Riva Film Production

What Riva Film Production does

Riva Filmproduktion GmbH is a Hamburg-based independent film production company founded in 2006 by producer Michael Eckelt. The company develops and produces feature films and television projects focused on arthouse and quality entertainment for German, European, and international audiences. Since founding it has produced over 35 completed titles, including award-recognized international co-productions with partners across France, Israel, Turkey, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and South Africa. The company operates from a single Hamburg headquarters (Friedensallee 14-16) with a core team of four, led by founder-CEO Michael Eckelt, Producer Lena Zimmerhackel, and Production Assistant Karen aus dem Kahmen.

The company's business model is project-based and built on three revenue streams: (1) production fees and co-production participations on each title, (2) licensing royalties from German public broadcasters (ARD, ZDF, ARTE, NDR, WDR) that commission or co-finance projects, and (3) international sales through world sales agents (Pyramide, Match Factory, Global Screen) plus theatrical and home-entertainment distribution via German arthouse distributors (Salzgeber, NFP/Warner, Camino, Plaion Pictures). Project financing is assembled from broadcaster pre-sales, regional and national film foundations (FFHSH, MOIN, Filmstiftung NRW, FFA), and partner contributions. The company does not employ proprietary technology; production uses standard professional cinematography, editing, and post-production workflows. Marketing relies on film-festival premieres, awards recognition, and industry press rather than paid channels.

The current slate includes 2 films in production (Vor dem Anfang, No One's Calling), 2 in postproduction (Ponyherz, Norwegian Dream), and 10+ projects in development (Fettes Leben, Mantu, Guse, Chentian, I Alex, Silverzockerinnen, Aller guten Dinge sind Wir, Blind Entertainment, Onno Viets, HH DZ). Notable completed productions include The Wound (2017, South Africa's official Oscar entry), Sibel (2018, three Locarno awards), Gett (2014, Golden Globe nominee), Lemon Tree (2008, San Sebastian Audience Award), and Once Upon a Time in Gaza (selected for Cannes 2025 Un Certain Regard).

Name

Riva Film Production

Legal name

Riva Filmproduktion GmbH

Website

https://rivafilm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Riva Filmproduktion GmbH is a Hamburg-based independent film production company founded in 2006 that develops and produces arthouse feature films and television projects, primarily as international co-productions financed by German public broadcasters and film foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA)

Keywords

• Film production services
• International co-productions
• Arthouse feature films
• Television production
• Independent film distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Film Production Revenue: Revenue generated from producing feature films and television productions, including German and international co-productions, with funding from film foundations and broadcasters
2. Festival Success and Sales: International co-productions generate revenue through world sales, festival screenings, and subsequent distribution deals in international markets
3. Television Broadcast Rights: Productions are commissioned or co-financed by public broadcasters including WDR, NDR, ARTE, and ZDF, generating broadcast revenue

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Riva Filmproduktion GmbH is a Hamburg-based independent film production company that develops and produces arthouse feature films and television productions for German, European, and international audiences. The company operates primarily through international co-productions with partners in France, Israel, Turkey, South Africa, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and other countries, financed by public broadcasters and film funds. Since 2006, it has produced over 35 films, including Oscar-submitted, festival-winning works such as The Wound, Sibel, and Lemon Tree.

Product overview

Riva Filmproduktion GmbH is a Hamburg-based independent film production company founded in 2006 by Michael Eckelt. The company operates as a single unified production house offering film production services, with its portfolio comprising completed theatrical films and TV productions, films in development, in production, and in postproduction. The company specializes in international arthouse co-productions, having produced over 40 films since its founding, including award-winning titles such as 'The Wound' (Oscar-nominated), 'Sibel' (multiple Locarno awards), and 'Lemon Tree'. The product portfolio includes German-language productions, European co-productions, and international projects spanning genres from drama and documentary to comedy and coming-of-age stories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film Production Services End-to-end development and production of arthouse feature films and television projects for German, European, and international audiences, including international co-productions with financing from public broadcasters and film funds.
• Completed Films Portfolio Portfolio of over 35 completed theatrical feature films and television productions including award-winning international co-productions such as The Wound, Sibel, Gaza Mon Amour, Dancing Arabs, Gett, and Lemon Tree, licensed to broadcasters, distributors, and VOD platforms.
• Norwegian Dream (2021) Feature film in postproduction, international co-production with Spaett Film (Norway) and Impakt Film (Poland), produced for theatrical and festival distribution.
• Once Upon a Time in Gaza Feature film in active production, international co-production with Red Balloon Film, selected for Cannes 2025 Un Certain Regard official competition.
• Ponyherz Feature film in postproduction, international co-production with Belgian partner Potemkino, theatrically released in over 530 German cinemas by Plaion Pictures.

