Ovidio G. Assonitis
Ovidio Assonitis, an independent film producer and businessman with over 35 years experience in the industry, was born to Greek citizens living in Alexandria, Egypt. Assonitis began an extensive distribution network company catering to the Southeast Asia market in the mid-'60s and in a ten-year period distributed more than 900 films from offices in Thailand, Honk Kong, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia. His former partners and associates include HRH Prince Anusorn Mongkolkarn in Thailand (brother of the King of Thailand), John Litton in the Philippines (President of Mever films, theater owner and former President of the Philippines Film Festival), the Shaw Brothers in Singapore, Alex Tedja In Indonesia and Kong Cho Yee (Edko Enterprises) in Hong Kong. From the 1970s to 2000s Assonitis financed and produced some 53 films. Many of these were joint ventures with American International Pictures (USA), Nippon Herald Films Inc. and Toho-Towa (Japan), with worldwide releases through Columbia Pictures, 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation, Warner Brothers and United Artists.
The 1974 horror classic Beyond the Door (1974), distributed by Film Ventures International, grossed worldwide in excess of us $40 million, a tremendous achievement at that time. In 1980 Assonitis produced Piranha II: The Spawning (1981), which was released through Warner brothers and Columbia Pictures. This was the movie that launched the career of director James Cameron, who went on to direct The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994)and the blockbuster hit Titanic (1997). In 1989 Assonitis became the second major stockholder chairman and CEO of Cannon Pictures Inc (USA). The next year he assigned to Universal Pictures the remake of the European classic Scent of a Woman (1992), which was released worldwide in 1993, starring Al Pacino and directed by Martin Brest.
Since his resignation as CEO of Cannon Inc., Assonitis has produced six films, became President of Titan Inc (USA), Titan Serendib Inc. (Malaysia and Sri Lanka), Ka Film Investment (KFI) (Rome) and stockholder of Buskin film (Rome). Aside from the entertainment industry, Assonitis has several major commercial projects in South East Asia, including Malaysia. He is a keen philanthropist and eager to combine business with a positive development of the economic and social infrastructure of countries in Asia.
Known For
DirectorKnown Credits
1Birthday
17-02-1943Place of Birth
Alexandria, EgyptOvidio G. Assonitis
Ovidio Assonitis, an independent film producer and businessman with over 35 years experience in the industry, was born to Greek citizens living in Alexandria, Egypt. Assonitis began an extensive distribution network company catering to the Southeast Asia market in the mid-'60s and in a ten-year period distributed more than 900 films from offices in Thailand, Honk Kong, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia. His former partners and associates include HRH Prince Anusorn Mongkolkarn in Thailand (brother of the King of Thailand), John Litton in the Philippines (President of Mever films, theater owner and former President of the Philippines Film Festival), the Shaw Brothers in Singapore, Alex Tedja In Indonesia and Kong Cho Yee (Edko Enterprises) in Hong Kong. From the 1970s to 2000s Assonitis financed and produced some 53 films. Many of these were joint ventures with American International Pictures (USA), Nippon Herald Films Inc. and Toho-Towa (Japan), with worldwide releases through Columbia Pictures, 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation, Warner Brothers and United Artists.
The 1974 horror classic Beyond the Door (1974), distributed by Film Ventures International, grossed worldwide in excess of us $40 million, a tremendous achievement at that time. In 1980 Assonitis produced Piranha II: The Spawning (1981), which was released through Warner brothers and Columbia Pictures. This was the movie that launched the career of director James Cameron, who went on to direct The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994)and the blockbuster hit Titanic (1997). In 1989 Assonitis became the second major stockholder chairman and CEO of Cannon Pictures Inc (USA). The next year he assigned to Universal Pictures the remake of the European classic Scent of a Woman (1992), which was released worldwide in 1993, starring Al Pacino and directed by Martin Brest.
Since his resignation as CEO of Cannon Inc., Assonitis has produced six films, became President of Titan Inc (USA), Titan Serendib Inc. (Malaysia and Sri Lanka), Ka Film Investment (KFI) (Rome) and stockholder of Buskin film (Rome). Aside from the entertainment industry, Assonitis has several major commercial projects in South East Asia, including Malaysia. He is a keen philanthropist and eager to combine business with a positive development of the economic and social infrastructure of countries in Asia.
