Toronto prodco Capri Films has launched a new distribution division and appointed Tony Cianciotta as its president.

Capri, headed by Gabriella Martinelli and launched in 2000 with the feature Between Strangers, recently coproduced Lives of the Saints, the forthcoming CTV miniseries starring Sophia Loren and directed by Jerry Ciccoritti. The maiden film for the distrib arm, titled Capri Releasing, is the American rock doc Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, slated for release across Canada on July 9.

Cianciotta is a true industry veteran, having served at Alliance Releasing, Twentieth Century Fox and Red Sky Entertainment. He vacated his post as senior VP film at exhibitor Cineplex Odeon last June.

‘I’m really a distributor at heart,’ Cianciotta says in explaining his departure. ‘I like to think that I have a lot to say as far as marketing a picture is concerned.’

The exec has been closely involved with the Canadian releases of blockbusters Pulp Fiction, Die Hard, Home Alone, Dumb and Dumber, The English Patient and Trainspotting. Of course, an indie doc such as Metallica is on a far different scale. But while its titles might not be Hollywood blockbusters, Capri Releasing’s aim is to give its films more enriched marketing attention.

‘Our mission statement is to get involved, whether it’s a Capri production or somebody else’s, from the script stage,’ Cianciotta says. ‘Once you understand what the product is, [then you can figure out] what you want to do with it. Ideally, you get the cooperation of the producer and the director, then you can control your own fate in terms of creating awareness of the film.’

Cianciotta says the idea is to get the ball rolling on teaser trailers, posters and buzz from the set during production, rather than as an afterthought. ‘It’s [about] trying to produce as many editorial stories as possible,’ he adds.

Martinelli and Cianciotta envision the kinds of films they plan to distribute as ‘adult, upscale’ films for audiences in their late 20s and up.

‘They’re not necessarily the type of things that assure success, but they are certainly fantastic adult stories that are entertaining,’ Cianciotta explains.

Metallica, produced and directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky (the team behind the doc Brother’s Keeper), provides a behind-the-scenes look at the titular heavy metal band, and made some noise at Sundance.

‘It’s not that I’ve been a Metallica fan by any stretch of the imagination,’ Cianciotta says with a laugh. ‘But when I looked at this documentary, I had a certain image of a rock group that was totally demystified for me.’

Cianciotta thinks the film’s compelling story will be of interest to a wide adult audience, with particular appeal to the group’s fans over the past 20 years and rock fans of today. Capri will try to reach this demographic through a grassroots campaign, including placing posters and other promotional items in venues such as clubs and bars. It will also hit the alternative newspaper circuit and what Cianciotta affectionately calls the ‘gray suit’ TV outlets, ranging from MuchMusic to CBC Newsworld.

The film will open in seven or eight key Canadian markets with 15 to 20 prints. Based on Capri’s research of CD sales and concert revenues, Quebec City is the band’s most popular Canadian market.

On the production side, Capri’s slate includes: Fall on Your Knees, an adaptation of Ann-Marie MacDonald’s novel about the multi-generational secrets of an East Coast family, and High Rise, a Canada/U.K. copro that will see Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Nothing) helming a J.G. Ballard story about a modern tower block run amok.