Quantifiable outcome

• Once Upon a Time in Gaza selected for Cannes 2025 Un Certain Regard
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Les Films du TambourcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 August 2018French co-production partner for Sibel (2018). Multi-country collaboration with directors Çağla Zencirci and Guillaume Giovanetti.
• Mars ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurkish co-production partner for Sibel (2018).
• Bidibul ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxembourg co-production partner for Sibel (2018).
• Urucu MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth African co-producer for The Wound (2017).
• Oak Motion PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch co-producer for The Wound (2017).
• Spaett FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian co-producer for Norwegian Dream (2021).
• Impakt FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish co-producer for Norwegian Dream (2021).
• PotemkinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian co-producer for Ponyherz (2023).
• Red Balloon FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman co-producer for Once Upon a Time in Gaza (2025).
• Les Film du TambourcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench co-producer for Gaza Mon Amour (2020).
• Ukbar FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese co-producer for Gaza Mon Amour (2020).
• Trans FaxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsraeli co-producer for Red Fields (2019).
• Amour FoucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxembourg co-producer for Red Fields (2019).
• HeimatfilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman co-producer for Lemon Tree (2007) and Shelter/Aus nächster Distanz (2017).
• Eran Riklis ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsraeli co-producer for Lemon Tree (2007).
• MACT ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench co-producer for Lemon Tree (2007) and Shelter (2017).
• TransfaxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsraeli co-producer for That Lovely Girl (2014).
• BizibicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench co-producer for That Lovely Girl (2014).
• Heimatfilm ColognecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman co-producer for Shelter (2017).
• MACT ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench co-producer for Shelter (2017) alongside Eran Riklis Productions.
• Produzentenverband e.V.minorOthersMember of Produzentenverband e.V., the German producers association with offices in Munich and Berlin.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Pyramide Films: French sales agent and producer handling international world sales for arthouse titles, used by Riva Film for distribution. Comparable in that it operates in the same European arthouse ecosystem, though structurally positioned as a sales agent rather than a producer.
• Wild Bunch: European sales, distribution, and production company active in arthouse cinema. Comparable in operating in the same European arthouse film ecosystem, though larger and more diversified than a boutique producer.
• The Match Factory: German international sales company handling world sales for arthouse productions, used by Riva Film. Operates in the same European arthouse film ecosystem and frequently distributes co-productions from comparable boutique producers.

Broad incumbents

• Beta Film: Major Munich-based international film distribution, production, and co-financing company. Broader incumbent in the German/European arthouse and TV production space, with much larger scale than Riva Film but operating in adjacent segments.
• Studio Hamburg Production Companies: Established Hamburg-based film and TV production group operating multiple production labels in the same regional ecosystem as Riva Film. Much larger scale incumbent, but overlapping in German-language film and TV production.
• Constantin Film: One of Germany's largest independent film production and distribution companies. Major German incumbent operating broadly across film production, with overlapping activity in German-language feature films and international co-productions.

Direct peers

• Les Films du Tambour: French independent producer and co-production partner on Sibel and Gaza Mon Amour. Comparable boutique European arthouse producer with similar Middle East and Mediterranean thematic focus.
• Heimatfilm: Cologne-based independent film production company producing arthouse and quality cinema, and a long-standing co-production partner of Riva Film on Lemon Tree and Shelter. Directly comparable boutique German producer with similar international co-production orientation.
• MACT Productions: Paris-based independent film production company founded by Marie-Ange Luciani, co-producer with Riva Film on Lemon Tree and Shelter. Comparable as a boutique European arthouse production company with similar international co-production profile.
• Eran Riklis Productions: Israeli production company of director/producer Eran Riklis, co-producer with Riva Film on Lemon Tree and Shelter. Comparable boutique Middle East-focused arthouse producer with similar co-production model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Rivafilmproduktion

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Riva Film Production