Mark Borde Departs Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Longtime distribution executive Mark Borde is leaving his post as president of Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures.

Borde held the post for three years following the 2015 sales of his Freestyle Releasing to Allen who then formed Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures. The distributor’s top performers have been shark thriller “47 Meters Down,” which grossed $44 million domestically; Christian Bale’s western “Hostiles” ($29.8 million); and Ted Kennedy drama “Chappaquidick” ($17 million).

Borde has been a part of the independent movie business as a distributor, a film producer, a theater owner, and as a voting member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences in the Producers Branch.

“Mark Borde, a second-generation movie distribution entrepreneur, co-founded Freestyle Releasing over 17 years ago with the late, great Susan Jackson,” Allen said. “One day at lunch in 2015, Mark graciously agreed to sell me the company, instantly putting our corporation into the movie business. Since acquiring Freestyle, Mark has helped me to build a first class, wide-release, international independent film distribution company at Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures.”

Monday’ announcement did not indicate that Borde has specific plans, other than joining the Napa Valley Film Festival activities as part of the faculty later this month.

“ is a brilliant businessman, a visionary, with unbelievable energy, and simply an unstoppable force of nature,” said Borde. “I loved working with Byron and the phenomenal team he has assembled. I have put my legacy in the right hands, and I am highly confident he will take this company to extraordinary new heights.”