Autonomy Pictures: the US label that released The Bunny Game uncut

Overview

Autonomy Pictures was a United States horror distribution label launched in 2012 by three distribution veterans — president Derek Curl, David Gregory of Severin Films and Lewis Tice of Danger After Dark — with the stated aim of releasing “uncompromising cinema on a worldwide scale” (Screen Daily; ComingSoon). Its first release was Adam Rehmeier’s The Bunny Game: Autonomy acquired all US rights — announced 8 March 2012 — and put the film out uncut in July 2012, the same film the BBFC had refused to classify in the UK months earlier (ComingSoon).

A label for “uncompromising cinema”

The launch was reported by Screen Daily on 8 March 2012 under the headline “Autonomy Pictures kicks off with US rights deal on The Bunny Game”: the new distributor of Curl, Gregory and Tice would “handle four films this year, starting with Adam Rehmeier’s torture porn” (Screen Daily). The founders came with genre credentials — Gregory from the cult-restoration label Severin Films, Tice from the Danger After Dark genre festival — and Curl took the president’s title (ComingSoon; Bloody Disgusting). Curl’s positioning was confrontational by design: “The Bunny Game is the last word on the torture-porn sub-genre,” he said. “At Autonomy Pictures we are not afraid to release such a film, which will undoubtedly inspire heated reaction, because it will allow audiences to make up their own minds” (Bloody Disgusting). Sales agent Julian Richards, who negotiated the US deal for the filmmakers, called the launch “a bold statement of intent” (Bloody Disgusting).

The Bunny Game as first release

Autonomy’s entire documented output runs through The Bunny Game. The company set a July 17, 2012 street date for the DVD and Blu-ray — uncut and uncensored — with a Blu-ray spec sheet carrying an audio commentary by Rehmeier and star Rodleen Getsic, the “Caretaking the Monster” making-of featurette, and the trailer and alternate trailer (Bloody Disgusting). A limited North American theatrical run was planned “in states that will permit it,” a caveat that acknowledged the film’s content even as the label sold its uncut status as the point (Bloody Disgusting). The release demonstrably went ahead: ScreenAnarchy’s archive lists its “Blu-ray Review: THE BUNNY GAME (Autonomy Pictures)” from September 2012 (ScreenAnarchy). Autonomy set the disc up as a prestige genre release rather than a quick exploitation dump — a commentary track and a making-of featurette imply the label expected the film to be argued over, collected and studied, not just consumed (Bloody Disgusting).

The people behind the label

Principal	Background	Role at Autonomy
Derek Curl	Distribution veteran	President; public face of the launch
David Gregory	Severin Films (cult-film restoration label)	Co-founder
Lewis Tice	Danger After Dark (genre film festival)	Co-founder
Julian Richards	Founder, Jinga Films (world sales agent)	Negotiated the Bunny Game US deal for the filmmakers

All three founders were known quantities in the extreme-cinema ecosystem — which is precisely why the label’s first signing was a film no mainstream distributor would touch.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Autonomy Pictures? Distribution veterans Derek Curl, David Gregory and Lewis Tice. Curl served as president; Gregory came from the cult-restoration label Severin Films and Tice from the Danger After Dark genre festival. Sales agent Julian Richards negotiated the label’s first acquisition on the filmmakers’ behalf.

What was Autonomy Pictures’ first release? The Bunny Game, Adam Rehmeier’s 2011 horror film. Autonomy acquired all US rights — announced 8 March 2012 — and released it uncut in the US in July 2012, with a DVD/Blu-ray street date of July 17.

Was The Bunny Game released uncut in the US? Yes. Autonomy released it “Uncut, Uncensored,” and announced limited North American theatrical bookings “in states that will permit it.” This was the same film the BBFC refused to classify in the UK in October 2011, so it could not be legally supplied there.

What was on the Autonomy Blu-ray? An audio commentary with director Adam Rehmeier and star/co-writer Rodleen Getsic, the “Caretaking the Monster” making-of featurette, the trailer and an alternate trailer.

Did Autonomy Pictures release anything else? No full-read source confirms any other release. Screen Daily reported a four-film 2012 slate, but only The Bunny Game is documented; the label’s later activity and current status are unverified.

Timeline

• 2012-03-08 — Screen Daily reports the Autonomy Pictures launch, kicking off with the US rights deal on The Bunny Game (Screen Daily).
• 2012-03 — Autonomy acquires all US rights; US uncut release set for July 2012; Julian Richards negotiates for the filmmakers (ComingSoon; Bloody Disgusting).
• 2012-07-17 — DVD/Blu-ray street date; uncut and uncensored, with commentary and making-of extras; limited theatrical “in states that will permit it” (Bloody Disgusting).
• 2012-09 — ScreenAnarchy’s archive lists its Blu-ray review of the Autonomy release, confirming the physical release went ahead (ScreenAnarchy).

What we could not verify

• The “at SXSW” framing of the US rights acquisition: Screen Daily reported the deal on 8 March 2012; no full-read source confirms it was closed at SXSW itself. The profile dates the announcement.
• Whether any of the other three titles in the planned four-film 2012 slate were ever released — unconfirmed in every full-read source.
• The label’s current status or any later activity beyond The Bunny Game.
• Bloody Disgusting’s March 2012 claim that The Bunny Game “was eventually released in the UK” contradicts the BBFC’s standing refusal and is treated as a source error, not asserted.

Sources

• Screen Daily — Autonomy Pictures kicks off with US rights deal on The Bunny Game (tier2; the 8 March 2012 launch announcement)
• ComingSoon — Autonomy Pictures Acquires The Bunny Game (tier3; founders’ backgrounds; all-US-rights deal)
• Bloody Disgusting — Autonomy Pictures Comes Out Playing ‘The Bunny Game’ (tier3; Curl’s presidency and statement; Richards’ negotiation)
• Bloody Disgusting — ‘The Bunny Games’ Announced For Home Video (tier3; the July 17, 2012 date; uncut release; extras)
• ScreenAnarchy — Tag: adamrehmeier (tier3; archive confirms the Autonomy Blu-ray was reviewed in September 2012)