C-FILMS
C-FILMS AG is a privately held Swiss film and television production company founded in 1999, producing feature films, TV series, and documentaries as co-productions with Swiss and German public broadcasters including SRF, SRG SSR, and ARD for theatrical and streaming distribution across the DACH region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersZürich, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What C-FILMS does
C-FILMS AG is an independent Swiss film and television production company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Zürich, with a wholly-owned German subsidiary (Cetera-Films GmbH) in Berlin. The company develops and produces theatrical feature films, TV series, TV movies, and documentaries. Its core business model is co-production: C-FILMS typically operates as lead or co-producer alongside Swiss public broadcasters (SRF, SRG SSR) and German-language partners (ARD, Servus TV), distributing finished content through theatrical cinema release in the DACH region, broadcast licensing, and streaming platforms including Play Suisse and ARD Mediathek. The company has produced a sustained slate of commercially successful titles including 'Mein Name ist Eugen' (2005), 'Der Verdingbub' (2011), 'Zwingli' (2019), 'Platzspitzbaby' (2020), and the four-season crime series 'Wilder' (2017-2022), with WILDER Season 3 reaching 637,000 viewers and 36% market share on SRF1 and Season 4 reaching 500,000+ viewers at 31.2% market share.
C-FILMS generates revenue through three primary streams: production fees and co-production financing from broadcaster partners, theatrical distribution income from cinema releases, and broadcast/streaming licensing royalties. The company is privately held and owner-operated, with co-owners Peter Reichenbach and Anne Walser alongside CEO Roland Stebler forming the management team, supported by producer Martin Joss and a small administrative staff. International distribution is facilitated through partnerships with entities such as STUDIOCANAL and SquareOne Production, and the company has secured two International Emmy Awards (for 'In the Name of God' and 'Die Mann's - ein Jahrhundertroman') plus major festival selections at Cannes and Berlin. Production is divided across four categories: theatrical films (Kino), television series (Serien), TV movies (TV-Filme), and documentaries (Dokumentarfilme). The company uses standard industry production technology and workflows; no proprietary technology platforms, AI/ML capabilities, or software products are disclosed. The current slate includes 'Hallo Betty' (2025 cinema release), 'Stiller' (2025, Max Frisch adaptation), and 'Maloney' (2024 TV series, with episodes 11-19 in production), with a forward development pipeline of four additional projects.
C-FILMS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- C-FILMS
- Legal name
- C-FILMS AG
- Website
- https://c-films.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- C-FILMS AG is a privately held Swiss film and television production company founded in 1999, producing feature films, TV series, and documentaries as co-productions with Swiss and German public broadcasters including SRF, SRG SSR, and ARD for theatrical and streaming distribution across the DACH region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
C-FILMS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film and Television Production
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scripted Feature Film Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Arts & Culture Documentaries (MPADADAI)
Keywords
Where C-FILMS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zürich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
C-FILMS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Co-production and Production Services: C-FILMS develops and produces films, TV series, TV movies, and documentaries, typically as lead or co-producer with broadcasters like SRF, SRG SSR, and international partners. Revenue derived from production fees, sales, and licensing.
- Theatrical Distribution: Revenue from cinema releases of feature films in Switzerland and international markets. Films like 'Hallo Betty' achieved #1 box office position in German-speaking Switzerland.
- Broadcast Licensing: Licensing of TV series and films to broadcasters including SRF, ARD, and streaming platforms such as Play Suisse.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
C-FILMS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
C-FILMS AG is a Swiss film and television production company that develops and produces theatrical feature films, TV series, TV movies, and documentary films. Operating nationally and internationally from Zürich with a German subsidiary in Berlin, the company produces content through co-production partnerships with broadcasters (SRF, SRG SSR, ARD) and international partners, distributing via cinema, broadcast television, and streaming platforms.
Product overview
C-FILMS AG is a Swiss film and television production company based in Zürich with a German subsidiary Cetera-Films GmbH in Berlin. The company operates across four main production categories: theatrical feature films (Kino), television series (Serien), TV movies (TV-Filme), and documentary films (Dokumentarfilme). Major feature films include 'Hallo Betty', 'Stiller', 'Platzspitzbaby', and 'Zwingli'. The television series portfolio includes crime dramas like 'Wilder' (4 seasons) and 'Maloney', co-productions like 'The Team', and episodes of 'Tatort Zürich'. The company also produces documentaries and develops new projects including 'A Happy Family', 'Dakota', 'Sisterhood', and 'Emma Jung'. C-FILMS distributes its content through Swiss broadcasters SRF and SRG SSR, as well as international platforms including Play Suisse and ARD.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hallo Betty Feature film (110 minutes, in Swiss German) about Emmi Creola, the advertising copywriter who invented Betty Bossi in 1956, depicting her rise to fame and the challenges she faced in a male-dominated world. Directed by Pierre Monnard with Sarah Spale as Emmi.
- Stiller Feature film adaptation of Max Frisch's novel 'Stiller', the first film adaptation of this literary classic. A Swiss-German co-production starring Albrecht Schuch as White/Stiller and Paula Beer as Julika, with Max Simonischek, Marie Leuenberger, Stefan Kurt, and Sven Schelker.
- Wilder Swiss crime drama TV series following investigators Rosa Wilder and Manfred Kägi, produced across four seasons (2017-2022). The series achieved market shares of over 31% on SRF1.
