Roco Films
Roco Films is a privately held global documentary distribution agency that curates a 389-film catalog and acts as sales agent for independent filmmakers, licensing content to streamers, broadcasters, educational institutions, and community organizations worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersSausalito, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Roco Films does
Roco Films is a privately held global documentary distribution agency founded in 2000 by Annie Roney and headquartered in New York (with a listed presence in Sausalito). The company operates as a boutique sales agent for independent documentary filmmakers, curating a catalog of 389 films that includes Oscar winners and nominees such as Born Into Brothels, RBG, How to Survive a Plague, Life Animated, and Virunga. Its core service is acting as a sales agent — developing custom distribution strategies, negotiating licensing deals with global media buyers, and returning quarterly royalties to filmmakers. Adjacent product lines include Educational & Community Screenings (licensing for classrooms, libraries, auditoriums, and non-profits via the ROCO Educational subsidiary), Impact Campaigns for organizations seeking documentary-driven awareness, Digital distribution to major VOD platforms (Netflix, HBO, PBS, Amazon, Apple TV+), and Live Events production for national online and in-person screening experiences.
The company's underlying technology stack includes a Virtual Screening Platform offering standardized ($50) and premium ($95) tiers with custom secure links, branded screening pages, video introductions, resource embedding, and participation analytics. ROCO also co-founded Film Platform, a subscription streaming service for colleges and universities that embeds the catalog into institutional classroom and research workflows. Distribution is executed through direct relationships with major streamers and broadcasters globally, supplemented by ProQuest for educational research databases and Magnolia Pictures for theatrical/digital releases.
Roco Films monetizes through a diversified mix of licensing royalties from global sales agency deals, one-time educational and community screening licenses, per-event virtual screening fees, DVD sales with classroom-sharing permissions, subscription revenue via Film Platform, and professional services fees from impact campaigns. The customer base spans documentary filmmakers (primary supply side), educational institutions (primary demand side for classroom and research use), streaming platforms and broadcasters (enterprise licensing buyers), and community organizations and non-profits (awareness-campaign buyers). The company operates with 1–10 employees, has received no disclosed outside funding, and is founder-controlled, with Annie Roney serving as Founder and CEO.
Roco Films firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Roco Films
- Legal name
- Roco Films
- Website
- https://rocofilms.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Roco Films is a privately held global documentary distribution agency that curates a 389-film catalog and acts as sales agent for independent filmmakers, licensing content to streamers, broadcasters, educational institutions, and community organizations worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Roco Films industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Documentary Film Distribution
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Non-Theatrical Distribution (Educational, Airlines, Cruise, Community) (MPADAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Transactional VOD Distribution (TVOD) (MPADAJAF), Theatrical Distribution (International) (MPADAJAB), Home Entertainment Distribution (Digital: TVOD/EST) (MPADAJAE)
Keywords
Where Roco Films is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sausalito
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Roco Films business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Global Sales Agency: ROCO Films develops custom distribution strategies and release plans aligned with filmmakers' global distribution goals for revenue, audience reach, and impact. The company returns quarterly royalties to filmmakers from licensing revenues.
- Educational Licensing: Licensing documentaries for screening in educational and community settings including auditoriums, classrooms, libraries, non-profits and businesses
- Virtual Screening Fees: Standard and premium virtual screening room setups with fees ranging from $50-$95 per screening event
- DVD Sales: Physical DVD distribution including classroom-use licenses with sharing permissions
- Streaming Subscriptions: Ongoing streaming access for institutions through Film Platform partnership (3-5 business day setup)
- Impact Campaigns: Collaborative campaigns with film teams and community partners to build documentary impact and awareness for organizations and companies
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Virtual Screening Setup |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Virtual Screening Setup |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | DVD for Classroom Use |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sponsored Screening Licenses |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
Roco Films product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Roco Films is a global documentary distribution agency that represents independent filmmakers in licensing their films across international territories and multiple channels, including VOD platforms, broadcasters, educational institutions, community organizations, and live event venues. The company develops custom distribution strategies, negotiates platform and broadcaster deals, manages impact campaigns, produces national live screening events, and operates a virtual screening platform for hosted community screenings, returning quarterly royalties to filmmakers.
Product overview
Roco Films operates as a global documentary distribution company offering a portfolio of interconnected services. The core offerings include the Global Sales Agency for custom distribution strategies, Educational & Community Screenings for licensing in institutional settings, Impact campaigns for social action, Digital distribution to VOD platforms, and Live Events for national screenings with Q&A. The company maintains a catalog of 389+ documentary films available for licensing, with services available for screening rights, international rights, digital rights, and sponsored screening licenses. Roco Voices provides speaker booking through a partner platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ROCO Educational: A division focused on educational and community film distribution, licensing documentaries for classrooms, libraries, auditoriums, non-profits, and businesses.
Products and services
- Global Sales Agency Custom distribution strategy and release plan development service aligned with filmmakers' global distribution goals for revenue, audience reach, and impact; returns quarterly royalties to filmmakers from licensing revenues.
- Educational & Community Screenings Licensing service for documentaries in community settings including auditoriums, classrooms, libraries, non-profits, and businesses, with virtual and in-person screening options.
- Impact Campaigns Campaign development services that work with organizations, companies, film teams, and community partners to expand reach and inspire action around social issues and ideas, complementing distribution and audience engagement.
