Veteran film executive David Kosse is leaving his post as VP of International Film at Netflix amid a restructure of the company’s European content business. Kosse joined the streamer in 2019, overseeing all international film production and acquisitions with a focus on making and acquiring significant non-English language films with global appeal. He is expected to continue to produce for Netflix and others.
His decision to exit comes as the streamer has expanded, moving from a few offices outside the U.S. just four years ago to 29 in major cities throughout the world. It is now shifting to a regional structure in Europe, Middle East and Africa much as it already has in Asia Pacific and Latin America.
Going forward, Teresa Moneo will lead the International Film team and will report to Head of Global Film, Scott Stuber. The changes also result in all content categories (film and television) coming together under one EMEA Content Lead, Larry Tanz, who is based in Netflix’s European headquarters in Amsterdam.
Kosse has not yet fully clarified his future plans, but tells me he intends to start a new company with a view to producing European films with wide appeal. It is expected he will continue a relationship with Netflix as well as working with other platforms and studios.
A longtime business builder, London-based Kosse established Momentum Pictures in 2000 and later launched Universal Pictures International, spending 10 years at the studio. In 2015, he became Director of Film4 before joining STX to head up its international arm, and then three years ago moved into the Netflix job.
He is known for his filmmaker relationships, having recruited the likes of Paolo Sorrentino, Baltasar Kormakur, Romain Gavras, Edward Berger, Matthias Schweighofer, J.A. Bayona, Louis Leterrier, Dany Boon and more to the Netflix fold. Among the titles he’s spearheaded since 2019 are Sorrentino’s Oscar nominated The Hand of God; Schweighofer’s Army of Thieves; Netflix’s most popular non-English language movie, Blood Red Sky; and the upcoming Bird Box Spanish-language spinoff.
Four films from his slate premiered at the recent fall film festivals: Berger’s German Oscar submission All Quiet on the Western Front, Gavras’ well-reviewed Athena, Sally El Hosaini’s TIFF charmer The Swimmers and Oscar winner Sebastian Lelio’s The Wonder.
Netflix has experienced some upheaval recently as it has contended with stock price swings. Domestically, the company has been methodically streamlining its executive structure; U.S.-based Tendo Nagenda exited his post earlier this month while there has been a spate of layoffs in the last year. While we understand Kosse’s exit is not related to the domestic situation, it is the most significant change internationally.
Said Stuber, “David joined Netflix when our film offering outside the U.S. was still nascent. He went on to build our European film team and attracted filmmakers and talent like Paolo Sorrentino, Ed Berger, Matthias Schweighöfer and J.A. Bayona to the company. We’re excited to continue to work with him in his new endeavor.”
Said Kosse, “I really enjoyed my time at Netflix. We made a wide range of fantastic films, I worked with some great people, both inside and outside the company, and learned a lot. I look forward to using this experience to make more films with Netflix and others.”
Of Moneo, Stuber noted, “Teresa has incredible relationships with the European film community and partnered closely with David to build our slate of international films. As we continue to expand outside the U.S., I look forward to working closely with her in attracting the best filmmakers from all over the world.”
Source: Deadline
