M ontreal-based distributor MK2 | Mile End has made two key hires in its expansion into the English-language market.

Longtime Telefilm exec Stephanie Azam has joined the distributor as VP, development and acquisitions, while veteran film exec Lainie Elton has been tapped as VP, licensing and digital strategy.

Both Azam and Elton will be based in the company’s new Toronto headquarters.

Azam spent more than a decade at Telefilm, where she served as national feature film executive for the English-language market before departing in March of this year. The departure came shortly after Dan Lyon, regional feature film executive for Ontario and Nunavut, left the funder.

Elton has worked in film distribution for more than 20 years, most recently serving as VP of sales at levelFILM. She also worked at Alliance Films and later Entertainment One following its acquisition of Alliance.

“These appointments, particularly after the challenges of our industry over the past 18 months, signal an important moment for us and I’m very optimistic about the growth of our business,” said Tremblay in a statement. “We feel fortunate to be able to expand our company and our film roster, allowing us the opportunity to work with more talented international and Canadian filmmakers and bring great cinema to audiences across the country.”

Tremblay has previously told Playback Daily about the distribution company’s plans to expand into the English-language market in Canada, including its accreditation from Telefilm to trigger funding as a distributor for English-language films.

MK2 | Mile End made a high-profile foreign language acquisition in 2019 with Best Picture winner Parasite. It has continued to grow its English-language roster with films such as TIFF selection The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and the upcoming films Crimes of The Future, directed by David Cronenberg, and Call Jane, directed by Phyllis Nagy.

The distributor’s TIFF 2021 slate also includes Canadian French-language feature Maria Chapdelaine, directed by Sébastien Pilote; Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat’s Official Competition (Spain/Argentina); Joachim Trier’s Worst Person in the World (Norway/France/Sweden/Denmark); and Laurent Cantet’s Arthur Rambo (France).

Pictured (L-R): Stephanie Azam and Lainie Elton