{{Short description|Canadian film distribution company}} {{Use Canadian English|date=August 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Redirect-distinguish-text|Seville Pictures|the unrelated British animation studio of the same name}} {{Infobox company | name = Les Films Séville | logo = Les Films Séville 2015 logo.svg | logo_caption = Logo used from 2015 to 2022 | type = Incentive | industry = Film | predecessor = Alliance Vivafilm | successor = ''Company:''<br />eOne Films<br />''Library'':<br />eOne Films (back catalogue)<br>Immina Films (distribution rights excluding physical media) | hq_location_city = Montreal, Quebec, Canada | former_name = Les Films Rene Malo (1974–1990)<br />René Malo Vidéo (1983–1990)<br />Malofilm (1990–1997)<br />Behaviour Communications (1997–1999) | founded = 1974 (as Les Films Rene Malo)<br />1983 (as René Malo Vidéo)<br />1990 (as Malofilm / Malofilm Home Video)<br />1997 (as Behaviour Communications)<br />1999 (as Les Films Séville)<br />2014 (as international unit) | owner = | parent = | defunct = 1997 (original)<br />2022 (as Les Films Séville) | fate = Folded into Entertainment One<br />Library acquired by Immina Films | website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20180812154435/https://www.filmsseville.com/|www.filmsseville.com}} (archived August 2018) }} '''Les Films Séville''' (in English as Seville International or Seville Films, formerly '''Les Films Rene Malo''', '''René Malo Vidéo''', '''Malofilm''' and '''Malofilm Home Video'''; previously known in English as '''Séville Pictures''') was a Canadian film distributor company. First based on Saint-André Boulevard in 1983, it moved its operations in 1993 to Saint Laurent Boulevard, as the Canadian branch of Republic Pictures Home Video and Turner Home Entertainment, distributing releases from the two companies into Canada. The company distributed Entertainment One’s movies in Quebec. Les Films Seville was defunct long before Hasbro acquired Entertainment One.
In 1999, Malofilm was renamed Les Films Séville, after a hostile merger with Industry Entertainment, and was acquired by Entertainment One in 2007. On May 31, 2000, Behaviour Worldwide was sold to MDP's old management, which changed its name back to MDP Worldwide.
== History == The company was founded in 1974 by chairman and CEO René Malo in Montreal, Quebec as Les Films Rene Malo. It will soon expand to home video distribution in 1983.<ref>{{Cite book |last=R. Lerner |first=Loren |title=Canadian Film and Video: A Bibliography and Guide to the Literature |publisher=University of Toronto Press |year=1997}}</ref>
In late 1983, it was a founding partner of Videoglobe with many other companies, including Cinepix Inc. and The Multimedia Group of Canada, among others.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Halter |first=Fran |date=3 January 1984 |title=Videoglobe has view to French market |page=B-7 |work=The Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/422054479 |access-date=18 July 2023}}</ref>
In 1987, Malofilm was a founding member of Image Organization with several other companies, notably Nelvana and New Star Entertainment.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1987-02-25 |title=4 Indie Producers Form L.A.-Based Foreign Sales Combine, Image Org., Inc. |page=57 |work=Variety}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brownstein |first=Bill |date=15 April 1987 |title=Malo launches film organization |page=F-5 |work=The Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/422604222 |access-date= 18 July 2023}}</ref>
In 1995, Malofilm acquired Desclez Productions and Megatoon Entertainment Group (MEG).
In 1996, Malofilm acquired ReadySoft Incorporated,<ref>[https://videogamegeek.com/videogamepublisher/14214/readysoft ReadySoft | Video Game Publisher], at VideoGameGeek</ref> a well known Canadian software company. Also that year, it bought out California film studio Image Organization for $1.8 million.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kelly|first=Brendan|date=1996-09-23|title=Malofilm Snatches Up Image Org|url=https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/malofilm-snatches-up-image-org-1200446703/|access-date=2021-11-27|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 1997, Malofilm changed its name to Behaviour Communications,<ref>[https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/canada-s-behaviour-buys-mdp-1117469200/ Canada’s Behaviour buys MDP] Variety 1998-26-03</ref> after Malo was forced to retire from the company for health reasons.<ref name="bfi">{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/organisation/196527|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090127153535/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/organisation/196527|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 January 2009|title=Malofilm Communications|work=BFI Film & TV Database|access-date=13 February 2010}}</ref><ref name="UQAM">{{cite web|url=http://www.chairerenemalo.uqam.ca/index.php?id=406|title=Biographie et filmographie de René Malo|work=UQAM Faculte de communication|publisher=Université du Québec à Montréal|language=French|access-date=13 February 2010|location=Montreal}}</ref> On March 26, 1998, it bought out MDP Worldwide for $19.3 million, and changed its name to Behaviour Worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kelly|first=Brendan|date=1998-03-27|title=Canada's Behaviour buys MDP|url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/canada-s-behaviour-buys-mdp-1117469200/|access-date=2021-11-26|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 1999, Behaviour Interactive was sold to Rémi Racine and some investors, and was renamed Artificial Mind & Movement Inc. (A2M) the following year (it later returned to the name Behaviour Interactive in 2010).
In 1999, Behavior Communications was renamed Les Films Séville, after a hostile merger with Industry Entertainment, and was acquired by Entertainment One in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kelly|first=Brendan|date=1999-12-15|title=Behaviour changes to Seville|url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/behaviour-changes-to-seville-1117759998/|access-date=2021-11-26|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref> On May 31, 2000, Behaviour Worldwide was sold to MDP's old management, which changed its name back to MDP Worldwide.<ref>{{Cite web|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2000-05-31|title=Behaviour changes moniker to MDP|url=https://variety.com/2000/biz/news/behaviour-changes-moniker-to-mdp-1117782033/|access-date=2021-11-26|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2012, Les Films Séville merged with Alliance Vivafilm, which was acquired by Entertainment One, and the new entity kept the name '''Les Films Séville'''.
From April 2014, the distribution of films under the Alliance Vivafilm brand was stopped in favor of distribution solely under the '''Les Films Séville''' brand.
Entertainment One shut the division down in June 2022.<ref>André Duchesne and Marc-André Lussier, [https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/2022-06-28/les-films-seville-cessent-la-distribution-en-salle.php "Les Films Séville cessent la distribution en salle"]. ''La Presse'', June 28, 2022.</ref> Months later, distribution rights to its back catalogue for all media excluding physical media were acquired by Immina Films, a new independent company launched by former Séville president Patrick Roy.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/cinema/2022-11-01/patrick-roy-annonce-la-creation-d-immina-films.php|work= La Presse|date=November 1, 2022|access-date=January 16, 2023|first=Marc-André|last=Lussier|title=Patrick Roy annonce la création d'Immina Films|language=fr}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Films Séville, Les}} Category:Defunct film and television production companies of Canada Category:Film distributors of Canada Category:Film production companies of Canada Category:Companies based in Montreal Category:Mass media companies established in 1987 Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 2022 Category:1987 establishments in Quebec Category:2022 disestablishments in Quebec Category:Lionsgate Canada