Founded in 2015 by international film executives, Mark Gooder and Alison Thompson, Cornerstone is a leader in the global independent film community. Headquartered in London with Mark Gooder in Los Angeles, the company specializes in international sales, financing, and distribution of feature films. Our brand is synonymous with quality commercial story-telling. With a prominent position in the community and deeply-rooted relationships with producers and filmmakers, we serve as executive producers in the packaging and sales process providing strong curatorial and creative direction to producers, financiers, and creative story-tellers. Cornerstone is also a partner in Genstone, a London-based content management company.

Cornerstone’s current slate includes James Ashcroft’s horror feature When Darkness Loves Us starring Emilia Clarke, Bijan Sheibani’s The Arrival, writer-director Theo Rhys feature debut Stuffed starring Jodie Comer and Harry Melling, Mike Leigh’s Tender Loving Care, Harry Lighton’s directorial debut Pillion starring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling which screened in Official Selection, Un Certain Regard at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival; and Fangs, directed by Lucy McKendrick and starring Joel Edgerton, Toni Colette and Peter Mullen.

Mark Gooder

Based in Los Angeles, Mark’s career started in Australia in exhibition in the 1990’s and then he went on to build Icon Australia for Mel Gibson/Bruce Davey culminating in a move to LA in 2006 as CEO of Icon Productions. He then took the role of President of Acquisitions for The Weinstein Company ahead of starting Cornerstone Films with Alison. Mark has an impeccable track record in independent film acquisitions acquiring many of the most notable and award-winning films of the past three decades.

Alison Thompson

Alison started her career helping build The Sales Company, a leader in the independent sales business, in the 1990’s. Then after a stint at the helm of Pathé Pictures International, she took up the position of Co-President at Universal’s Focus Features International. A champion of the independent film business, Alison’s career has made her a sought-after voice in the film community and amongst others, she has served on the boards of BAFTA and IFTA.