Tom Quinn landed in the U.K. for a special talk at SXSW London less than two weeks after Neon claimed its seventh consecutive Palme d’Or in Cannes, this time thanks to Cristian Mungiu’s “Fjord.”
The exec — whose indie distributor marks only its 10th birthday next year — said the ongoing run of wins was “extraordinary,” but claimed that in each Cannes he had never known whether his films would emerge victorious. And this went all the way back to Neon’s first Palme, Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite.”
“I had no idea that ‘Parasite’ was going to win,” he said.
But that win in Cannes changed everything, Quinn noted.
“It all began with ‘Parasite,’ breaking down 92 years of Oscar history, the first foreign language film, grossing $54 million in the U.S., becoming this huge sensation… it was probably the first foreign language film that a whole host of teenagers saw.”
Every subsequent film Neon won the Palme for he described as a “banger.”
Quinn’s talk also coincided with the current success of “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” two films from YouTube creators that have smashed box office records and turned the industry on its head in just a matter of weeks.
“I think it’s good to be an independent,” was Quinn’s immediate response when asked about the phenomenon. But he was quick to assert that the industry shouldn’t “dismiss” Kane Parsons or Curry Barker as YouTube creators.
“I don’t see it as YouTube or otherwise, I see it as cinema,” he said. “And the fact that it’s appealing to a much younger audience — Gen Z is the most over indexing theatrical audience — for me, is incredible.”
Quinn also revealed that he was an “action snob,” and that his first ever acquisition when he started at Magnolia was the Thai martial arts film “Ong-Bak,” for which he brought director and star Tony Jaa to the U.S. to perform stunts at NBA games.
“So I’m looking to recreate that at Neon,” he said. “What is the Neon version of an action film? I would say George Miller. I can’t wait to do our character driven, world building, genre-defying action film.”
Asked if there was an action film in the works, Quinn said there was.
“And you won’t know where it’s coming from.”
Some way removed from genre-defying action, Quinn also noted he was a “firm believer in the power of nonfiction” who had defied each and every declaration that docs were dead.
“The minute that everybody stopped buying documentaries as theatrically viable films was the year that I bought ‘Man on Wire’ and won an Academy Award. It was a huge success,” he said.
Giving the crowd in London some local news, Quinn revealed that Neon had bought the latest chapter in the U.K.’s acclaimed “7 Up” documentary series, this time being directed by Asif Kapadia following the passing of Michael Apted.
“It’s one of my favorite film series and pieces of IP of all time,” he said.”It’s beautiful. I defy you not to see this incredible film. It reminds me of driving around the streets here this morning.”
