iWorld
Amuz Distribution announces acquisition of dramedy series Larry
Mumbai: Amuz Distribution’s Alex Avon, vice president of global distribution announced the acquisition of Larry a dramedy produced by Avenue Productions. This is the second acquisition for Amuz Distribution (formerly ComediHa! Distribution until May of this year). Larry received six nominations at Prix Gémeaux and won “Best Sound – Fiction”; additionally, director Patrice Sauvé is nominated for the upcoming Prix RÉALS Awards. In other news, Amuz Distribution’s series About Antoine received three separate award wins and a nomination this month – the Prix Gémeaux, La Rochelle’s Festival de la Fiction and MIPCOM’s Diversify TV Award.
Larry is a dramedy about a former undercover police officer, Larry, whose reputation was tarnished from a corruption case, is now a security guard at the ripe age of 62 and working in a culturally mixed Montreal neighborhood. He is left to navigate a new life with his disabled wife who recently became injured when caught between a gang shootout. Larry, along with his quirky neighbors, tries to uncover the identities of those who were responsible for his wife while trying to make the best of his situation and redeem his reputation.
Avenue Productions producer Josée Desrosiers added, “Amuz Distribution is the perfect partner for Avenue Productions. They have the international contacts and stellar reputation as well as the sensibilities to represent our special series “Larry”. We are confident audiences around the world will be moved by the program.”
Amuz Distribution’s series About Antoine is the recipient of multiple awards this month. The Prix Gémeaux in Montreal bestowed the Best Supporting Role in a Comedy award for actress Micheline Bernard, while in La Rochelle at the Festival de la Fiction, About Antoine received the Best Francophone Foreign Fiction Award. And MIPCOM just named the series one of the finalists for its Diversify TV Awards, and the winner will be crowned on 17 October at a ceremony during MIPCOM.
About Antoine is an uplifting story of love and family triumphing over limitations. With authenticity, sensitivity, and humor the series tackles a rarely explored theme in fiction: life with a poly-handicapped child. Inspired by True Events.
Avon stated, “As we grow Amuz Distribution, we are thrilled to add Larry to our portfolio. This thought-provoking series demonstrating redemption fits nicely into our expansion mission for feel-good programming. We are also honored to have our heartfelt series About Antoine be recognized by the industry around the world with wins at the Prix Gémeaux in Quebec; and in France – a win at the La Rochelle Festival de la Fiction and our nomination for upcoming MIPCOM’s Diversify Awards. We’ll be at MIPCOM with these and other inspiring programs and look forward to meeting with everyone.”
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