- Maloney Humorous crime comedy TV series based on the cult radio play 'Die haarsträubenden Fälle des Philip Maloney'. 10 episodes of 28 minutes each, following private detective Philip Maloney in film-noir style.
- Emma Lügt TV mini series directed by Bettina Oberli and written by Laura de Weck. Nominated for Rose d'Or in Multiplattform Series category.
- Sisi und ich
Quantifiable outcome
- WILDER Season 4 achieved 31.2% average market share and 500,000+ viewers
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use C-FILMS
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
C-FILMS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
C-FILMS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- SRF (Swiss Radio and Television)corePrimary co-production partner and broadcaster for multiple C-FILMS productions including Wilder series, Maloney, Hallo Betty, and various TV movies. Long-standing strategic relationship central to C-FILMS' production slate.
- SRG SSRcoreSwiss public broadcasting corporation co-producing films such as Hallo Betty with SRF.
- CH Media TV AGmajorCo-production partner for Hallo Betty film alongside SRF and SRG SSR.
- Cetera-Films GmbHcoreGerman subsidiary of C-FILMS based in Berlin, enabling German co-productions and European market access.
- SquareOne Production GmbHmajorCo-production partner for Sisterhood TV series.
- STUDIOCANAL Series GmbHmajorCo-production partner for Care series, providing international distribution and production support.
- Auguste ContentmajorCo-production partner for Halifax - 111 feature film.
- Big Rider Films LTDminorCo-production partner for Loving Jacques feature film.
- FFF Bayern (Film Fernseh Film Bayern)minorFunding partner that visited the Stiller film set in Munich, providing regional film funding support.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
C-FILMS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Beta Film: Munich-based international production and distribution company specializing in scripted drama series and feature films. Closely comparable to C-FILMS in European co-production approach, with a stronger international sales/distribution arm and broader European footprint.
- Catpics Productions: Swiss independent production house producing feature films, TV movies, and documentaries. Direct Swiss-market peer to C-FILMS, with similar focus on Swiss-German language content and public broadcaster co-productions.
- STUDIOCANAL Series: European production and distribution arm of Canal+ Group, producing premium drama series. Already a C-FILMS co-production partner on 'Care', it represents both a peer and partner; comparable in international series production and distribution scale.
- Turnus Film: Swiss production company producing feature films and TV series with Swiss broadcaster partnerships. Most direct geographic peer to C-FILMS, competing for the same SRF/SRG SSR co-production slots and Swiss theatrical distribution, though with a smaller scale.
Regional players
- Nordisk Film Production: Scandinavian production company producing features and TV series across Nordic markets. Comparable to C-FILMS in producing local-language premium content with public broadcaster co-financing, but operating in a different (Nordic) linguistic/regional market.
Broad incumbents
- Constantin Film: Germany's largest independent film production and distribution company. Comparable to C-FILMS as a DACH-focused producer of theatrical features and TV series, but at much larger scale and with broader distribution capabilities including a cinema chain.
- UFA Fiction: Leading German TV production company (part of Bertelsmann/RTL Group) producing prime-time drama series for German broadcasters. Directly comparable to C-FILMS' TV series business (Wilder, Maloney, Tatort), with similar broadcaster-co-production model but at significantly larger scale.
- Studio Hamburg Production: One of Germany's largest film and TV production companies, producing theatrical features, TV series, and documentaries. Comparable in production categories (features, series, docs) and German-language broadcaster relationships, though at a much larger scale with a major studio facility.
- Tele München Group (TMG): German production and distribution group producing theatrical features and TV content, including literary adaptations. Comparable to C-FILMS' literary adaptation work ('Stiller', 'Die Mittagsfrau') and German theatrical distribution reach.
- MMC Studios / Movie-Movie Company: Cologne-based German production company producing theatrical features, TV movies, and series. Comparable to C-FILMS' German market presence through Cetera-Films and similar feature/TV-movie production model serving German broadcasters.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
C-FILMS social profiles
Digital presenceC-FILMS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
C-FILMS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
C-FILMS subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
C-FILMS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
C-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 C-FILMS
What does C-FILMS do?
C-FILMS AG is a Swiss film and television production company that develops and produces theatrical feature films, TV series, TV movies, and documentary films. Operating nationally and internationally from Zürich with a German subsidiary in Berlin, the company produces content through co-production partnerships with broadcasters (SRF, SRG SSR, ARD) and international partners, distributing via cinema, broadcast television, and streaming platforms.
Is C-FILMS a public or private company?
C-FILMS is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was C-FILMS founded?
C-FILMS was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is C-FILMS based?
C-FILMS is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does C-FILMS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Co-production and Production Services are the primary driver. The others are theatrical Distribution and broadcast Licensing.
Who are C-FILMS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Beta Film, Catpics Productions, STUDIOCANAL Series and Turnus Film. Nordisk Film Production is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Constantin Film, UFA Fiction, Studio Hamburg Production, Tele München Group (TMG) and MMC Studios / Movie-Movie Company.
Does C-FILMS have an API?
No public API is recorded for C-FILMS.
What industry is C-FILMS in?
C-FILMS's product category is Film and Television Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADABAA, Scripted Feature Film Production (Live-Action), with a secondary code of MPADADAI, Arts & Culture Documentaries. Its NAICS code is 51211 and its SIC code is 7812.