Rhombus Media
Rhombus Media is a Toronto-based independent film and television production company specializing in feature films, documentaries, and performing arts programs.[1][2]
Founded in 1979 at York University's Film Department by producers Niv Fichman and Barbara Willis Sweete, the company initially produced documentaries before expanding into narrative features and series, with Larry Weinstein joining as a key partner shortly thereafter.[1][3]
Over its 45-year history, Rhombus has developed more than 200 projects, including acclaimed works such as Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993), which earned a Genie Award for Best Motion Picture, and The Red Violin (1998), another Genie winner that received international recognition.[1][2][3]
The company has garnered numerous accolades, including multiple Primetime Emmy Awards, International Emmys, Genie Awards, and Canadian Screen Awards, with recent successes like the 2023 film Blackberry, which secured 14 Canadian Screen Awards in 2024, and television series such as HBO's The Sympathizer (2024).[4][3][5]
History
Founding and Early Development
Rhombus Media was established in 1979 at York University's Film Department in Toronto, Canada, by producers Niv Fichman and Barbara Willis Sweete, both students in the film studies program.[1][3] The company's inaugural production, the short documentary Opus One, Number One, documented the evolution and performance of Beethoven's Opus 1, Number 1 piano sonata by three young pianists, including Fichman's brother Yuval Fichman.[1][6] Initially operating as Fichman-Sweete Productions, the entity formalized as Rhombus Media, focusing on innovative documentaries in the performing arts, particularly classical music and theater.[3] In its early years, Rhombus expanded its core team with the addition of director and producer Larry Weinstein as a third founding partner, strengthening its capacity for musical and biographical films.[7] By the late 1980s, the company had developed a niche in high-quality performing arts programming, releasing its first theatrical feature film, The Top of His Head, in 1989, which marked a shift toward narrative features alongside documentaries.[6] Over the subsequent decade, Rhombus produced approximately 24 films and television programs, establishing collaborations with international broadcasters like the BBC and building a reputation for rigorous, artist-centered storytelling rooted in Canadian independent production.[6][2]Expansion in the 1980s and 1990s
During the 1980s, Rhombus Media solidified its foundation in documentary filmmaking centered on performing arts, particularly music and classical performances, transitioning from student-led shorts to award-winning productions. Incorporated formally in 1982 after initial operations as Fichman-Sweete Productions, the company produced key works such as Music for Wilderness Lake (1980), which documented composer R. Murray Schafer's environmental music suite, and All That Bach (1985), earning a Primetime Emmy for outstanding classical music-dance program.[8] Making Overtures: The Story of a Community Orchestra (1986) received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short, highlighting the company's growing technical prowess in capturing live performances.[1] Additional films like Magnificat (1986) and World Drums (1987) garnered Canadian Music Council awards, establishing Rhombus as a niche leader in high-end arts programming while building international co-production ties.[6] Sheena Macdonald joined in 1988 to spearhead Rhombus International for global distribution, enabling broader market reach.[8] The 1990s marked significant expansion into narrative feature films alongside continued documentary output, propelled by critical and commercial successes that elevated Rhombus to a major Canadian producer with global visibility. Entering features in 1989 with The Top of His Head, the company achieved breakthroughs with Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993), directed by François Girard, which won four Genie Awards including Best Motion Picture.[8] The same year, the TV series Concerto! secured an International Emmy, underscoring diversification into serialized arts content.[8] Daniel Iron joined in 1992 to handle legal and business affairs, supporting operational scaling.[8] Culminating successes included The Red Violin (1998), which earned eight Genie Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Score, and Last Night (1998), recipient of the Prix de la Jeunesse at Cannes and two Genies.[1] These milestones, coupled with multiple Gemini and International Emmy wins, reflected Rhombus's evolution from arts-focused independents to a versatile entity pursuing U.S. distribution deals amid industry consolidation.[9]Leadership Transitions in the 2000s
