Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: ICM has named Jessica Lacy to head the agency’s international and independent film department. This comes after Deadline broke the story yesterday that 7-year vet Hal Sadoff was exiting. Lacy, a literary agent who joined the department in 2007, will lead the group in structuring and arranging financing, packaging and securing distribution for independent films.

“Jessica has grown tremendously in her role, and she is the ideal choice to lead and build this division, as we look to deepen our relationships in the creative and financial sectors and bring the best opportunities to our clients,” stated ICM President Chris Silbermann.

The department, which also includes agent Peter Trinh, brokered or co-repped eight distribution deals during and following the Sundance Film Festival, including the North American acquisitions of festival award winners Robot And Frank, starring Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon; the Duplass Bros-produced Safety Not Guaranteed, Ryan O’Nan’s Brooklyn Brothers Beat The Best; The Giant Mechanical Man, starring Jenna Fischer, Topher Grace and Chris Messina; and LUV, starring Common, Dennis Haysbert and Danny Glover. International sales were closed on Cherry, Between Us, and It’s a Disaster. Now, Lacy gets to steer the department as ICM goes through a shakeout as it transitions to a partner-owned agency.