Magenta Light Studios Launches New Label for Bold Indie Films; Acquires Fantastic Fest Breakout ‘Appofeniacs’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Magenta Light Studios, the upstart production and distribution label founded by Bob Yari, has launched a specialty offshoot called Magenta Edge Films.

Intended for bold independent storytelling for platform and theatrical releases, the company said Friday that Magenta Edge will foremost be a home for original stories.

“Magenta Edge Films allows us to deepen our commitment to distinctive independent voices while expanding ways in which we bring those stories to audiences,” said Yari.

Related Stories

Netflix Picks Up YouTube Star Alan Chikin Chow and Hybe America's Scripted K-Pop TV Series

WWE's 'Monday Night Raw' Pulled in 340 Million Viewing Hours in First Year on Netflix

The outfit already has its first acquisition in the Fantastic Fest breakout “Appofeniacs.” The film focuses on what happens when AI-generated deepfakes spread amongst a group of interconnected lives, blurring reality and unleashing violent consequences. 

“I didn’t want the film to focus on deepfakes as a technology,” Piliero previously told Variety. “I didn’t want this to be ‘AI is coming to get you’ or a supercomputer or anything of that sort. It’s more about the human element and the fallout of it. I’m using deepfakes to show how easily our lives can unravel and spiral. Obviously, I have fun with it in the film and take it to a heightened level, but I wanted to use grounded, realistic scenarios that are kind of benign and trivial.”

Industry executive and the studio’s head of digital film distribution Bill Vergos will spearhead the new division, which he developed to support curated theatrical and digital releases while prioritizing audience engagement, new talent discovery and meaningful partnerships with filmmakers. The division will acquire genre-ranging features, documentaries and festival titles. 

“Independent filmmaking has always been about more than just making movies. It is about creativity, courage and community,” Vergos said. “Magenta Edge Films is a true home for filmmakers, a place where new voices and passionate creators can thrive while connecting with audiences in meaningful ways.”

“Appofeniacs” stars Aaron Holliday, Jermaine Fowler, Will Brandt, Paige Searcy, Simran Jehani, Harley Bronwyn, Michael Abbott Jr. and Sean Gunn. It will be released theatrically later this year.

“’Appofeniacs’ embodies the creative ambition behind Magenta Edge Films,” said Vergos. “It is bold, original and built for audiences who want discovery. Launching the label with a film like this clearly signals the kind of storytelling and filmmaker partnership we believe in.”

Most recently, Magenta Light Studios released Simon West’s “Bride Hard,” starring Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky and Da’Vine Joy Randolph and J.T. Mollner’s thriller “Strange Darling.” Magenta Light Studios will release Adrian Grunberg’s “Protector” in theaters on March 6 and Renny Harlin’s “Deep Water” in theaters May 1.