In 2007, after 28 years of operation, Rhombus Media's four founding partners—Niv Fichman, Barbara Willis Sweete, Larry Weinstein, and Sheena Macdonald—announced an amicable restructuring that effectively dissolved their unified leadership structure.[10][11] The change stemmed from diverging professional interests, declining funding for performing arts programming, and internal communication challenges that had rendered the partnership dysfunctional, akin to a strained family dynamic.[10] Sheena Macdonald, who had served as president of international distribution since joining in 1988, departed fully to assume the role of Director of Special Projects at the Canadian Film Centre, effective May 14, 2007, with a focus on expanding international marketplaces.[10][11][12] The remaining trio—Fichman, Willis Sweete, and Weinstein—retained co-ownership of the company's extensive library of approximately 200 titles and continued sharing office space and overhead costs, but they shifted to operating independent production entities under the Rhombus Media banner without shared financial obligations.[10][12][11] This reconfiguration allowed each partner to pursue specialized projects: Fichman emphasized feature films, such as Silk; Weinstein focused on documentaries; and Willis Sweete concentrated on performing arts films and specials.[11][10] The founders preserved the Rhombus legacy by avoiding a sale or division of the film library, reaffirming their commitment to high-caliber arts programming despite the operational separation.[12] No further significant leadership shifts occurred among the core partners during the decade, maintaining continuity in the company's artistic output.[10][11]Contemporary Operations and Recent Projects
Rhombus Media, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, maintains operations centered on producing narrative feature films, high-end television dramas, and performing arts programs, with a continued emphasis on filmmaker-driven stories for international festivals and audiences.[1] The company actively pursues co-productions, including an Australian partnership prioritized as of May 2025, alongside domestic funding from entities like Telefilm Canada and Ontario Creates.[13] Producers such as Niv Fichman, Fraser Ash, and Kevin Krikst oversee development and execution, leveraging the firm's 45-year history to secure global distribution and platform deals.[1] Recent projects include the HBO miniseries The Sympathizer (2024), an espionage thriller and satire adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, co-produced with A24 and Team Downey, which premiered on April 14, 2024.[14] [15] Feature film BlackBerry (2023), directed by Matt Johnson, world-premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and secured 14 Canadian Screen Awards for its depiction of the smartphone company's rise and fall.[1] Atom Egoyan's Seven Veils (2023), starring Amanda Seyfried as a theater director confronting past traumas while staging an opera, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 and held a special gala at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2024, with a theatrical release scheduled for early 2025.[16] [17] In 2024, Johnny Ma's The Mother and the Bear world-premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, exploring a Korean mother's protective interventions for her comatose daughter in Winnipeg, produced in association with Fábula and Thin Stuff Productions, and acquired by FilmNation for international sales.[18] [19] Ongoing developments encompass Cohen, a feature film directed by Louise Archambault and co-written with Conner O'Malley, which received Telefilm Canada funding announced on May 7, 2025, as part of a $25.8 million investment in 12 English-market features.[20] [21] These efforts reflect Rhombus Media's adaptation to streaming platforms and festival circuits while sustaining output exceeding 200 projects historically.[1]Leadership and Personnel
Founders and Core Partners
Rhombus Media was founded in 1979 at York University's Film Department by producers Niv Fichman and Barbara Willis Sweete, along with director Larry Weinstein, initially under the name Fichman-Sweete Productions before adopting the Rhombus Media moniker.[8][1] Their inaugural project was the documentary short Opus One, Number One, marking the company's early focus on musical and performing arts content.[1] These three individuals formed the core founding partnership, collaborating on over 200 productions in the ensuing decades, including acclaimed works like The Red Violin (1998) and Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993).[22] Niv Fichman, born in 1958 in Tel Aviv, Israel, serves as the primary founder and current president of Rhombus Media, overseeing its transition into narrative features and high-end television while maintaining its specialization in independent film.[1] A veteran producer with credits including The Red Violin, which earned an Academy Award for Best Original Score, Fichman has steered the company through international co-productions with entities like HBO and A24.[1] Barbara Willis Sweete, a York University contemporary of Fichman, co-founded the company as a director and producer, contributing to early musical documentaries before expanding into opera films and narrative projects; she departed as a partner in 2016 to establish her own production entity.[1][7] Larry Weinstein, also a York alumnus, joined as a co-founder and director, specializing in documentaries on composers and performers, with notable works like Beethoven's Hair (2005); he exited the partnership in 2016 to pursue independent projects under his own banner.[1][23] Sheena Macdonald, a York graduate, became a key partner in the late 1980s by heading Rhombus International, the company's distribution arm, facilitating global sales until her departure amid a 2007 restructuring of ownership among the principals.[8][10]Key Directors and Collaborators
