Seville Pictures and Maximum Films Distribution are creating a joint venture for their Canadian theatrical releases.

The deal consolidates all marketing, advertising, publicity, promotions, sales, reporting and collections related to distribution in cinemas across the country. Both companies will control all aspects of the release of their respective films under their respective labels.

The deal, revealed early on Monday, is effective immediately.

Seville co-president David Reckziegel tells Playback Daily that the deal is an indication of a shift in the balance of power in the Canadian film distribution scene. Output deals, such as Seville’s pact with Summit Entertainment, that would have once gone to market leader Alliance Films as a matter of course, are now in a more open market, he said. ‘We want to take advantage of that.’

He added that Canadian distribution companies ‘are all competing for the same talent in terms of building a presence. Rather than competing for the same talent we get the best team by combining. Instead of two overheads you have one.’

A talented case in point is Bryan Gliserman, recently appointed managing director at Maximum Films Distribution after a long tenure at Alliance Atlantis’ Motion Picture Distribution. Speaking from New York, Gliserman said, ‘It’s about economies of scale and finding the most effective operation. We benefit from Seville’s knowledge and expertise as well.’

As well as Summit titles, the joint venture will handle Canadian distribution of pictures from Lakeshore Entertainment, Cinetic Media, Magnolia Pictures and IFC, as well as any future Canadian output deals signed by the two companies.

Seville and Maximum will continue to acquire films independently and in partnership, as they did last year in a deal with Magnolia/HDNet for three films — Brian De Palma’s Redacted and the upcoming Surfwise and Flawless.

Upcoming releases from Seville include the U.S. remake of writer/director Michael Haneke’s Funny Games and the Bruce Willis-starrer Assassination of a High School President. Maximum has Atom Egoyan’s Adoration, starring Rachel Blanchard, Scott Speedman and Arsinée Khanjian, as well as Guy Maddin’s My Winnipeg and Jeremy Podeswa’s TIFF opener Fugitive Pieces.