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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Film Distributor Went Rogue, Writer Says

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Millennium Entertainment is illegally distributing the 2006 comedy "Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down," the film's creator claims in federal court.

Paul Sapiano and his company Boys and Girls Guide LLC claims to hold exclusive rights to "Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down." They say they never granted any rights to Millennium to distribute the movie to pay television or retailers.

"Plaintiffs are informed and believe and on that basis allege that defendant, among other things, has distributed plaintiffs work with retailers, broadcasters and has entered into sub-license agreements with other sub-distributors for the sale and display of the work without plaintiffs authorization," the 12-page complaint states.

Millennium has a catalog of more than 600 films, including works to which the distributor does not have rights, Sapiano added.

Among this year's titles, Millennium distributed the Lee Daniels film "The Paperboy," starring Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey, John Cusack and Nicole Kidman.

In 2010, Sapiano executive produced a half-hour pilot based on his 2006 indie feature for Comedy Central.

Sapiano seeks an injunction, a seizure order and up to $150,000 in damages, alleging copyright infringement and unfair competition.

He is represented by Thomas Ho'okano of Gold River, Calif.

Millennium Entertainment did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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