Polly Cohen Named President, Warner Independent Pictures

(May 8, 2006 - Burbank, CA) - Polly Cohen has been named President, Warner Independent Pictures, it was announced today by Jeff Robinov, President, Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. Ms. Cohen, who recently served as Executive Vice President, Production, Warner Bros. Pictures, will report directly to Mr. Robinov and replace Mark Gill, who stepped down from his post on May 2. “In the many years we’ve worked together, I’ve come to know Polly as a superb executive whose collaborative spirit, great talent relationships and ability to nurture the best stories make her invaluable to our company and to the future of Warner Independent,” Mr. Robinov said. “Polly has proven that she can bring out the best in people and handle a production of any size and budget. Warner Independent is poised to continue its success in both developing and acquiring projects, and I know the company will enjoy tremendous growth under Polly’s leadership.” Ms. Cohen said, “I am thrilled to have this opportunity to lead a company such as Warner Independent and am very fortunate to continue working with such great people as Laura Kim and Steven Friedlander as well as the enormously talented writers and directors whose films – both big and small – have found homes at Warner Independent and Warner Bros. Pictures. I am very much looking forward to this new chapter.” During her tenure at the company, Ms. Cohen has worked on the upcoming Warner Independent film “Mama’s Boy” as well as several others in development. In addition, she has led the production teams for such upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures releases as “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” “Superman Returns,” “License to Wed,” “I Am Legend” and “Blood Diamond.” Films she has previously overseen for Warner Bros. Pictures include the first four Harry Potter movies, as well as “Starsky and Hutch,” “Gothika,” “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood” and “Analyze This.” She was on the production teams for “Three Kings” and “A Perfect Storm.” Ms. Cohen began her career at Jersey Films, where she was involved with such films as “Gattaca” and “Living Out Loud.” She joined Warner Bros. Pictures as a Creative Executive in 1997 and was promoted to Production Executive in 1998. In 1999, she became Vice President, Production, and in 2003 she moved up to Senior Vice President. She was named Executive Vice President, Production, in February 2006. Ms. Cohen received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at San Diego in Chinese Studies. She speaks Chinese and lived and worked in Southeast Asia before entering the entertainment industry. She received an MFA from USC’s Peter Stark Production Program. # # #