Laurie May Departing As Co-President Of Elevation Pictures
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Laurie May is departing her position as co-president of Elevation Pictures, the independent Canadian distribution firm she helped establish in 2013 during the Toronto International Film Festival. Founded alongside Teddy Schwarzman of Black Bear, Elevation has grown into a prominent distributor, acquiring and releasing major award-winning and contemporary films for Canadian audiences.
May indicated she is moving on to pursue other professional interests after thirteen years with the company. Black Bear executives and Elevation's board expressed appreciation for her contributions to the company's founding and development, highlighting her strategic vision and leadership as crucial to establishing the distributor's market position. May has previously received recognition from industry organisations, including a 2010 achievement award from Women in Film and Television.
- Laurie May is stepping down as co-president of Elevation Pictures, the Canadian indie distribution company she co-founded 13 years ago
- The company has become a leading Canadian distributor of acclaimed films including Moonlight, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and recent A24 releases
- May plans to pursue other interests; company leadership praised her role in building Elevation into its current position
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Elevation Pictures is a Canadian film distribution company, set up in 2013 alongside the Toronto International Film Festival by Laurie May and Teddy Schwarzman, who also runs the production company Black Bear. Since then, Elevation has become one of Canada's more prominent independent distributors, buying the rights to and releasing a range of notable films, including award winners, for Canadian cinema and home audiences.
Laurie May has served as co-president of Elevation since its founding, playing a key role in shaping the company's strategy and its standing in the industry. She has previously been recognised by industry bodies, including Women in Film and Television, which gave her an achievement award in 2010.
The story matters because it marks the departure of one of the company's founding leaders after thirteen years, a significant moment for a firm whose identity has been closely tied to her involvement since its earliest days.
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