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Movie studio Ave Fenix Pictures expands branch into LA
Mónica Esmeralda León founded Ave Fenix Pictures the first Hispanic movie studio in Chicago and the Midwest. Along with co-founders and executive producers Zachary Laoutides and Marius Iliescu. The team has been on a role since 2016 with films Adios Vaya Con Dios and Arise From Darkness now being found on Red Box through Lions Gate Films. Their latest film Black Ruby, the first film shot with the iPhone 7, released by The Orchard traveled the international film circuit snagging nominations in London and Rome. In late 2018 Black Ruby premiered at the Los Angeles Film Forum Awards taking home wins Best Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Soundtrack and the Independent Spirit Award.
Co-founder European actor, dancer, artist and producer Marius Iliescu understood the genuine approaches of Ave Fenix Pictures taking the Chicago based movement to a new level. Iliescu executive produced Adios Vaya Con Dios, leading the film into a Hollywood premiere and afterward worked endlessly to establish the prevailing Los Angeles branch, creating feature films released via The Orchard, Redbox, Amazon Prime, and FandangoNOW. I was able to sit down with Iliescu, the head of Ave Fenix Pictures Los Angeles and probe about the type of journey it’s been,
“Ave Fenix Pictures has done extremely well since its inception in 2014 with three feature films conceptualized, produced and launched ‘in the house,’ against all odds of financial survival. Especially for an independent film studio born outside of the cinematic mainstream usually traced in between Los Angeles and New York with short stops in Atlanta and, occasionally New Orleans. Ave Fenix Pictures needed a special spark, which its founding members found and lit through a combination of gritty street storytelling and an unusual recipe of the Midwestern steady mind mixed with explosive Latino flair.
However, the big plays are still happening in the West and the second-best move after finding an original cinematic voice was to expand from Chicago to Los Angeles.”
Iliescu worked to pioneer the west coast branch since 2015 and the results started to show as distribution deals developed shortly with Ave Fenix Pictures becoming an inclusive brand. “Adios Vaya Con Dios” (2016) and “Arise From Darkness” (2017) were included by Indican Pictures in its roaster while “Black Ruby” (2019) got the eye of Random Media, a close partner of Orchard TV and Sony Pictures. Iliescu explained the methodology behind Ave Fenix Pictures in Los Angeles,
“These results are the products of a never give up let’s do this mentality, common cause for an ideal, an Edison finally lighting up his electric bulb for a successful ten thousandth time, if you wish… It’s important that Ave Fenix Pictures maintains its presence in LA for a number of reasons. One would be that the studio intends to start development here. Another, it’s the eye-to-eye mentality of Los Angeles, where a million-dollar deal could be happening in between a pair of raggedy jeans of an open-minded investor and a worn-out Dodgers baseball hat sitting on a head full of bright film ideas.”
Lastly, I inquired Iliescu how the creative process balances out with the duties of being the CEO of a studio?
“Creatively, I personally never met another screenplay writer with more out of this world ideas like the co-founder of Ave Fenix Pictures, Zachary Laoutides. He is not just a hell of an actor, but his mind puts such ideas on paper that are pure fuel for the expansion of the studio. There is no room here to talk about this now, but our near future actions will speak for themselves. Last but not least is the openness of the studio’s policy. We want to do good and honest business with anyone who believes that storytelling is a powerful tool in influencing people around us towards good. No matter the subject, if the film has indeed something to say, we the people, will find that element in our lives called ‘time,’ to stop whatever we’re doing and listen.”
Follow Ave Fenix Pictures at www.avefenixpictures.com
Follow Marius Iliescu at www.mariusiliescu.com
Harper Harrison is a reporter for The Hear UP. Harper got an internship at the NPR and worked as a reporter and producer. harper has also worked as a reporter for the Medium. Harper covers health and science for The Hear UP.