{{Short description|Independent film company}} <!-- FAIR USE of yfg.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:yfg.jpg for rationale --> {{Infobox company | name = Yari Film Group, LLC | logo = Yari Film Group Releasing.png | logo_size = 250px | type = Private | parent = | owner = | foundation = {{Start date and age|2005}} | dissolved = | location = Los Angeles, California, United States | key_people = | num_employees = | industry = Motion pictures | products = Motion pictures | revenue = | operating profit = | homepage = }}

The '''Yari Film Group (YFG)''' is an independent film company headed by producer Bob Yari. The company deals in financing, production, acquisition, sales and distribution of theatrical feature films.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Mohr |first=Ian |date=April 12, 2006 |title=Magic act for Yari's distrib arm |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2006/film/markets-festivals/magic-act-for-yari-s-distrib-arm-1117941461/}}</ref>

The Yari Film Group was formed in 2005 through the merger of '''Stratus Film Company''', '''Bull’s Eye Entertainment''', '''El Camino Pictures''', '''Bob Yari Productions''', and '''Syndicate Films International'''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 11, 2004 |title=Yari's pic promises coming true |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2004/scene/markets-festivals/yari-s-pic-promises-coming-true-1117904684/ |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dunkley |first=Cathy |date=December 12, 2004 |title=Immerman boards Yari |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2004/scene/markets-festivals/immerman-boards-yari-1117914876/ |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> YFG is led by Bob Yari, who intended to create a film consortium that would minimize investment risk and maximize creative freedom for filmmakers by financing a large slate of diverse films.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kaufman |first=Anthony |date=October 29, 2006 |title=Small Miracles |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2006/film/markets-festivals/small-miracles-1117952856/ |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=August 3, 2003 |title=Mall mogul makes movie moves |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2003/film/news/mall-mogul-makes-movie-moves-1117890264/ |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref> Within the first two years, the group had produced 16 films.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Dana |date=March 27, 2005 |title=Inside Move: Yari's now yearning to combine shingles |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2005/film/markets-festivals/inside-move-yari-s-now-yearning-to-combine-shingles-1117920116/ |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref> The company's early production credits included Academy Award Winner ''Crash'', led by Matt Dillon and Sandra Bullock; ''The Hoax'', with Richard Gere; ''The Matador'' with Pierce Brosnan; ''The Painted Veil'' starring Edward Norton; ''A Love Song for Bobby Long'' with John Travolta; ''Dave Chappelle's Block Party''; ''Prime'' with Meryl Streep; ''Thumbsucker'' with Keanu Reeves and Vince Vaughn and ''Nothing but the Truth starring Kate Beckinsale.''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Liptak |first=Adam |date=December 5, 2008 |title=A Fictional Reporter in a Real-Life Mess |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/movies/07lipt.html |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

== History == Yari Film Group Releasing (YFGR), the distribution arm of YFG, was created in 2006. YFGR's first releases were ''Winter Passing'', starring Will Ferrell and Ed Harris, and ''Find Me Guilty'', starring Vin Diesel. That same year, YFGR distributed ''The Illusionist'', starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti and Jessica Biel, which pulled in roughly $40 million at the U.S. box office, and demonstrated the success of the platform release model.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brew |first=Simon |date=January 6, 2021 |title=When Alec Baldwin's directorial debut was impounded by the authorities |work=Film Stories |url=https://www.filmstories.co.uk/features/when-alec-baldwins-directorial-debut-was-impounded-by-the-authorities/ |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref> YFGR adopted an early strategy of producing and acquiring independent films with major name talent attached, such as ''The Illusionist'', ''Winter Passing'', ''Haven'' (with Orlando Bloom and Bill Paxton), ''Shortcut to Happiness'' (starring Alec Baldwin, Anthony Hopkins and Jennifer Love Hewitt) and ''Even Money'' (with Forest Whitaker, Ray Liotta and Danny DeVito). YFGR also collaborated with Sony Pictures on the releases of ''The Good Night'' and ''The Perfect Holiday''.

Yari Film Group's distribution platform filed for bankruptcy on December 12, 2008, due to various box office flops, tightening credit markets and the bankruptcy of payroll company Axium, which according to Yari swept millions of dollars from its payroll accounts, as a “perfect storm” that sunk the company financially.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Fernandez |first1=Borys Kit, Jay A. |last2=Kit |first2=Borys |last3=Fernandez |first3=Jay A. |date=2008-12-12 |title=Yari distribution unit forced into bankruptcy |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/yari-distribution-unit-forced-bankruptcy-124362/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Yari Film Group Releasing Crashes Due to Bankruptcy {{!}} FirstShowing.net |url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2008/yari-film-group-releasing-crashes-due-to-bankruptcy/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.firstshowing.net |date=15 December 2008 |language=en-US}}</ref> Yari's last few films would instead be released directly to DVD by the company's home video partners, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Since then, the company has remained mostly silent, though it has still been retained by Yari for some films he's contributed to such as ''Guns, Girls and Gambling'', ''Papa: Hemingway in Cuba'' and ''Fireflies at El Mozote'', which is part of the Salvadoran Cinematic Universe.<ref name=":2" /> Yari has licensed the rights to a majority of their films to Moonstone Entertainment, who has rereleased them on home video through MVD Entertainment Group and on streaming through FilmRise.

==List of Yari Film Group Releasing films== ===2004=== * ''Crash''

===2005=== * ''Winter Passing''

===2006=== * ''Even Money'' * ''First Snow'' * ''Gray Matters'' * ''Find Me Guilty'' * ''Haven'' * ''The Illusionist'' * ''Winter Passing'' * ''The Painted Veil''

===2007=== * ''The Final Season'' * ''The Good Night'' * ''Kickin' It Old Skool'' * ''Resurrecting the Champ'' * ''Shortcut to Happiness'' * ''The Perfect Holiday'' * ''Christmas in Wonderland''

===2008===

* ''The Girl in the Park'' * ''My Father's Will'' * ''Assassination of a High School President'' * ''Nothing But The Truth'' * ''What Doesn't Kill You''

===2009=== * ''The Accidental Husband'' * ''Possession'' * ''The Maiden Heist''

=== 2012 ===

* ''Guns, Girls and Gambling''

===2015=== * ''Papa: Hemingway in Cuba''

=== In Production ===

* ''Fireflies at El Mozote''<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=July 1, 2022 |title=El Salvador Civil War Movie 'Fireflies at El Mozote,' Exec Produced by Bob Yari, Greenlit by Premiere |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/global/fireflies-at-el-mozote-bob-yari-toque-de-queda-journey-of-elba-premiere-1235307837/ |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Film Studio}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Mass media companies established in 2002 Category:2002 establishments in California Category:American independent film studios Category:Film production companies based in California Category:Entertainment companies established in 2002 Category:Privately held companies based in Los Angeles