Mark Urman, Veteran Indie Film Executive, Dies at 66

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mark-urman-dead-veteran-indie-film-executive-dies-at-66-1175743

Mark Urman, Veteran Indie Film Executive, Dies at 66

Urman was a driving force at ThinkFilm from 2001-08 before founding the New York-based Paladin Films in 2009.
Veteran indie film executive Mark Urman died Saturday in a hospital in Newark, New Jersey, after a bout with cancer. He was 66.

On Monday, his wife, author Deborah Davis, wrote on Facebook that Urman died "after a ridiculously short illness … he told a dear friend that his life was rich because he had done everything he wanted to do." Survivors also include his children Oliver and Cleo.

Urman most recently founded New York-based distribution company Paladin Films in 2009.

Known for his loquacious style, Urman began his career in the film business as a publicist for United Artists in New York. He later did stints in the publicity department at Columbia Pictures before joining leading indie firm Dennis Davidson and Associates.

Urman departed DDA in the mid-1990s for a job at Cinepix Film Properties. When Cinepix was acquired by Lionsgate, he became co-president of Lionsgate Films Releasing, working on the distribution and awards campaigns for such films as Monster's Ball (2001), on which he was credited as one of the executive producers, and Gods and Monsters (1998).

In 2001, Urman co-founded ThinkFilm, a small but influential New York-based indie. As president of distribution, he helped the company rack up Academy Award nominations, with Born Into Brothels (2004) and Alex Gibney's Taxi to the Dark Side (2007) winning the Oscar for best documentary feature.

Urman also helped Half Nelson (2006) become an awards contender, with Ryan Gosling securing a Independent Spirit Award nomination for best male lead.

Thinkfilm created a stir with the 2005 documentary The Aristocrats, in which dozens of comedians told the same, famously dirty joke.

Paladin's previous releases include Taika Waititi's What We Do In the Shadows (2014) and Rob Reiner's Being Charlie (2015). Over the weekend, it released Rockaway in select theaters and on VOD.

[The Ultimate Nullifier]

deadline.com/2019/01/mark-urman-mainstay-of-independent-film-business-dies-at-66-1202534442/

Mark Urman, Indie Film Mainstay, Dies At 66

UPDATED with reaction. Mark Urman, a prominent figure in the independent film business who headed Paladin Film for the past decade, has died at age 66 after battling cancer.

Word of his passing circulated over the weekend, especially among the many film and media professionals who live (as did Urman) in Montclair, N.J. as well as in the tight-knit indie community. Initial plans for a memorial service have not yet been finalized.

Early on, Urman worked in publicity for Columbia Pictures and United Artists before joining PR firm Dennis Davidson Associates in the 1980s, where he got some of his first tastes of championing specialty film titles. He spearheaded several publicity campaigns for Miramax and other indie outfits, and later told a few memorable tales about Bob and Harvey Weinstein in Peter Biskind’s 2004 book Down and Dirty Pictures.

Urman would go on to become a noted tastemaker in the sector, serving as a distribution executive at Lionsgate in the era when it was putting out awards contenders like Gods and Monsters and Shadow of the Vampire. He also executive produced films including Monster’s Ball before moving on to head theatrical distribution for ThinkFilm. In the 2000s, Think put out a mix of critically and commercially successful titles like Murderball, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, and Half Nelson, the last of which netted a young Ryan Gosling his first Oscar nomination in an out-of-left-field stunner. The company also released Oscar-winning documentaries Taxi to the Dark Side and Born Into Brothels.

In 2009, Urman founded Paladin, whose releases have included Shana Feste’s The Greatest, Tom Shadyac documentary I Am and Taika Waititi’s vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows. A few weeks ago, Paladin announced the acquisition of Billboard, a film by Zeke Zelker to be released in the spring. The company also recently backed the timely sexual harassment drama Submission, starring Stanley Tucci.

In a statement, Montclair Film Executive Director Tom Hall recalled meeting Urman at the very beginning of his independent film career. “His passion for filmmakers, for our global community of film lovers, was matched only by his kindness and generosity,” Hall said. “I was always happy to see him at film festivals, or in Montclair, and his smile, wisdom, and warmth was ever-present. I deeply appreciate and continue to be inspired by his contributions to Montclair Film, but beyond that, to the collective history of independent cinema in this country. He will be sorely missed.”

Urman is survived by two children and his wife, Deborah Davis, an author of books including Strapless and My Love Story: Tina Turner.

Here are some more reactions from the film community on Twitter: