Our Team

Avi Lerner

Chairman and Founder

Avi Lerner is the Chairman and founder of Nu Image, Inc., Millennium Films and all related companies. With more than 350 films to his credit, he is one of the most experienced, prolific and successful independent producers of our time.

Born and raised in Haifa, Israel, Lerner began as manager of Israel’s first drive-in cinema. In 1979, Lerner anticipated the explosion of home video rental, which led to his pioneering the largest specialized video distribution company in Israel and becoming a partner in the country’s largest theatrical distribution company.

In 1984, he executive produced the remake of King Solomon’s Mines. He then sold his Israeli company and relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he founded the Nu Metro Entertainment Group. The company’s interests grew to include owned-and-operated theaters, a video distribution division representing top studios and independent companies, and a production arm that made over 60 features distributed worldwide by major studios. Lerner eventually sold Nu Metro to join MGM/United Artists.

In 1992, he moved to Los Angeles and opened Nu Image, Inc., focusing on production and distribution for the home entertainment market. In 1996, he launched Millennium Films, which produces theatrical motion pictures.

Under the Millennium Films label, Lerner has produced such films as Expendables 1, 2, and 3, Rambo IV, Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, Brooklyn’s Finest, and The Mechanic.

Trevor Short

CO-Founder and CFO

Co-founder and CFO Trevor Short oversees legal, finance and administrative operations for Nu Image, Inc., Millennium Films and all related companies.

Born in Harare Zimbabwe in 1955, Short obtained a Bachelor of Law from the University of Rhodesia and an MBA at the University of Cape Town where he was awarded the Gold Medal. In 1980 Short entered the world of banking and commerce, joining Standard Chartered Merchant Bank in Harare as head of Corporate Finance, responsible for takeovers, mergers and IPO’s. He then moved to Hill Samuel Merchant Bank in Johannesburg in 1984 as head of its Corporate Finance Division and subsequently to Investec Bank where he was responsible for eight IPOs on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, as well as numerous mergers and acquisitions

In 1989, Short left the banking sector to join Lerner as a shareholder in and Chief Executive of Nu Metro Entertainment Group in Johannesburg. He continued to arrange financing for Nu Metro’s film production and was directly involved in its expanding its theater chain. In 1991, Lerner and Short used proceeds from the sale of Nu Metro Entertainment Group to start a new studio in California. Nu Image, Inc. opened its doors in Los Angeles in 1992.

Short’s expertise; in finance, law, investments, tax legislation, subsidies, international and domestic banking has been applied to the many foreign co-productions undertaken by the Nu Image group over the years. This includes the development of Nu Boyana Studios in Bulgaria a which is a full service production facilities available to the film industry and often used by Millennium Films.

Short has served as producer or executive producer on nearly all Nu Image and Millennium Films productions since the beginning. Recent franchise films include the Hitman’s Bodyguard franchise (1&2), the “Has Fallen” franchise (1-3) and The Expendables franchise (1-3).

Jonathan Yunger

President

Jonathan Yunger joined Millennium Films in 2011 and has worked on more than sixty films during his tenure at the company, including The Expendables franchise, Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, Angel Has Fallen, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Mechanic: Resurrection, and Jolt with Kate Beckinsale and Stanley Tucci. Presently, Yunger is the Co-President of Millennium Media and a member of the PGA.

Millennium Media’s upcoming productions include Hellboy’s The Crooked Man starring Jack Kesy. Recently wrapped productions include the highly anticipated comic book adaptation, Red Sonja starring Matilda Lutz, Wallis Day, and Robert Sheehan, Subservience starring Megan Fox and Dirty Angels with Eva Green, Ruby Rose, and Maria Bakalova. Recent releases include The Offering with Paul Kaye, Till Death with Megan Fox, and The Enforcer with Antonio Banderas, Kate Bosworth, 2 Chainz. Millennium Media’s upcoming releases include The Bricklayer with Aaron Eckhart and Nina Dobrev, The Piper with Charlotte Hope and Julian Sands, and the 4th installment of The Expendables franchise.

