Ben Barenholtz

Barenholtz became a film distributor in 1975 when he formed the specialty distribution company Libra Films.  Libra launched and distributed the same kind of cutting edge films that Barenholtz had nurtured at the Elgin, among them George Romero’s “Martin,” John Sayles’ “Return of the Secaucus Seven,” and David Lynch’s “Eraserhead.”  Libra released Jean-Charles Tachella’s “Cousine, Cousine,” which earned three Academy Award nominations and was one of the most successful foreign films ever released in North America.     

Barenholtz sold Libra Films to the Almi Group in 1982, but stayed with the company to become the President of Libra-Cinema 5 Films.  In 1984, after he and Almi parted ways, Barenholtz joined with Ted and Jim Pedas to form Circle Releasing Corporation.  Among the films released by Circle were “Blood Simple,” the first film by Joel and Ethan Coen, Vincent Ward’s “The Navigator,” and John Woo’s “The Killer.” 

Barenholtz went on to produce, arrange financing, or arrange distribution for a host of filmmakers working outside the studio system.  He continued working with the Coens, as a producer on “Raising Arizona,” and as an executive producer on “Miller’s Crossing” and “Barton Fink,” which won the Palme d’Or at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, as well as awards for Best Director and Best Actor.  This was the first and last time the three top honors have all gone to the same film at Cannes.

Barenholtz served as executive producer on Adele Drabinski’s “Cheat,” Gregory Hines’ directorial debut “Bleeding Hearts,” and Ulu Grossbard’s highly acclaimed “Georgia,” which earned an Academy Award nomination for Mare Winningham.  He served as co-executive producer of Darren Aronofsky’s “Requiem for a Dream,” a film that earned Ellen Burstyn an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 2000.  

Barenholtz has appeared on camera in the documentary “The Hicks in Hollywood” and was the main subject of Stuart Samuels’ “Midnight Movies: from the Margin to the Mainstream.”  He had a bit role in “Liquid Sky,” and appears as a zombie in George Romero’s classic “Dawn of the Dead.”