CAA’s Roeg Sutherland to Receive Game Changer Award During Zurich Film Festival

Roeg Sutherland, CAA’s co-head of the media finance department and co-head of the International Film Group, will be honored with the Game Changer Award for his “outstanding achievements and contributions within the film industry” at the Zurich Summit, which takes place in October during the 20th Zurich Film Festival.

FilmNation Entertainment CEO Glen Basner will host the Game Changer Award recipient conversation, where he is speaking with Sutherland about his career.

Zurich Film Festival artistic director Christian Jungen said: “Roeg is a passionate cinephile and industry leader, who has not only discovered, but also nurtured and developed the careers of countless artists. In the past several years, he has secured financing and sold some of the most important and critically acclaimed films, both domestic and international.

“His impressive client list includes Oscar winners, nominees, and auteurs like Nadine Labaki, who he signed by specifically flying to Lebanon to meet the ‘Capernaum’ filmmaker in person – one of my favorite anecdotes about Roeg highlighting his commitment and dedication.

“Since early on, Roeg has been an integral part of the Zurich Film Festival and its history by convincing his far-reaching network to attend our Summit, establishing strong ties and connections between us and Hollywood, as we steadily grew in scope and prestige.

“Like Roeg, we at the Zurich Film Festival pride ourselves with discovering emerging filmmakers, and since we share that very same desire, it is fitting that during our 20th anniversary edition, he is our worthy recipient.”

Sutherland, who serves on the CAA board, specializes in the packaging and representation of independently financed film, television and digital content. In addition, he consults with producers and financiers on their media investments. In just the past five years, films packaged and/or sold by CAA Media Finance have generated approximately $5 billion at the worldwide box office.

Sutherland also represents a roster of leading filmmakers, helping to package, source financing for, and/or sell distribution rights to their films. Clients include Ladj Ly, Sam Mendes, Rian Johnson, Walter Salles, Justine Triet, Jacques Audiard, Roland Emmerich, Martin McDonagh and Alejandro González Iñárritu.

Sutherland said: “The independent film community has always been recognized for fostering audacious storytelling and discovering fresh voices, just as much as it is for its resilience. The very nature of the business demands that we constantly think about the business in unique and innovative ways. The Zurich Film Festival has played a pivotal role in supporting our collective mission to support artists and the independent film ecosystem, and I am deeply honored by this award.”