 

Yunger currently lives in Los Angeles and travels regularly to Millennium’s studio in Sofia, Nu Boyana Film Studios, for the productions of its films.

Boaz Davidson

Head of development and creative affairs

Boaz Davidson is the Head of Development and Creative Affairs for Millennium Films. He has been with the firm and its parent company, Nu Image, Inc., since 1992. However, he is equally well known as the writer-director of the critically acclaimed worldwide hit film Lemon Popsicle, which debuted at the Berlin Film Festival, receiving its Panorama Audience Award and spawning more than a dozen sequels.

Davidson was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, graduated from London Film School, and moved to the United States in 1979. He joined Cannon Films, where he oversaw production on such films as: Going Bananas, Delta Force, American Cyborg, Salsa; and most notably an American version of Lemon Popsicle titled The Last American Virgin. Today both Israeli and American versions are considered cult classics.

In 1992, Davidson joined Nu Image, Inc. co-founders and played an integral role forming the new independent studio. He continued to write, direct, and produce such films as Looking for Lola, Shadrach, and The Big Brass Ring. In 1996, Nu Image formed Millennium Films, where Davidson has overseen the development and production of such films as The Expendables, Rambo IV, Righteous Kill, 16 Blocks, The Mechanic and Brooklyn’s Finest and such forthcoming pictures as The Expendables 2, The Iceman, The Big Wedding, Playing the Field, and The Paperboy, an official selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.

Lonnie Ramati

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS

Born in New York City, New York Lonnie Ramati grew up as an Israeli (by birth) whose family had relocated to New York when he was 3. He attended Princeton University, graduated in the top 1% of his class, as English major with a minor in Economics and History, was awarded Phi Beta Kappa status, and graduated in the top 10% of his class at Osgoode Law School, an ABA recognized Canadian law school ranked as one of the top 3 law schools in Canada and practiced music and film entertainment law in Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia before starting his business affairs career in New York City and Los Angeles. With more than 20 years experience in business affairs in the film, television and music industries, Mr. Ramati has worked for more than 50 AFM/IFTA distribution companies and major distributors in foreign and domestic distribution of films and TV series. Known for his sincere, passionate, hard working, dedicated business affairs services as an employee who can be as comfortable doing a complicated deal as drafting a long form agreement or summarizing credits for the benefit of distributor, his experience in financing agreements, production agreements (film and TV series and movies-of-the week), distribution agreements (both domestic and foreign), soundtrack album, music publishing and record agreements provides him with substantial experience and knowledge in production and distribution business affairs for such deals.

He is a Co-Executive Producer in addition to being production business affairs on the following films: (a) Killing Season (2013) starring Robert De Niro and John Travolta directed by Mark Steven Johnson, (b) The Iceman (2013) starring Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Chris Evans and Ray Liotta directed by Ariel Vromen, (b) Playing For Keeps (2012) starring Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta Jones directed by Gabriele Muccino, (c) The Big Wedding (2012)starring Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Katherine Heigl, Robin Williams, Susan Sarandon and directed by Justin Zackham, (d) The Expendables 2 (2012) starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damme and directed by Simon West,(e) Stolen (2012) starring Nic Cage, Josh Lucas and Danny Huston directed by Simon West, and (f) Lovelace (2013) starring Amanda Seyfried, Peter Saarsgard, James Franco, Chloe Sevigny, Sharon Stone, Hank Azaria, Eric Roberts, Wes Bently, Bobby Cannavale and Debi Mazar directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. And Olympus Has Fallen (2013), Homefront (2013), Legend of Hercules (2014), Expendable 1,2 and 3 (2014), Septembers of Shiraz (2015), London Has Fallen (2016), Criminal (2016), Mechanic (2016), The Late Bloomer (2016), Chuck (2016), Security (2017), Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017), Day of the Dead (2017), Hunter Killer (2018), Bullet Head (2017), Acts of Vengeance (2017), 211 (2018) and many more in development.

