Film Regions International, Inc. (FRI)

06/26/2025

New review from iHorror on the upcoming “How to Kill Your Co-Workers and Get Away with It”.

https://ihorror.com/exclusive-first-look-at-how-to-kill-your-co-workers-and-get-away-with-it/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLJucFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn8iO1i5aKIHrzEpZclkz1yyjneUYgmPEqm9XHLqzpwXqVOuaRJIfe24Zczr_aem_Fpilvp5qM7QQ5tCHILdUZw

06/26/2025

New review from iHorror on the upcoming “How to Kill Your Co-Workers and Get Away with It”.

https://ihorror.com/exclusive-first-look-at-how-to-kill-your-co-workers-and-get-away-with-it/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLJucFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn8iO1i5aKIHrzEpZclkz1yyjneUYgmPEqm9XHLqzpwXqVOuaRJIfe24Zczr_aem_Fpilvp5qM7QQ5tCHILdUZw

How to Kill Your Co-Workers and Get Away With It is a dark comedy-horror film that blends office satire with twisted revenge fantasy. The

06/14/2025

Review for “How to Kill Your Co-Workers and Get Away with It” courtesy of iHorror !

How to Kill Your Co-Workers and Get Away With It is a dark comedy-horror film that blends office satire with twisted revenge fantasy. The

06/02/2025

Bonfire Entertainment enters joint contract with FRI for three years

The shareholders and debt holders of Film Regions International, Inc. (FRI) were recently briefed after the company’s quarterly board of directors meeting on May 21st that Bonfire Entertainment, will be entering into a contractual joint management relationship with FRI for at least the next three years. Like FRI, Bonfire Entertainment is also independent film company, but has proposed potentially greater resources that can help FRI stay afloat.

Facing severe financial setbacks, compounded immensely by defaults on film investment debts and cash flow shortages last year, FRI signed approved a contract with Bonfire last Wednesday evening. Moving forward, Bonfire will be involved with overall management including business, film financial development and production operations. Bonfire is headed by Steven Taylor and it is hoped that the new arrangement will eventually enable FRI to support itself by overseeing quality film production, which will also improve its finances.

“Unlike the previous advisors the Board has had, under this contract, it gives them (Bonfire) more directive and power” said FRI board member Ronald Puleio. “It was a tough decision, but we can’t keep spending money and going nowhere.”

Since 2024, FRI has been forced to scale back operations, canceling contracts and cutting film productions. “There may be fewer films this year, but we need to just get through all that and focus on turning the company around as a priority, all of the consultants have reiterated this” said Puleio. And such a turnaround now depends on the entire team with Bonfire being in place. Unlike some smaller independent film companies, FRI does have existing film library assets to monetize off of, it’s been a problem of the best distribution deals that are in place, which will be another item that Bonfire will further address.

The board and John Blythe, head of the company, will be backing off and leaving the initial operating plan to Bonfire. The diminished role of administration was reflected in CEO Blythe’s brief address “I want to thank the board for approving this contract… From my viewpoint, we really need the help, and it looks like a potential solution to a lot of problems.”

Some of FRI’s debt holders, though not present at the board meeting, were keenly interested in FRI’s arrangement with Bonfire and hopes it will generate funds sufficient to meet the production company’s debt obligations. “The debt on FRI’s balance sheet is concerning, but it’s a situation of tackling working capital and improving revenue” said board member Stephen Wu, who joined the FRI board last August. The 30-day transition with the company was triggered by debt holders “lack of results overtime” said Puleio.

Bonfire Entertainment however, was not recommended by FRI’s debt holders. Under severe financial constraints, FRI board members evaluated several options from asking shareholders for working capital stock. When that plan failed, the scenario of bankruptcy was even considered, until partnering with another company was discussed at length and reached out to Bonfire in February of this year for a proposal.

The company is expected to evaluate FRI’s situation over the next 30 days and present an action plan which will be further discussed and approved later in June.

04/20/2025

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/post-production-los-angeles-music-tax-incentives-1236190752/

As a new tally shows plummeting shoot days in Los Angeles, organizers gathered to strategize on ways to get postproduction and music incentives included in California's bill to boost the industry.

04/18/2025

Bonfire Entertainment, to establish joint venture management partnership with FRI

> Item to be a key topic at next quarterly board meeting in May.

(Los Angeles, CA) Film Regions International, Inc. (FRI) Board of Directors recently approved signing a letter of intent with another independent film company, Bonfire Entertainment, LLC to establish a joint venture partnership which will also include management services for an agreed upon period of time. Under the agreement, which is currently in the development process, this will allow both companies to not only collaborate on film productions, but will also enable Bonfire to help FRI stabilize its existing operations and develop strategic long range planning including film financing opportunities.

