Classics).[2]

In 1985, Triumph Films announced that they would cut back down on their production slate, focusing on foreign-language films with English subtitles.[3] Shortly afterwards, Gaumont decided to cut ties, and Columbia Pictures, now the sole owner, decided to shutter Triumph Films, and fold it into the Columbia Pictures label.[4][5]

On January 5, 1988, the then-newly founded Columbia Pictures Entertainment announced that they would revive the Triumph brand as a new worldwide subsidiary, Triumph Releasing Corporation; this incarnation of Triumph provided administrative services related to the distribution of Columbia Pictures and Tri-Star Pictures in the U.S. and Canada, while internationally, Triumph would be responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of Columbia and Tri-Star films under the direction of each individual studio.[6] It was officially incorporated on March 24, 1988.[1] In 1989, Triumph began to distribute films from Crédit Lyonnais's Epic Productions Inc..[7]

On November 23, 1994, Triumph Releasing Corporation was renamed as Sony Pictures Releasing Corporation,[1] and the Triumph name was spun off as Triumph Films, now primarily a label for low-budget and direct-to-video releases. After being shut down in 1997, the Triumph Films label was re-activated in 2003. The label went dormant again, becoming an in-name-only division of Sony Pictures Releasing Corporation.[1] In 2014, the label was revived yet again for the release of The Remaining. Their direct-to-video role has been taken by Destination Films within Sony.

Notable films

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Notable films include To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, The Ambulance, Brainscan, Magic in the Water (co-released by TriStar Pictures), The Golden Laws, Steamboy (co-distributed by Destination Films) and the critically panned SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2.

1980s

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Release Date Title
February 10, 1982 Das Boot
June 21, 1982 La vie continue
June 23, 1982 Bob le flambeur
September 14, 1982 Josepha
October 6, 1982 Yol
January 23, 1983 Parsifal
February 11, 1983 We of the Never Never
February 16, 1983 That Night in Varennes
April 21, 1983 Invitation au voyage
April 29, 1983 Querelle
May 13, 1983 La Boum
May 27, 1983 The Trout
September 9, 1983 Moon in the Gutter
September 28, 1983 Danton
November 11, 1983 Purple Haze
December 14, 1983 The Eyes, the Mouth
January 26, 1984 And the Ship Sails On
May 18, 1984 Angel
May 25, 1984 Heat of Desire
June 12, 1984 The Last Battle[N 1]
June 21, 1984 After the Rehearsal
September 20, 1984 Carmen
October 13, 1984 À Nos Amours
November 9, 1984 The Little Bunch
A Love in Germany
August 2, 1985 Death in a French Garden
August 26, 1985 My Other Husband
October 18, 1985 Acqua e sapone
November 1, 1985 Softly, Softly
December 8, 1989 Triumph of the Spirit[N 2]

1990s

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Release Date Title Notes
January 12, 1990 Ski Patrol distribution only; produced by Epic Productions[N 2]
February 16, 1990 Courage Mountain
March 9, 1990 Bad Influence
March 31, 1990 The Ambulance
April 20, 1990 Modern Love
Why Me? distribution only; produced by Epic Productions[N 2]
April 27, 1990 Wild Orchid distribution only; produced by Vision PDG[N 2]
June 1, 1990 Ghosts Can't Do It distribution only; produced by Epic Productions[N 2]
July 20, 1990 Clownhouse distribution only: produced by Commercial Pictures[N 2]
August 24, 1990 Men at Work distribution only; produced by Epic Productions[N 2]
September 28, 1990 Dark Angel distribution only; produced by Vision PDG[N 2]
October 26, 1990 Sonny Boy distribution only; produced by Trans World Entertainment[N 2]
November 2, 1990 Waiting for the Light distribution only; produced by Epic Productions[N 2]
November 9, 1990 Mister Frost
November 21, 1990 Robot Jox distribution only; produced by Empire Pictures[N 2]
April 12, 1991 Eminent Domain
October 9, 1991 Homicide U.S. distribution only[N 3]
November 1, 1991 Year of the Gun
February 28, 1992 Gate 2: The Trespassers distribution only; produced by Vision PDG[N 2]
March 27, 1992 Ruby
April 15, 1992 Brenda Starr [N 2]
May 8, 1992 Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue distribution only; produced by Vision PDG[N 2]
August 1, 1992 Jersey Girl
October 23, 1992 Zebrahead
March 5, 1993 Shadow of the Wolf
April 9, 1993 Sidekicks distribution only; produced by Vision PDG and Gallery Films
April 22, 1994 Brainscan
March 3, 1995 Nina Takes a Lover
April 12, 1995 Jury Duty co-production with TriStar Pictures
August 30, 1995 Magic in the Water
January 26, 1996 Screamers co-production with Columbia Pictures
August 23, 1996 Solo
October 18, 1996 To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday co-production with Rastar
April 14, 1997 Bliss
May 2, 1997 Truth or Consequences, N.M.
August 22, 1997 Masterminds co-production with Columbia Pictures
September 12, 1997 The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca
September 26, 1997 The Assignment

2000s

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Release Date Title Notes
December 5, 2003 The Golden Laws
August 17, 2004 SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2 co-production with ApolloMedia, Crystal Sky Pictures and Hador BG2 Productions Ltd.
March 18, 2005 Steamboy US distribution only; co-distributed by Destination Films, produced by Sunrise and Toho
February 17, 2006 The Second Chance co-production with Provident Films, Ruckus Film and Cedar Partners
January 2, 2007 Shottas co-distributed by Destination Films
April 18, 2008 Zombie Strippers theatrical distribution only; produced by Stage 6 Films

2010s

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Release Date Title Notes
September 5, 2014 The Remaining distribution only; produced by Affirm Films

Notes

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  1. ^ U.S. distribution rights to this film have since been transferred to sister company Sony Pictures Classics, which in turn acquired them from producer Gaumont
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rights now belong to MGM
  3. ^ Distribution rights now belong to Quiver Distribution

References

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  1. ^ a b c d SONY PICTURES RELEASING CORPORATION businessprofiles.com, Retrieved on January 20, 2014
  2. ^ "Triumph Appoints Bloom N.Y.-Based Pub Director". Variety. April 18, 1984. p. 20.
  3. ^ "English-Lingo Fare To Dominate Triumph Films' Release Schedule". Variety. September 25, 1985. p. 6.
  4. ^ Clark, Ted (October 9, 1985). "Gaumont Pulling Out of Triumph; Buyse To Be Stateside Rep". Variety. p. 3.
  5. ^ "Col Assessing Fate of Triumph Subsid". Variety. October 30, 1985. p. 3.
  6. ^ "Columbia Resurrects 'Triumph'". Variety. January 6, 1988. p. 7.
  7. ^ "METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER INC, Form 10-K, Annual Report, Filing Date Mar 30, 1999" (PDF). secdatabase.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 16, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018.