JJ Nugent

Vice President of International Sales and Distribution

JJ Nugent joined Millennium Media in 2019 handling sales and distribution for films including Angel Has Fallen ($186M), Rambo: Last Blood ($95M), Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard ($70M), and many more. Nugent has over 12 years of international sales experience and currently serves as the Vice President of International Sales and Distribution. 

Millennium Media’s upcoming productions include Hellboy’s The Crooked Man starring Jack Kesy. Recently wrapped productions include the highly anticipated comic book adaptation, Red Sonja starring Matilda Lutz, Wallis Day, and Robert Sheehan, Subservience starring Megan Fox and Dirty Angels with Eva Green, Ruby Rose, and Maria Bakalova. Recent releases include The Offering with Paul Kaye, Till Death with Megan Fox, and The Enforcer with Antonio Banderas, Kate Bosworth, 2 Chainz. Millennium Media’s upcoming releases include The Bricklayer with Aaron Eckhart and Nina Dobrev, The Piper with Charlotte Hope and Julian Sands, and the 4th installment of The Expendables franchise.

JJ recently served as Director of International Sales and Distribution at AMBI Group, where he worked on films including Arctic Dogs, To the Bone, and Lamborghini. He also led sales and distribution efforts for AMBI’s catalog of 400+ titles. Prior to AMBI, he worked for Oscar winning producer and Voltage Pictures CEO

Tanner Mobley

Vice President of Development and Production

Tanner Mobley joined Millennium Media in 2011 and has worked on more than sixty films during his tenure at the company, including The Expendables franchise, Olympus Has FallenLondon Has Fallen, and Angel Has FallenThe Hitman’s BodyguardMechanic: Resurrection and Jolt with Kate Beckinsale and Stanley Tucci. Rising through the company ranks, Mobley is Vice President of Development and Production for Millennium Media, his experience spanning across all aspects of the business, including acquisitions, development, packaging, sales, and production. He directly oversees the independent studio’s development slate of films and manages both the process and relationships with writers, directors and filmmakers, including packaging and preparing 6-10 films a year for production. He has recently served as producer on The Piper with Charlotte Hope and Julian Sands and Subservience starring Megan Fox.

 

Mobley also serves on the Creative Council for The Moving Picture Institute, a non-profit fellowship that seeks to inspire and educate audiences with captivating stories about civil liberties and human freedom.

 

Millennium Media’s upcoming productions include Hellboy’s The Crooked Man starring Jack Kesy. Recently wrapped productions include the highly anticipated comic book adaptation, Red Sonja starring Matilda Lutz, Wallis Day, and Robert Sheehan and Dirty Angels with Eva Green, Ruby Rose, and Maria Bakalova. Recent releases include The Offering with Paul Kaye, Till Death with Megan Fox, and The Enforcer with Antonio Banderas, Kate Bosworth, 2 Chainz. Millennium Media’s upcoming releases include The Bricklayer with Aaron Eckhart and Nina Dobrev, and the 4th installment of The Expendables franchise.

DelMarie Broco

General Counsel

DelMarie C. Broco joined Millennium in 2012 and currently serves as the general counsel overseeing Millennium’s legal affairs. Prior to Millennium, Broco earned her LL.M. degree in Entertainment and Media Law from UCLA and became an active member of the California State Bar.

A native of Puerto Rico, Broco received a J.D. degree magna cum laude from an ABA accredited law school and practiced law there for two years prior to moving to California to pursue her career in entertainment law.

Sam Schulte

Director of Production & Distribution

Sam Schulte joined Millennium Media in 2018, assisting company presidents Jeffrey Greenstein and Jonathan Yunger with running the independent studio. Presently, he works as a Production and Distribution Manager – where he is actively involved in all aspects of the company, including development, packaging, international sales, production, and distribution. In this capacity, he has worked on such films as The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, The Outpost, and Angel Has Fallen. Additionally, Schulte is a producer on Abyzou, an upcoming horror film based on ancient Jewish demonology.

 

Prior to joining the company, Schulte worked at companies like John Wells Productions, A3 Artists Agency, and Plan B Entertainment. A native to the region, he grew up in Tustin, California and went to the University of Southern California where he studied business and film.