- Digital Distribution (VOD) Direct relationships and content preparation service for release on major Video On Demand (VOD) platforms, presenting films to digital platforms directly.
- Live Events National live event production (online or in-person) featuring film screenings with Q&A sessions in community settings, complementing streaming demand and impact campaigns.
- Roco Voices Speaker booking and engagement platform connecting filmmakers with venues and audiences for speaking events and panel discussions.
- Film Licensing Catalog Curated collection of 389+ documentary films available for licensing and distribution across multiple territories and rights categories, including screening rights, international rights, digital rights, and sponsored screening licenses.
Quantifiable outcome
- 18 consecutive years of Oscar nominations for ROCO distributed films
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Roco Films
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Roco Films technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Roco Films partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- NetflixcoreMajor streaming platform partner distributing ROCO Films documentary content to global subscribers
- HBOcorePremium cable network partner for documentary distribution through HBO and HBO Max platforms
- PBScorePublic broadcasting partner for documentary distribution on PBS platforms
- Amazon Prime VideocoreStreaming platform partner distributing documentary content through Amazon Prime Video
- Apple TV+coreStreaming platform partner for documentary content distribution on Apple TV+
- Sundance InstitutecoreFilm festival and distribution partner for independent documentary content
- BBCcoreBritish Broadcasting Corporation partner for international documentary distribution
- IFCmajorIndependent Film Channel partner for documentary distribution
- Film PlatformcoreROCO co-founded Film Platform, a global subscription streaming service for colleges and universities allowing students and faculty to actively use documentaries in the classroom and for research
- Participant MediamajorStrategic partner for impact-driven documentary content and distribution
- Impact PartnersmajorImpact-focused documentary financing and distribution partner
- ARTEmajorEuropean public channel partner for international documentary distribution
- ProQuestmajorEducational research database partner providing documentary content to academic institutions
- CinereachminorFilm financing and grants organization supporting independent documentary projects
- Magnolia PicturesmajorDistribution partner for theatrical and digital documentary releases
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Roco Films competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Film Sales Company: NYC-based independent film and documentary sales agent representing festival documentaries for global rights sales. Direct competitor to Roco in the documentary sales-agency category serving filmmakers on festival-to-platform deals.
- Dogwoof: Leading UK-based global documentary sales and distribution company. Directly comparable as a boutique international documentary sales agent placing festival documentaries with streamers and broadcasters worldwide.
- Submarine Entertainment: NYC-based sales and distribution company focused on documentaries and independent feature films. Directly comparable as a boutique documentary sales agent with a curator-driven approach to film representation.
- Films Boutique: Berlin-based international sales agency handling arthouse and documentary films. Directly comparable as a sales agent placing festival documentaries with global VOD and theatrical buyers.
- Kino Lorber: US-based independent film distributor with a strong documentary and arthouse catalog across theatrical, home video, and digital. Overlaps directly with Roco in documentary distribution to US institutions and platforms.
- Abramorama: US-based film distribution company specializing in theatrical, digital, and event-cinema distribution of documentaries. Overlaps with Roco's theatrical/event live-experience distribution of documentaries.
- Gravitas Ventures: US-based independent film distribution company with a heavy documentary focus on transactional VOD, SVOD, and educational channels. Directly comparable as a digital-first documentary distributor.
- First Run Features: Long-established US independent film distributor with a large documentary catalog across theatrical and home video. Comparable as a long-running boutique indie/documentary distributor.
Broad incumbents
- Magnolia Pictures: US independent theatrical and home entertainment distributor with a broad indie and documentary slate. Listed as a Roco channel partner and represents a larger competitor across theatrical and digital distribution.
- Participant Media: Global impact-driven media company producing and distributing socially relevant films and series. Both a Roco strategic partner and broader peer in the impact-documentary ecosystem with meaningfully larger capital base and production capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Roco Films social profiles
Digital presenceRoco Films financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Roco Films leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Roco Films subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Roco Films funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Roco Films M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Roco Films
What does Roco Films do?
Roco Films is a global documentary distribution agency that represents independent filmmakers in licensing their films across international territories and multiple channels, including VOD platforms, broadcasters, educational institutions, community organizations, and live event venues. The company develops custom distribution strategies, negotiates platform and broadcaster deals, manages impact campaigns, produces national live screening events, and operates a virtual screening platform for hosted community screenings, returning quarterly royalties to filmmakers.
Is Roco Films a public or private company?
Roco Films is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Roco Films founded?
Roco Films was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Roco Films based?
Roco Films is headquartered in Sausalito, United States, in the North America region.
How does Roco Films make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Global Sales Agency is the primary driver. The others are educational Licensing, virtual Screening Fees, DVD Sales, streaming Subscriptions and impact Campaigns.
Who are Roco Films's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Film Sales Company, Dogwoof, Submarine Entertainment, Films Boutique, Kino Lorber, Abramorama, Gravitas Ventures and First Run Features. Broad incumbents are Magnolia Pictures and Participant Media.
Does Roco Films have an API?
No public API is recorded for Roco Films.
What industry is Roco Films in?
Roco Films's product category is Documentary Film Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAJAJ, Non-Theatrical Distribution (Educational, Airlines, Cruise, Community), with a secondary code of MPADAJAF, Transactional VOD Distribution (TVOD). Its NAICS code is 51212 and its SIC code is 7822.