Sagafilm
Sagafilm is Iceland's largest film and television production company, founded in 1978. It provides production services, in-house post-production, and original content for international studios, streamers, broadcasters, and agencies leveraging Iceland's 35% government rebate.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersReykjavík, Iceland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sagafilm does
Sagafilm is Iceland's largest film and television production company, founded in 1978 and headquartered at Urðarhvarf 14, 203 Kópavogur (greater Reykjavík). The company operates with approximately 21 full-time employees and draws on a network of up to 1,400 freelance crew members for project-based work. It runs a sales office in Stockholm, Sweden (Sagafilm Nordic) to serve the Nordic market. Sagafilm functions as both a production services provider and an original content producer, targeting international film studios, TV networks, streaming platforms, and advertising agencies seeking to film in Iceland.
The company's core offerings fall into two integrated lines. Production Services cover location scouting, location management, crew provision, equipment, and in-house post-production (editing, color grading, VFX/CGI, sound design), complemented by a Remote Production Service that uses two-way video streaming to allow international directors and agencies to oversee shoots without traveling to set. Original Content Production spans scripted series, non-scripted entertainment, documentaries, feature films, short films, and animation. Supporting assets include an extensive Icelandic location library cataloging glaciers, volcanoes, black sand beaches, glacial lagoons, waterfalls, and geothermal areas. Sagafilm has delivered 50+ industry awards, including 34 Icelandic Film & TV Academy Awards, with productions premiering at Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, and Chicago.
Sagafilm's business model combines professional-services fees (production services, post-production, commercials), licensing/royalties from original and co-produced content, and facilitation of Iceland's government production incentives. The Icelandic Government offers a 25% refundable rebate on all qualifying productions and an enhanced 35% rebate for larger projects meeting thresholds of 30 shooting days, 350M ISK turnover, and minimum 50 personnel; Sagafilm's in-house post-production counts toward those thresholds. Named clients span Paramount, Warner Brothers, Legendary, United Artists, NBC, CBS, Fox, HBO, BBC, Netflix, National Geographic, Turner Broadcasting, Viaplay, Dentsu, Ogilvy & Mather, and Leo Burnett. The company is privately held, with no disclosed external funding rounds or investors.
Sagafilm firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sagafilm
- Legal name
- Sagafilm
- Website
- https://sagafilm.is
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sagafilm is Iceland's largest film and television production company, founded in 1978. It provides production services, in-house post-production, and original content for international studios, streamers, broadcasters, and agencies leveraging Iceland's 35% government rebate.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sagafilm industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Production Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live-Action International/Co-Production & Service Production (MPADABAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Live-Action TV Movies, Miniseries & Specials Production (MPADABAD), Historical, Biographical & Archival Documentaries (MPADADAE)
Keywords
Where Sagafilm is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reykjavík
- HQ country
- Iceland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sagafilm business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Production Services: Fees charged for providing production services to international film, TV, and commercial productions filming in Iceland. Includes location scouting, location management, crew provision, equipment, and general production support.
- Post-Production Services: Editing, color grading, VFX/CGI, sound design services provided in-house. Post-production qualifies for the Icelandic 35% rebate.
- Original and Co-Productions: Producing original content and co-producing international film and TV projects. Revenue generated through distribution deals, broadcast rights, and international sales.
- Commercial Production: Producing commercials for Icelandic and international brands and advertising agencies.
- 35% Icelandic Government Rebate: Facilitating the Icelandic government's refundable tax credit for qualifying productions, which can constitute significant revenue for eligible projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Standard 25% refund for all productions |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enhanced 35% rebate for larger productions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels3 records
Sagafilm product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sagafilm is Iceland's largest film and television production company, offering full-service production assistance (location scouting, location management, crew, equipment, logistics) for international film, TV, and commercial productions filming in Iceland. It also operates an in-house post-production department (editing, color grading, VFX/CGI, sound design), a remote production service, and produces original and co-produced scripted series, non-scripted entertainment, documentaries, feature films, short films, and animation.
Product overview
Sagafilm is Iceland's largest film and television production company, operating since 1978. The company offers two interconnected service portfolios: (1) Production Services encompassing location scouting, location management, post-production (editing, sound design, color correction, VFX/CGI), Remote Production Service, and tax incentive coordination with Iceland's 35% government rebate program; and (2) Original Content Production including scripted series, non-scripted entertainment, documentaries, feature films, short films, and animation. The company also provides commercial production services for international brands. With headquarters in Reykjavik and a sales office in Sweden, Sagafilm serves as a gateway for international productions seeking to film in Iceland's diverse landscapes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 50 awards including 34 Icelandic Film & TV Academy Awards
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sagafilm
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sagafilm technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sagafilm partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
39 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Berlinale Co-Production MarketcoreSagafilm was selected as one of the production companies with projects in the Berlinale Co-Production Market's twelfth edition of Co-Pro Series 2026. This provides opportunities for co-production partnerships with international producers, financiers, and platform representatives.
- Splendid FilmminorGerman distribution partner for Operation Napoleon film.
- Beta CinemaminorInternational distribution partner for Operation Napoleon film.
- GunHilcoreCo-production partner for Ploey - You Never Fly Alone animation film.
- EyeworkscoreCo-production partner for Nova Zembla feature film.
- TappeluftcoreNorwegian co-production partner for Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead horror comedy film.
- Reykjavik FilmsminorCo-production partner for Cold Trail thriller.
- Bicephaly PicturesminorCo-production partner for Days of Grey film.
- Dorundur ProductionsminorCo-production partner for Chum short film.
- Elizabeth RoseminorCo-production partner for Chum short film.
