Bob Berney, President of Picturehouse, has been a preeminent force in the independent film world for more than two decades, bringing a multitude of smart, challenging and entertaining films to the screen.

Founded in April 2005 and born out of the combination of Fine Line Features and HBO Films, Picturehouse is a theatrical distribution company that will release 8-10 films a year.

Upcoming releases include Robert Altman's A Prairie
Home Companion, Tristram Shandy, The Notorious Bettie Page, and Kenneth Branagh's As You Like it.

As former President and Partner of Newmarket Films, Berney was instrumental in the creation of one of the most successful indie labels of the last few years. During his time there, Berney oversaw the release of such films as Mel Gibson’s box office phenomenon The Passion of the Christ which earned more than $370 million; Patty Jenkins’ critically acclaimed Monster, which garnered Charlize Theron a Best Actress Academy Award and Whale Rider for which 13-year old Keisha Castle Hughes also earned a nomination for a Best Actress Academy Award.

Before co-founding Newmarket Films, Berney was Senior Vice President of IFC Films where he oversaw the distribution of the box office hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which grossed more than $200 million in ticket sales. Also, while at IFC, Berney oversaw the release of the critically praised hit Y Tu Mama Tambien directed by Alfonso Cuaron.

In his career Berney has held many top marketing and distribution posts since entering the entertainment field as the owner of the Inwood Theatre in Dallas, one of the first art and independent movie houses in Texas.

Prior to working at IFC Films, Berney was an independent marketing and distribution consultant. In this capacity, he was responsible for the release of such films as Chris Nolan’s runaway hit Memento for Newmarket Films and Todd Solondz’s critically acclaimed Happiness for Good Machine International.

Previously, Berney was Vice President of Marketing and Distribution at Banner Entertainment and Vice President of Marketing at Orion Pictures. While at Orion, Berney worked on the release of Victor Nunez’s Academy Award-nominated Ulee’s Gold, starring Peter Fonda; Christopher Ashley’s Jeffrey, which Paul Rudnick adapted for the screen from his eponymous Broadway play; and Steve Martin’s documentary Theremin.

Berney was also Vice President of Marketing and Distribution at Triton Films, where he was mentored by company president Jonathan Dana. At Triton, Berney worked on Errol Morris’s A Brief History of Time, based on the life and work of cosmologist, Stephen Hawking; Alexandre Rockwell’s In the Soup, starring Steve Buscemi and Seymour Cassel; and Belgium director Jaco van Dormael’s Toto Le Hero. Berney was also responsible for the release of Patrice Leconte’s quirky French comedy, The Hairdresser’s Husband, starring Jean Rochefort; and Eleanor Coppola’s Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, a documentary about the magic and mayhem of making Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now.

Berney began his marketing and distribution career at Film Dallas, an independent film production company in partnership with New World Pictures. There Berney was responsible for the release of Argentinean director Eliseo Subiela’s Man Facing Southeast; David Burton Morris’s Patty Rocks; Matt Clark’s Da, starring Barnard Hughes and Martin Sheen; and Paul Morrissey’s Spike of Bensonhurst.

Berney studied film history and production at the University of Texas in Austin. While in college, he worked as a projectionist for the AMC theatre chain. After graduating with a B.A. in Communications, Berney bought and renovated the Interstate Inwood Theatre in Dallas, which he opened as an art house venue, complete with martini bar in the 1940’s style art moderne lobby. There he booked his favorite foreign and independent films.

“That’s where I fell in love with film,” recalls Berney. “At the time, showing art and independent films in Dallas was a public service, and the people of the city were truly grateful.” Later, Berney sold the theatre, which is now part of the Landmark Cinema chain.

Berney lives in Westchester County, New York, with his wife and their two sons.