Andrew Karpen, the founder and CEO of indie distributor Bleecker Street, the former co-CEO of Focus Features, and an all-around icon as an indie film executive, has died. He was 59.
Karpen died on Monday, April 28. In 2024, he had been diagnosed with a form of brain cancer called glioblastoma, detailing the extent and severity of his condition in a piece in Deadline.
“Our industry has lost a giant” said Kent Sanderson, Bleecker Street’s President and Andrew’s longtime friend. “Andrew taught us all so much, foremost of which is the value of kindness, honesty, and family above all else. His leadership and courage will inspire all of us at Bleecker Street for the rest of our lives.”
Karpen founded Bleecker Street as a New York City-based independently financed studio in August 2014, having released more than 75 films including titles like “Logan Lucky,” “Leave No Trace,” “The Assistant,” “Rumours,” “Mass,” “The Starling Girl,” “Captain Fantastic,” “Trumbo,” “Hard Truths,” and many more. Karpen navigated Bleecker through the industry disruption of Covid and other immense changes from streaming after having previously served as the co-CEO of Focus Features.
Karpen had joined Focus in 2002 as COO before being promoted to president in 2006. He was responsible for the company’s finance, operations, and strategic planning and with his promotion added domestic marketing, publicity, and distribution, and he also handled the international sales and distribution arm for Focus.
Current Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski shared his own reflection on Karpen’s life, saying in a statement, “Andrew’s passing is not only a loss for the filmmakers he spent his career championing, but for all of us who had the privilege of working with him and calling him a friend. His humanity, kindness, and gentle spirit were an inspiration to anyone who spent time with him, and they are forever a part of Focus and our whole film community. We are all better off having had him in our lives.”
Prior to joining Focus, Karpen spent time at Oxygen Media as Senior Vice President, Finance & Planning and began his career in the industry at Miramax Films.
Karpen holds an MBA from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Washington University’s School of Business. He is a trustee for BAFTA New York and a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
Andrew is survived by his wife Pam, his sons Josh and Zack, his daughter Sloan, and Josh’s wife Kristen who is expecting their first child. Andrew was born on April 18, 1966 and recently celebrated his 59th birthday. The family would appreciate donations made in Karpen’s name to the Lenox Hill Brain Tumor Center or Fairfield County Hospice House.