http://www.deadline.com/tag/filmdistrict/Jim Orr has joined FilmDistrict as the new president of distribution, CEO Peter Schlessel announced this afternoon. Orr will oversee all aspects of FilmDistrict’s feature distribution and will report directly to Schlessel. This follows Sclessel’s recent hiring of Christine Birch as president of marketing, and positions key executives at FilmDistrict as the company prepares for the Cannes Film Festival and market next month. Orr will oversee distribution of FilmDistrict’s slate, including Lockout (via Open Road) which opens tomorrow, Safety Not Guaranteed (June 8), Looper, in conjunction with Endgame Entertainment and Sony Pictures (September 28), Red Dawn (also via Open Road, November 2) Playing the Field (December 25) and Parker (January 25, 2013). Also in the works is a “reimagining” of the horror cult classic Evil Dead, in conjunction with Ghost House Pictures and Sony Pictures, and a sequel to Insidious, distributed by FilmDistrict.

Orr has more than two decades of distribution experience. He held positions at MGM and Paramount Pictures including executive vice president and general sales manager of theatrical distribution and senior vice president of domestic distribution. At MGM he oversaw releases in the United States and Canada including Hot Tub Time Machine and Valkyrie. Most recently Orr was president of Steamboat Rock Entertainment, a motion picture releasing and entertainment industry consulting company where he worked with a number of companies including Miramax, the anti-piracy technology company PirateEye and the social media-based portal Tugg. In addition to Birch and Orr, Schlessel’s FilmDistrict team includes Adrian Alperovich, president of acquisitions and operations, and Lia Buman, EVP acquisitions.