After a turbulent year of financial challenges and concerns addressed from company debt holders, FRI had preliminary discussions with Bonfire and eventually resulted entering into an LOI at a special board meeting on April 1st. The formal agreement with all stipulations and scope of services will require respective approvals of both companies. “This is the first phase in seeing what Bonfire can bring to the table to provide stability. After careful consideration, the board believes this is the best interest for FRI and entering into a joint venture management relationship allows the production company to set a new course and potentially for the independent side of the film industry” said Ronald Puleio, board member of FRI. “This does not constitute an official merger, but depending as to how things play out over the next year, it could develop into such in the future.”

An official merger would require both board and majority shareholder approval which co-chairman Myron Ward and co-chairman/chief executive officer John Blythe control 40% of the stock, the rest is owned by other shareholders.

Bonfire president/chief executive officer Steven Paul Taylor feels that this partnership will allow his team to bring experience to FRI in implementing strategies that can strengthen the production company over time with access to potentially greater resources and improve film production and services.

Based in Las Vegas Nevada, Bonfire Entertainment, like FRI, specializes in independent film production, sales and distribution.

FRI’s retention of Bonfire will be discussed at its next regular quarterly board meeting in May with a date and time to be determined.

04/08/2025

Huge congrats to our FRI alumni Ifa Isfansyah. He's been a filmmaking powerhouse in Indonesia and hit the Oscar shortlist for Best Foreign Language Film back in 2019! Glad to hear he is continuing to do bigger things!

Riri Riza, Mira Lesmana, and Ifa Isfansyah are developing 'Cubs,' a coming-of-age drama set against the backdrop of a gold mining town

02/09/2025

Blythe retained as CEO; Board exploring alternate options
> Budget and production paring to continue into 2025

(Los Angeles, CA) At its first-of-year Board of Directors meeting on January 30th, discussion centered around the status of the production company and the fiscal problems it encountered during the prior year.

“Profitability and debt reduction both have to be a priority this year” commented FRI board member Ron Puleio. For the year 2025, the Board adopted a very pared down annual operating budget and business plan with a focus on continuing to scale back production expenditure except for films that have made substantial progress, more scrutiny on contracts that will benefit the company financially and adding a capital outlay for cash a hopeful infusion from shareholders that the Board believes will enhance its bottom line to increase profitability and reduce film investment debt. “These items were spotlighted as being recommended by FRI’s financial advisers”.

John Blythe, chief executive officer of the company, was also in the spotlight, as his three-year contract as CEO was up for consideration for renewal. Despite a year of financial troubles which was discussed at length and some scrutiny over Blythe’s tenure thus far, the Board voted to retain him as CEO however with stipulations that FRI begin looking at a potential management partnership or power sharing arrangement with another film company that may have greater resources to bring to the table. “When that time comes, the Board will decide and make a vote on it, but for now, we still need a head of the company” Puleio said.

During its annual organizational part of the board meeting, Blythe and Myron Ward were re-elected to continue serving as co-chairman of the board; with Ward also serving as board secretary, however with new board members now also seated, one may be appointed to serve as board treasurer to provide better oversight over the company’s finances.

Other items addressed included FRI’s accountant Debbie Stonebarger preparing the 2024 audit and tax filing which confirmed FRI's net loss for 2024 of about $56,000; and reviewing FRI’s distribution contract with Buffalo 8.

01/29/2025

Film Regions Int’l reports net loss for 2024 at Annual Shareholders Meeting
> Board elected; exploring options

(LOS ANGELES, CA; January 28th, 2025): Film Regions International, Inc. (FRI) after facing a rollercoaster of a year, announced it had reported a net loss of just over $50,000 at its annual shareholders meeting held on January 19th.

Co-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer John Blythe however, stated in his annual report that the net loss reflected at the end of 2024 was substantially much less than what FRI’s consultants and financial advisers had anticipated. “Their projections stated that FRI was likely to loose more than five times than what was reported, and we feel the loss for 2024 was less mainly due to the turnaround plan we adopted, and the contract cuts and reduction in film production costs that was put in place since mid-summer.”

Blythe however, seemed sensitive to the issues at hand. “As a film company, or in our case, an indie film company, our product is production and distribution, and so obviously we’re sensitive by the fact that we’ve had to say “no” to independent filmmakers this year that we’re passing on this project or that project, simply because of the financial crisis we’ve been in.”

In moving forward for 2025, Blythe and Co-Chairman Myron Ward are remaining optimistic about implementing changes more aggressively. “Phase II was the turnaround plan, making these painful decisions; now Phase III will depend on hopefully asking the shareholders and/or our debt holders or outside investors for contributing a cash infusion outlay and earmark this for a list of recommendations that our consultants have advised.” Over the past few years, Blythe and Ward admit that this has been a difficult sell to its shareholders and debt holders, let alone finding new investors. “If Plan A fails, Plan B will be exploring an alternate option, possibly a management partnership arrangement with another company to help reshape our finances and offer some stability.”

In other business of the shareholders meeting, incumbent board members Blythe and Ward and Ronald Puleio and Michael Russo were all re-elected for another two year term.

01/02/2025