This partnership positions Atlanta's Liaison Pictures as a serious player on the international festival circuit, with John Henry Hinkel expanding beyond his work on Charlie Kaufman's projects into transatlantic co-productions.
Insiders note that Locarno's Match Me! platform has become increasingly competitive, and securing partnerships there signals that both companies see real commercial potential in Bethel's unconventional documentary approach.
The announcement came August 8, 2026 via Variety. Liaison Pictures previously produced Charlie Kaufman's 'How to Shoot a Ghost.' The film is currently participating in Locarno's Match Me! networking platform for international co-productions.
Cross-border indie collaborations like this one are becoming the industry norm as companies seek to distribute financial risk while accessing global talent pools and festival circuits.
Atlanta-based Liaison Pictures has officially crossed the Atlantic, announcing a partnership with France's Because the Night Productions on the documentary-feature "Behemoth Ann Holds a Seance." The project, currently taking part in Locarno's Match Me! networking platform, marks an intriguing collaboration between two production companies from different continents with distinctly different backgrounds. John Henry Hinkel's Liaison Pictures brings serious indie credentials to the table, having produced Charlie Kaufman's "How to Shoot a Ghost"—a fact that immediately signals this company knows how to handle unconventional material.
The film is directed by Isidore Bethel, whose vision apparently caught the attention of both production companies simultaneously. The Match Me! platform at Locarno has become an increasingly important venue for exactly these kinds of international matchmaking exercises, connecting producers and financiers with projects seeking co-production partners. That "Behemoth Ann Holds a Seance" is already taking part in the program suggests the project has significant momentum before its official market debut.
What makes this particular pairing noteworthy extends beyond simple geography. Because the Night Productions represents France's growing appetite for experimental documentary work, while Liaison Pictures anchors its reputation in narrative features with literary or artistic pretensions. The combination hints at a film that could blur genre lines—part documentary, part séance, potentially something else entirely depending on what Bethel has planned.
The timing of this announcement during the August festival season is deliberate. Locarno draws industry attention from distributors, sales agents, and financiers specifically looking for projects with international appeal and co-production potential. For both companies, landing a partnership at Match Me! represents validation that their respective markets see value in whatever Bethel is building.
Industry observers will be watching to see whether additional partners come aboard as the project moves through Locarno's networking events. Cross-border collaborations have become increasingly essential for independent productions seeking both funding and distribution guarantees, and this particular team-up positions "Behemoth Ann Holds a Seance" well for that next phase of development.
