Former Decal and Neon executive Ayo Kepher-Maat has joined the IFC Films in the new role of vice president of acquisitions and productions at the AMC Networks division to help build a diverse slate of “iconic, noisy and genre-bending titles” across the fiction, non-fiction and international categories, the company said.
Kepher-Maat, who is based in LA, reports to Scott Shooman, AMC’s EVP and head of the film group encompassing IFC Films, RLJE Films and Shudder. She will work alongside director of acquisitions Adam Koehler and collaborate with the entire film group to ensure cohesion across the three divisions. She will be on the team heading to Sundance.
Kepher-Maat joins AMC Networks from Decal, the home entertainment JV between Neon and Bleecker Street, where she was a SVP of acquisitions and played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s content strategy and acquiring titles such as Which Brings Me to You, Perfect Addiction, The Offering and Ride the Eagle.
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Prior to Decal, Kepher-Maat was the director of acquisitions for Decal parent studio Neon.
Previously, she worked in acquisitions at Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, The Film Arcade and Creative Artist Agency (CAA).
“I have admired Ayo’s acquisition instincts for years and think she will be an amazing addition to the IFC Films team. She has shown a keen eye for quality, innovation and has a terrific reputation with filmmakers. As we continue to grow IFC Films, Ayo and her taste will be an important part of our vision for the future of independent film,” said Shooman.
“One of the things I really focused on is integrating the three verticals of the film group, taking IFC, Shudder and RLJ, and really getting them working together as one group. And that was part of the thinking in this,” Shooman tells Deadline, “to flesh out the team a little bit. Because we buy 50-some movies a year at the film group.”
Kepher-Maat also gives New York-based IFC an additional presence in LA, he noted.
Last year across the labels were 30 Shudder movies, 12 IFC Films and eight RLJE, not all released theatrically. Box offie standouts in 2024 include Late Night With The Devil, In A Violent Nature and The Taste Of Things.
Under parent AMC Networks, IFC Film’s toolbox includes NYC’s popular IIFC Center theater and dedicated streaming services led by popular genre-focused Shudder.
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