Highland Film Group

What Highland Film Group does

Highland Film Group is a Los Angeles-based, privately held film sales, production, and financing company that operates as an international sales agent and co-financer of independent feature films. The company acquires and co-finances film projects across action, thriller, horror, family, and drama genres, then sells worldwide distribution rights to international theatrical distributors, streaming platforms, VOD services, and specialty rights buyers across more than 30 territories including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Scandinavia, Japan, South Korea, India, and the Middle East. Its slate is anchored by A-list and high-profile talent — including Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Green, Jessica Alba, Russell Crowe, Kate Beckinsale, Daisy Ridley, Milla Jovovich, and Kiefer Sutherland — and is actively presented at major international film markets (Cannes, European Film Market in Berlin, American Film Market in Santa Monica).

The company generates revenue through three principal streams: (1) co-financing and equity participation in film productions, earning returns from licensing, sale, and distribution of its titles across theatrical, streaming, and international markets; (2) international sales representation commissions on worldwide rights sold to distributors; and (3) distribution and licensing fees from territorial rights sales, including ancillary channels such as airline rights. Highland uses a co-financing model that pairs its capital with partners such as Aperture Media Partners, Sugar Rush Pictures, Gramercy Park, and Mucho Mas Media, while delegating US domestic sales to agencies including CAA Media Finance, Gersh, and UTA Independent Film Group, and Asian sales to 66cc. The company maintains no proprietary technology platform, app, or AI-driven product layer; its competitive position is built on talent relationships, distribution network breadth, and an embedded co-financing and sales-agent ecosystem.

Highland is led by CEO Arianne Fraser and COO Delphine Perrier. It operates from a single headquarters at 6310 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 500, Los Angeles, and has an employee base in the 11–50 range. Ownership structure and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed, and no venture capital, private equity, or institutional funding rounds have been identified in the source data.

Name

Highland Film Group

Legal name

Highland Film Group LLC

Website

https://highlandfilmgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Highland Film Group is a Los Angeles-based privately held film sales agent and co-financer that acquires and co-produces independent feature films across action, thriller, and drama genres, then sells worldwide distribution rights to international distributors, streaming platforms, and specialty buyers across more than 30 territories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Sales and Distribution

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Sales Agency Representation & Deal Structuring (MPADAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Sales & Licensing (Territory Pre-Sales) (MPADAJAC), Financing & Investment (Equity, Debt, Gap, Slate) (MPADAAAB)

Keywords

• International film sales
• Film co-financing
• Independent film distribution
• Film production financing
• Worldwide rights representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Co-financing and equity participation: Highland Film Group co-finances film productions in exchange for equity stakes and backend participation. Revenue is generated through the eventual sale, licensing, and distribution of these films across theatrical, streaming, and international markets.
2. International sales representation: The company represents worldwide rights for films and earns commissions on sales to international distributors, streaming platforms, and other buyers. Highland also co-represents US sales alongside partners like UTA Independent Film Group.
3. Distribution and licensing fees: Revenue from licensing film distribution rights across various territories and platforms, including theatrical releases, VOD, streaming services, and airline/airline rights.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Highland Film Group operates as an international film sales agent and co-financier, acquiring equity stakes in independent feature films and representing their worldwide rights to international distributors, streaming platforms, and VOD services. The company co-finances productions alongside financial partners, then sells territorial distribution rights at major film markets including Cannes, EFM Berlin, and AFM. Its offering spans a slate of new productions in development, a library of completed titles, and co-financing partnerships with producers and sales agents.

Product overview

Highland Film Group is a film production and international sales/distribution company. The company operates across multiple facets of the film industry, including new productions (films in development and production), library titles (completed films available for distribution), market presence at major film markets (Cannes, EFM Berlin, AFM), and worldwide sales representation. The company handles co-financing, international sales, and US sales representation for feature films spanning genres including action, thriller, drama, horror, family/adventure, and comedy. Their product portfolio consists of individual film titles rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Film Sales Representation