Rhombus Media has frequently collaborated with acclaimed directors on feature films, documentaries, and television projects, often fostering long-term creative partnerships that emphasize artistic innovation in music, drama, and experimental narratives. François Girard stands out as a pivotal collaborator, directing the company's breakthrough Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993), which won four Genie Awards including Best Motion Picture, and The Red Violin (1998), an Academy Award winner for Best Original Score that also secured eight Genie Awards.[8][1] Atom Egoyan, another enduring partner with ties dating back decades, directed Seven Veils (2023), a psychological drama that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and explored themes of memory and performance, building on earlier Rhombus-supported works in his oeuvre.[1][24] Similarly, Denis Villeneuve helmed Enemy (2013), a surreal thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal that garnered Canadian Screen Award nominations and highlighted Rhombus's role in elevating emerging international talent.[1][2] The company has also engaged directors like Matt Johnson for the satirical tech drama BlackBerry (2023), which won 14 Canadian Screen Awards, and Brandon Cronenberg for the body horror film Possessor (2020), nominated for multiple Canadian Screen Awards including Best Direction.[1] International collaborations include Fernando Meirelles's adaptation of Blindness (2008), Olivier Assayas's Clean (2004), and Park Chan-wook's direction of episodes in the HBO miniseries The Sympathizer (2024), produced in partnership with A24.[1][25] Among internal contributors, founding partners Barbara Willis Sweete and Larry Weinstein directed early documentaries and performing arts films, such as Opus One, Number One (1979), Rhombus's inaugural production, and music-focused works like Making Overtures (1980s), establishing the company's emphasis on classical and opera genres before expanding to narrative features.[22][1] These efforts underscore Rhombus's model of blending producer-driven development with director-led visions, often yielding projects with global distribution and critical recognition.[26]Productions
Feature Films
Rhombus Media has produced a range of narrative feature films since the 1990s, often collaborating with Canadian and international directors on projects blending artistic innovation with dramatic narratives. These films frequently explore themes of identity, history, and human psychology, contributing to the company's reputation for high-quality independent cinema. While Rhombus originated in performing arts documentaries, its expansion into scripted features reflects partnerships with filmmakers like François Girard and Denis Villeneuve, yielding both critical acclaim and commercial releases.[1][2] Key productions include The Red Violin (1998), directed by François Girard, which traces the 300-year journey of a violin crafted in 1681 Cremona, Italy, interweaving stories across continents and earning the Academy Award for Best Original Score composed by John Corigliano.[1] The film grossed over $10 million at the box office and received eight Genie Awards, including Best Motion Picture.[3] Last Night (1998), written and directed by Don McKellar, depicts the final hours before an apocalyptic event in Toronto, examining interpersonal relationships amid existential dread; it premiered at Cannes and won four Genie Awards, including Best Original Screenplay.[3][1] In the 2000s, Rhombus co-produced Childstar (2004), directed by Don McKellar, a satirical comedy about a young actor's life unraveling under fame, featuring Mark Rendall and Jennifer Jason Leigh.[27] The Saddest Music in the World (2003), directed by Guy Maddin, is a surreal Depression-era tale set in Winnipeg, starring Isabella Rossellini, which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival and garnered cult status for its stylistic eccentricity.[3] Later films encompass Blindness (2008), an adaptation of José Saramago's novel directed by Fernando Meirelles, portraying societal collapse from a mysterious epidemic, with international co-production involving actors like Julianne Moore.[1] Enemy (2013), directed by Denis Villeneuve from Patrick Sonntag's novel, features Jake Gyllenhaal in dual roles in a doppelgänger thriller, receiving critical praise for its arachnid symbolism and psychological depth.[1] More recent entries include Closet Monster (2015), Aaron Brooks' debut feature about a teenager grappling with sexuality and family trauma, which won the Directors Guild of Canada's Discovery Award.[27] Into the Forest (2015), directed by Patricia Rozema and adapted from Jean Hegland's novel, stars Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood as sisters surviving societal breakdown.[1] Possessor (2020), Brandon Cronenberg's body-horror sci-fi film starring Andrea Riseborough, explores corporate assassination via mind control and premiered at Sundance, earning acclaim for its visceral effects.[28]| Title | Year | Director | Notable Aspects |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Red Violin | 1998 | François Girard | Academy Award for Best Original Score; 8 Genie Awards[1] |
