PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia-based documentary producer is suing the contracted sponsor of one of its production series for failure to pay $2 million in funding for a film project.
Bemcy LLP filed a complaint Aug. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Gilead Sciences Inc., and Initiative Media LLC alleging breach of contract, fraud and tortious interference with contractural relations.
According to the plaintiff's complaint, Bemcy is a producer of educational healthcare and life science motion pictures, TV programs and documentaries. Bemcy alleges that with Initiative acting as an agent for Gilead, it entered into an agreement with Gilead in April 2021 for Gilead to become the title sponsor of eight documentary series.
Bemcy alleges that it immediately began work on producing the program and billed Gilead $2 million on April 30, 2021. The plaintiff further alleges that between May and June of 2021, Gilead and Initiative represented that the full sponsorship amount would be paid within 60 days per the agreement.
However they sought to re-negotiate the contract with smaller payments spread out over a long time period, the suit says. Bemcy claims due to the defendants' lack of payment, it has been forced to use its own funds for the project and that the defendants terminated the agreement on Aug. 2, 2021, without cause.
Bemcy seeks monetary relief of more than $75,000, interest and all other just relief. They are represented by Arnold Joseph of Joseph & Associates in Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number 2:21-CV-03734