Named customers14 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CAA Media FinancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 14 May 2026CAA Media Finance handles US rights for Highland Film Group productions. For The Healer, CAA Media Finance is overseeing US sales while Highland handles international rights. This is an ongoing relationship across multiple Highland titles including Just Play Dead.
• 66cc (Jeffrey Chan)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 14 May 2026Jeffrey Chan's 66cc handles Asian sales for Highland Film Group productions. The partnership was established for The Healer, with 66cc managing Asian territory sales while Highland retains all other international rights.
• GershcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 May 2026Gersh handles domestic US sales for Highland Film Group alongside the company's international sales team. The partnership was announced for Grace Period at Cannes, with Highland handling international rights and Gersh managing domestic distribution.
• UTA Independent Film GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 May 2026UTA Independent Film Group jointly handles US sales with Highland Film Group. The partnership was established for Barracuda, with Highland representing worldwide rights and UTA co-handling domestic US sales.
• Davis FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDavis Films is associated with Highland Film Group productions through associations on films like The Healer. Victor Hadida's Davis Films produces international productions and partners with Highland on specific titles.
• Head Gear FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHead Gear Films serves as a production partner on Highland Film Group productions. Phil Hunt produces Just Play Dead through Head Gear Films, which partners with Gemstone Films on the European co-production.
• Gemstone FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGemstone Films co-produces Highland Film Group productions. Valentin Dimitrov, Sagiv Diamant, Moshe Diamant, and Gaby Whyte Hart produce Just Play Dead through Gemstone Films as a European co-production partner alongside Head Gear Films.
• Jaguar BiteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJaguar Bite serves as the production service company for The Black Demon: Atlantis, providing production services in Colombia where the film received a 35% CINA tax incentive.
• Hassell Free ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMolly Hassell produces through Hassell Free Productions, which is a key production partner on Highland films including The Healer and The Crow. Hassell serves as a producer on multiple Highland productions.
• Electric ShadowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElectric Shadow produces Highland Film Group productions including The Healer, working alongside Hassell Free Productions. The company is associated with productions like Cliffhanger 2 and The Uprising.
• Vista Lane PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVista Lane Pictures (Sklenar's production banner) produces Highland Film Group productions including Iron Jane, where Brandon Sklenar stars and serves as a producer through his company.
• Look at the Moon PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLook at the Moon Pictures (Feliciano's company) produces Highland Film Group productions including Iron Jane, where Lissette Feliciano serves as director and producer through her company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• XYZ Films: Independent international sales, financing, and production company active in genre film (action, horror, thriller). Comparable slate size and model, with similar talent-packaging and global sales-agent approach targeting streaming and theatrical buyers.
• Voltage Pictures: Independent film production, financing, and international sales company focused on commercial genre films. Closely matches Highland's action/thriller-oriented slate, co-financing model, and reliance on global territorial pre-sales.
• FilmNation Entertainment: Independent international sales, financing, and production company that packages films with name talent for global buyers. Most directly comparable to Highland in terms of sales-agent-plus-co-financer model and active presence at Cannes, EFM, and AFM.
• Bleecker Street: Independent film finance, production, and distribution company. Similar privately held structure, sales-agent-adjacent operations, and active dealmaking at Cannes/AFM for mid-budget genre and prestige titles.
• Saban Films: Independent film acquisition, distribution, and financing company focused on mid-budget action, thriller, and horror. Directly comparable buyer/competitor profile, often acquiring North American rights on Highland-style slates.
• Neon: Independent film production, financing, and distribution company. Comparable in private status, sales-agent-plus-distribution structure, and active presence at major international film markets.
• Lakeshore Entertainment: Independent production, financing, and international sales company with a long-running genre slate (action, thriller, horror). Comparable co-financing-and-sales-agent structure and global distribution footprint across similar buyer relationships.

Broad incumbents

• STX Entertainment: Independent studio with film production, international sales, and distribution operations. Larger and broader than Highland but comparable in its sales-agent-plus-distribution hybrid targeting mid-budget genre films for global buyers.
• A24: Independent film production, financing, and distribution company operating across global markets. Comparable to Highland as a privately held sales agent and producer with a deep genre-diverse slate, though A24 is significantly larger and more brand-anchored.
• Open Road Films: Independent film distribution and production company with theatrical and home entertainment reach. Comparable buyer/competitor role in the mid-budget independent film market that Highland's buyers and partners operate in.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@highlandfilmgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/highlandfilmgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highland-film-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/highlandfilmgroup
• Xx.com/highlandfilmgrp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Highland Film Group