About Us

“One of the best labels in physical media.”
Polygon

“The King of esoteric horror boutique companies.”
Video Watchblog

“Severin Films are well on their way to becoming the greatest indie label of all time.”
BlogCritics.org

Severin Films is the foremost independent studio dedicated to rescuing, restoring, and releasing the works of Oscar nominees and cult icons alike for Blu-ray, 4K UHD and digital platforms. Founded in 2006 by David Gregory, Carl Daft and John Cregan, the Los Angeles-based company features a library of 250+ films and television projects, as well as an international team of the industry’s most skilled and devoted genre experts.  “World cinema speaks many languages,” says Severin co-founder David Gregory, “some whisper and others scream, but all deserve to be heard. From the obscure to the infamous, from the grindhouse to the arthouse, from the thought-lost to the proudly resurrected, Severin is committed to uplifting the most provocative voices in entertainment.”

The Severin distribution catalogue includes projects by iconic filmmakers Alejandro Jodorowsky, Dario Argento, Paul Morrissey, Mike Leigh, Lucio Fulci, Peter Greenaway, Peter Medak, Roman Polanski, Penelope Spheeris, Alex de la Iglesia and UK comedy legends The Comic Strip; classics of Blaxploitation, Ozploitation, Sharksploitation and Nunsploitation; groundbreaking Filipino, Indonesian, Spanish & Soviet horror; American drive-in indies, controversial documentaries, renowned UK comedies, and the industry’s most formidable collection of Italian gialli, cannibal, zombie, erotic thrillers and ‘80s action hits. Along the way, Severin has elevated the oeuvres of such fringe auteurs as Bruno Mattei, Al Adamson, Andy Milligan, Joe D’Amato, Sergio Martino, Claudio Fragrasso, Umberto Lenzi, Ray Dennis Steckler, Michele Soavi, and Goya-Award winner – and Severin patron saint – Jess Franco. 

Daft and Gregory met in middle school in their native Nottingham, England and by their mid-twenties had launched the VHS/DVD label Exploited, whose initial releases – including Todd Phillips’ HATED and Alan Ormsby’s DERANGED – quickly became popular titles of the post ‘Video Nasties’ era. In 2001, Exploited’s attempt to release an uncut edition of Wes Craven’s LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT ignited controversy when The British Board Of Film Classification demanded the film be censored. Daft, by then a practicing lawyer, immediately filed a series of landmark appeals. More than a generation later, the case remains a global flashpoint for cinema’s anti-censorship movement. Gregory’s acclaimed 2005 documentary BAN THE SADIST VIDEOS! remains the definitive investigation of the ‘Video Nasties’ scandal and has led to Severin’s restoration and release of more than 35 of the original ‘condemned’ titles.  

Severin has produced feature films that include PLAGUE TOWN and THE THEATRE BIZARRE, as well as the award-winning documentaries BLOOD & FLESH: THE REAL LIFE & GHASTLY DEATH OF AL ADAMSON; LOST SOUL: THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU; WOODLANDS DARK & DAYS BEWITCHED: A HISTORY OF FOLK HORROR; TALES OF THE UNCANNY; and ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. Read more about Severin’s original productions here.

Severin’s webstore, YouTube Channel – which features rare trailers, exclusive release promos & The Severin Cellar – and its annual Super-Shock Pop-Up Film Festival all remain popular genre fan destinations. Their subsidiary label Intervision is dedicated to eclectic ‘80s softcore favorites, shot-on-video triumphs and regional rarities. And in 2019, the company launched the children’s label Severin Kids to release such generation-scarring classics as THE PEANUT BUTTER SOLUTION and WHEN THE WIND BLOWS. 

Severin also produces international projects for companies that include Second Sight Films, Kino Lorber, Shout! Factory, Umbrella Entertainment, Arrow Video, The British Film Institute and The Criterion Collection. Learn more about their production services here.