Love Cubed positions itself as a boutique production partner built on craft and filmmaker-centric values. With veterans like Cassian Elwes and Veronica Ferres attached, plus former Focus Features pedigree, the company is selling access to serious Hollywood credibility without the studio overhead.
Insiders note that eight years in, Hero Squared is making its Cannes move with Love Cubed right as independent financing has become increasingly difficult to secure. The real test will be whether A-list attachments translate to distribution deals — or if this is just a very expensive calling card for Halperyn and Kresmery's next career moves.
The team has produced over 30 features and series including Brandon Cronenberg's 'Infinity Pool' for Neon. Love Cubed has earned a 2026 Grammy nomination for OK Go's single-take music video 'Love.' The company also completed a multinational shoot for the Las Vegas Sphere with Lenovo and Formula 1.
With Oscar winner Cassian Elwes, Veronica Ferres, and Telefilm Canada backing 'Controllers,' Love Cubed has assembled serious firepower. But the real intrigue? How long before one of these heavy hitters quietly exits if the deals don't materialize at Cannes.
BUDAPEST-BASED PRODUCTION OUTFIT Hero Squared is making a calculated play at this year's Cannes Market, unveiling Love Cubed — its freshly branded service label targeting commercials, music videos, and independently financed feature films. The company has assembled an impressive roster of talent behind the venture, led by Jonathan Halperyn, a former Focus Features executive, and Daniel Kresmery, who departed his role at Budapest's Korda Studios to make this push. The duo has brought Vandad Kashefi on as a partner, with Kresmery specifically praising his colleague's ability to "work with agencies and creatives" and dig into production concepts.
Love Cubed's stated ethos emphasizes craft over simple service — but at Cannes, the real currency is deals, not mission statements. The company has already racked up credits including Brandon Cronenberg's critically noted 'Infinity Pool' for Neon and Focus Features International, plus 'Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,' released by Focus Features worldwide.
The headline project now on the table: 'Controllers,' a Canadian-Hungarian co-production horror-thriller marking the feature directorial debut of Canadian filmmaker Adam Azimov. The film is set in the aftermath of a devastating outbreak that has driven a small family into isolation on a remote farm. Raised to fear the mysterious Controllers — infected people capable of manipulating others through touch — two sisters have spent their lives surviving behind fences, traps, and strict rules.
When a stranger arrives, old fears surface and the fragile family dynamic begins to crack. The production has attracted serious producer talent: Jonathan Vanger at Wishing Tree, Veronica Ferres' Construction Films, and Arielle Elwes alongside Oscar winner Cassian Elwes at Elevated. Telefilm Canada is providing support, with international sales handled by Myriad Pictures.
Producers describe the film as "atmospheric, intimate and unsettling" — blending psychological horror with grounded dystopian suspense. Beyond 'Controllers,' Love Cubed has serviced five lower-budget features and nine high-end commercial spots, spanning podcasts, EPKs, interactive media, and even a multinational Las Vegas Sphere shoot for Lenovo and Formula 1. The company also earned a 2026 Grammy nomination for OK Go's single-take music video 'Love.' With eight years of operation behind Hero Squared and now this Cannes gambit, Halperyn is betting that boutique independence — backed by A-list names — can compete where traditional financing has stalled.