| Last Night | 1998 | Don McKellar | Cannes premiere; 4 Genie Awards[3] |
| Childstar | 2004 | Don McKellar | Satirical take on child stardom[27] |
| The Saddest Music in the World | 2003 | Guy Maddin | TIFF premiere; surreal style[3] |
| Blindness | 2008 | Fernando Meirelles | Saramago adaptation; international cast[1] |
| Enemy | 2013 | Denis Villeneuve | Psychological thriller; Gyllenhaal dual role[1] |
| Closet Monster | 2015 | Aaron Brooks | DGC Discovery Award winner[27] |
| Into the Forest | 2015 | Patricia Rozema | Post-apocalyptic survival drama[1] |
| Possessor | 2020 | Brandon Cronenberg | Sundance premiere; body horror[28] |
Television Series and Miniseries
Rhombus Media has produced a select number of scripted television series and miniseries, often in collaboration with international partners, emphasizing character-driven narratives in genres such as drama and dark comedy. These projects represent a departure from the company's primary focus on documentaries and performing arts films, showcasing its capacity for multi-episode storytelling with literary adaptations and period settings.[1] Slings & Arrows (2003–2006) is a three-season comedy-drama series created by Susan Coyne, Bob Martin, and Mark McKinney, centering on the chaotic backstage dynamics at the fictional New Burbage Shakespeare Festival. The series explores themes of artistic ambition, personal turmoil, and theatrical tradition through the return of protagonist Geoffrey Tennant, played by Paul Gross. Produced in association with The Movie Network and aired on CBC, it earned acclaim for its witty script and ensemble performances, securing multiple Gemini Awards, including for best dramatic series in 2006.[29][30] In 2021, Rhombus co-produced The North Water, a five-part miniseries adapted from Ian McGuire's novel, directed by Andrew Haigh. Starring Jack O'Connell as disgraced surgeon Patrick Sumner and Colin Farrell as harpooner Henry Drax, the series follows a perilous 19th-century whaling voyage in the Arctic, delving into themes of morality, violence, and survival. A Canada-UK co-production with See-Saw Films, it premiered on BBC Two and AMC+, noted for its stark cinematography and atmospheric tension despite mixed reviews on pacing.[31][32] The Sympathizer (2024), a seven-episode HBO miniseries based on Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, was co-produced with A24. Directed by Park Chan-wook, Guy Moshe, and others, it stars Hoa Xuande as a communist spy embedded in South Vietnam's army who flees to the U.S. post-fall of Saigon, grappling with identity and espionage. Featuring Robert Downey Jr. in multiple roles, the series addresses Vietnam War aftermath and cultural displacement, receiving praise for its bold style but criticism for tonal inconsistencies.[33][34] Earlier scripted efforts include Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays (2011), a half-hour comedy series about a therapist's unconventional methods, and Sensitive Skin (2014), a dramedy remake following a woman's midlife reinvention, both highlighting Rhombus's involvement in character-focused Canadian television. These productions underscore the company's selective expansion into episodic formats, prioritizing auteur-driven content over high-volume output.[35]Documentaries and Performing Arts Films
Rhombus Media has produced a range of documentaries and films focused on performing arts, emphasizing music, dance, and theatre with high production values and artistic depth. Founded in 1979, the company began with musical documentaries that explored composition, performance, and cultural contexts, such as Opus One Number One (1979), which followed three young pianists in developing and performing a Beethoven sonata, and Music for Wilderness Lake (1980), a portrait of composer R. Murray Schafer's work in natural settings.[3][6] In the 1980s, Rhombus expanded this focus with titles like Zivjeli! To Life! (1982), documenting klezmer music revival among Holocaust survivors' descendants, and All That Bach (1985), examining Johann Sebastian Bach's enduring influence through contemporary interpretations. Ravel (1987), directed by Larry Weinstein, combined biography and performance to illuminate composer Maurice Ravel's creative process and final years. Several early works received Canadian Music Council awards, including Making Overtures: The Story of a Community Orchestra (1986), The Magnificat (1986), and World Drums (1987), highlighting Rhombus's commitment to accessible yet sophisticated explorations of musical traditions.