Cohen Media nabs Rohauer Film Collection

Charles S. Cohen has acquired the rights to the Raymond Rohauer Film Collection of over 700 titles, including prints of DW Griffith's "Birth of a Nation," Rudolf Valentino's "Son of the Sheik" and all of Buster Keaton's films. Cohen Media Group said it plans to develop a comprehensive distribution plan for branding and presenting the library to the marketplace through theatrical distribution, DVD release and digital delivery. The company also intends to substantially increase efforts to market and develop its remake rights. "There is a gold mine of classic films in this collection," Cohen said. "It is just waiting to be restored and seen in all its full glory and where creatively relevant re-made for today's audiences." Other titles in the collection include Griffith's "Intolerance" and "Orphans of the Storm," Joseph von Sternberg's "The Blue Angel," Jean Cocteau's "Blood of a Poet" and several Douglas Fairbanks films including "The Thief of Bagdad" and "The Cat and The Canary." The Cohen Media Group will also be seeking distribution and co-financing ventures for new productions as well as for sequels, remakes and live stage productions. The Rohauer Collection includes yet-to-be-identified materials including: contracts, shooting scripts, filmmaker notes and a significant amount of rare film memorabilia. Cohen noted that only 10% of the Rohauer Collection, currently housed at various sites in the US including The Library of Congress and Europe, has been made available and exhibited to the public. Cohen formed Cohen Media Group in 2008 and the company was a producer on "Frozen River." It's released "Outside the Law," directed by Rachid Bouchareb, and "Chasing Madoff," an adaption of "No One Would Listen," by Harry Markopolos, and will release "My Afternoons With Margueritte" starring Gerard Depardieu, later this month. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

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