- Askja FilmsminorCo-production partner for Rainbow Party short film.
- Ares FilmsminorCo-production partner for Rainbow Party short film.
- Booruffle FilmsminorCo-production partner for Rainbow Party short film.
- Join Motion PicturesminorCo-production partner for Whale Walley and Ártún short films.
- Fourhands FilmsminorCo-production partner for Whale Walley short film.
- Mailand-Mercado FilmsminorCo-production partner for Whale Walley short film.
- Film ProdukcjaminorPolish co-production partner for Wolka feature film.
- Yellow BirdcoreSwedish production company, co-producer of Thin Ice environmental thriller series.
- Based on play by Arni IbsenminorFish out of water film based on play by Arni Ibsen.
- Mosaic FilmscoreCo-production partner for Out of Thin Air documentary.
- Krumma FilmsminorIcelandic co-production partner for The Vasulka Effect documentary.
- Produkce Radim ProcházkaminorCo-production partner for The Vasulka Effect documentary.
- Bullitt FilmminorCo-production partner for The Vasulka Effect documentary.
- NonamiminorCo-production partner for The Vasulka Effect documentary.
- Pystymetsä OyminorFinnish co-production partner for Raise the Bar documentary.
- CrossoverminorCo-production partner for The Show of Shows documentary.
- DogwoofminorInternational distribution partner for The Show of Shows documentary.
- Banijay InternationalminorInternational distribution partner for Treasured Tunes entertainment format.
- Nordic WorldminorDistribution partner for ICE SAR documentary.
- Off the FenceminorDistribution partner for Last Days of the Arctic documentary.
- BBC StoryvillecoreCo-production and broadcast partner for Last Days of the Arctic documentary.
- NDR ARTEcoreBroadcast co-production partner for Last Days of the Arctic.
- AVROminorBroadcast partner for Last Days of the Arctic.
- ITVSminorBroadcast partner for Last Days of the Arctic.
- The National Fairground ArchiveminorExclusive archive access for The Show of Shows documentary.
- BBC StoryvillecoreBroadcast partner for Cod Wars documentary.
- Sundance Film FestivalcoreFilm festival premiere venue for Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead.
- Berlin International Film FestivalcoreFilm festival where Sagafilm co-produced film 'Iván & Hadoum' premiered.
- University of SheffieldminorNational Fairground Archive located at University of Sheffield for The Show of Shows.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sagafilm competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Zik Zak Filmworks: Icelandic independent production company producing feature films, series, and commercials domestically and via co-production — directly comparable in size, geography, and service mix to Sagafilm.
- Glassriver: Icelandic film and television production company operating in Reykjavík with feature, series, and documentary output — a directly comparable Iceland-based production peer.
- Skot Productions: Reykjavík-based Icelandic production house focused on features and documentaries with international co-production activity — competes with Sagafilm for the same local talent and inbound foreign production work.
- Yellow Bird Sweden: Stockholm-based Nordic production company and existing Sagafilm co-production partner (Thin Ice); operates in the same regional service + scripted-original model and competes for the same Nordic rebate-eligible projects.
Broad incumbents
- Nordisk Film: Largest film/TV production and distribution group in the Nordics, producing features, series, and commercials across multiple territories — an incumbent adjacent regional competitor with broader scale and capital.
- Banijay Group: Largest independent content producer globally and an existing Sagafilm distribution partner (Treasured Tunes format) — competes in the same international scripted and entertainment-format market with vastly larger scale.
- Fremantle: Global content producer (formats, scripted, documentary) with extensive Nordic and international production footprint — a broad incumbent competing for premium scripted commissions and format deals that Sagafilm also targets.
- Working Title Films: Established UK feature and series producer with extensive international co-production experience — a broad incumbent comparable in scale and client roster (studios, broadcasters) to Sagafilm's higher-end service work.
- Participant Media: US-based producer of documentary and scripted feature content with a strong international co-production track record — comparable on the original-content and documentary side of Sagafilm's business.
Regional players
- Film i Väst: Swedish regional film fund and production commissioner in West Sweden — relevant comparator on Nordic rebate mechanics and co-production, though operates primarily as a regional production hub rather than a direct international services competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sagafilm social profiles
Digital presenceSagafilm compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Sagafilm financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sagafilm leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Sagafilm funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sagafilm M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sagafilm
What does Sagafilm do?
Sagafilm is Iceland's largest film and television production company, offering full-service production assistance (location scouting, location management, crew, equipment, logistics) for international film, TV, and commercial productions filming in Iceland. It also operates an in-house post-production department (editing, color grading, VFX/CGI, sound design), a remote production service, and produces original and co-produced scripted series, non-scripted entertainment, documentaries, feature films, short films, and animation.
Is Sagafilm a public or private company?
Sagafilm is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sagafilm founded?
Sagafilm was founded in 1978. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sagafilm based?
Sagafilm is headquartered in Reykjavík, Iceland, in the Europe region.
How does Sagafilm make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Production Services are the primary driver. The others are post-Production Services, original and Co-Productions, commercial Production and 35% Icelandic Government Rebate.
Who are Sagafilm's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Zik Zak Filmworks, Glassriver, Skot Productions and Yellow Bird Sweden. Broad incumbents are Nordisk Film, Banijay Group, Fremantle, Working Title Films and Participant Media. Film i Väst is listed as a regional player.
Does Sagafilm have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sagafilm.
What industry is Sagafilm in?
Sagafilm's product category is Film Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADABAG, Live-Action International/Co-Production & Service Production, with a secondary code of MPADABAD, Live-Action TV Movies, Miniseries & Specials Production. Its NAICS code is 51211 and its SIC code is 7812.