[6][36] The 1990s and 2000s saw innovative hybrids of documentary and narrative forms, such as 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993), an episodic portrayal of the reclusive Canadian pianist's life and obsessions, blending interviews, vignettes, and performances. Performing arts films during this period included opera and dance captures, like Don Giovanni (1991), a filmed production of Mozart's opera directed by Barbara Willis Sweete with the Canadian Opera Company. Weinstein's later documentaries, including Ravel's Brain (2001), which investigated the composer's neurological decline through medical and artistic lenses, and Beethoven's Hair (2005), analyzing a authenticated lock of the composer's hair via forensic science to reveal lead poisoning's role in his deafness and genius, underscored Rhombus's interest in interdisciplinary approaches to classical figures.[36][37] More recent documentaries diverge slightly from pure performing arts but retain creative storytelling, such as Inside Hana's Suitcase (2009), directed by Weinstein, which recounts a Japanese museum's Holocaust education project uncovering a child's story through artifacts, and Our Man in Tehran (2013), detailing the real events behind the Argo rescue during the Iran hostage crisis. Performing arts programming continued with series like Songs of Freedom (2015), profiling musicians using music for social advocacy, and Inspired by Bach (1997), a collection of modern choreographic responses to Bach's compositions. These works have earned international recognition, including Emmy Awards for performing arts contributions, affirming Rhombus's role in bridging documentary rigor with artistic expression.[38][39]Short Films and Experimental Works
Rhombus Media's inaugural production, Opus One, Number One (1979), was a short documentary film co-directed by founders Niv Fichman and Barbara Willis Sweete, tracing the evolution and rehearsal of Beethoven's Piano Trio No. 1 by Toronto musicians.[1] This student-initiated work at York University's Film Department marked the company's experimental approach to capturing the creative process in classical music performance, blending observational footage with intimate behind-the-scenes insights.[40] The following year, Rhombus released Music for Wilderness Lake (1980), a 28-minute documentary short directed by Barbara Willis Sweete, which chronicled composer R. Murray Schafer's site-specific environmental piece performed by trombonists across a remote Ontario lake.[41] The film emphasized spatial audio and natural acoustics, pioneering techniques in recording music integrated with wilderness soundscapes, and received distribution through educational channels for its innovative fusion of documentary and avant-garde composition. In 1982, Zivjeli! To Life! documented a cultural exchange tour to Yugoslavia by Canadian musicians and dancers from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, highlighting folk traditions and cross-cultural performance.[42] Co-produced with TV Ontario and the National Film Board of Canada, this short film explored rhythmic and improvisational elements of Eastern European music, reflecting Rhombus's early interest in ethnographic and performative experimentation.[43] These early shorts established Rhombus's signature style of artistic documentaries, often experimental in their non-linear structures and emphasis on process over narrative convention, laying groundwork for later feature-length explorations in performing arts.[1]Awards and Recognition
Major Accolades by Category
Rhombus Media productions have garnered major awards across film, television, and music categories, reflecting recognition for artistic excellence in documentaries, features, and performing arts content.[1] Academy AwardsThe Red Violin (1998) received the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 71st ceremony on March 26, 1999.[1]
Making Overtures: The Story of a Community Orchestra (1985) earned a nomination for Best Documentary Short Subject.[1] Primetime Emmy Awards
Rhombus Media has secured multiple Primetime Emmy wins for television projects, including Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program for Six Gestures in the Art of Michaelangelo (year unspecified in sources).[3][1] International Emmy Awards
Productions have won at least two International Emmys, for Le Dortoir (1991) and Pictures on the Edge (1992).[44]
The Planets (1995) won in the Performing Arts category at the 23rd International Emmy Awards. Note: Sources indicate up to five International Emmy wins overall, though specifics beyond these are not detailed.[3] Genie Awards
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993) won Best Motion Picture at the 14th Genie Awards.[1]
The Red Violin (1998) won Best Motion Picture at the 20th Genie Awards.[1] Canadian Screen Awards
BlackBerry (2023) won 14 awards at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Motion Picture, Best Direction (Matt Johnson), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Performance in a Leading Role (Male) for Jay Baruchel.[45][1]