Lago Film

What Lago Film does

Lago Film GmbH is a Berlin-based, privately held film production company founded in 2004 by producer Marco Mehlitz. It develops and produces national and international feature films as an independent producer and co-producer, with international partners including France, Belgium, and Canada. The portfolio spans English-language and German-language productions across genres — international thrillers (SURVEILLANCE, 2008), large-budget science fiction (MR. NOBODY, 2009, $50M co-production), period drama (A DANGEROUS METHOD, 2011, with Cronenberg), auteur genre pieces (Jim Jarmusch's ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE, 2013; Marjane Satrapi's THE VOICES, 2014), and German-language theatrical releases (Fatih Akin's TSCHICK, 2016), and premium television (HAUSEN for SKY, 2020). The company has increasingly focused on the German market since autumn 2014 while continuing to participate in international co-productions.

The business operates on a project-based production model. Revenue is generated through producer fees and participation in theatrical distribution, broadcast and streaming licensing, and international co-production financing. Customers are distribution and broadcast counterparties — international sales agents, theatrical distributors, and broadcasters such as ARD/Das Erste (TSCHICK free-TV premiere 24 June 2018) and SKY (HAUSEN) — rather than end consumers. The team is lean (1-10 employees, including founder Marco Mehlitz as Producer/Managing Director, Production Controller Bernhard Speck, and producer assistant Alexandra Hiemer), and the company reports no external investors, parent company, or venture funding in the source materials.

Distribution and demand generation flow through film-festival premieres (Cannes, Venice, Toronto), press and industry coverage, and downstream licensing to theatrical, broadcast, and streaming partners. The company has accumulated recognisable brand equity through festival selections and multiple industry awards (Bavarian Film Prize 2016, EFA Young Audience Award 2017, Deutscher Filmpreis nominations, Sitges Best Picture 2008) and a content library anchored by recognisable titles with A-list cast and auteur directors.

Name

Lago Film

Legal name

Lago Film GmbH

Website

https://lagofilm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lago Film GmbH is a Berlin-based independent film production company founded in 2004 by Marco Mehlitz, producing national and international feature films and premium TV content (e.g., TSCHICK, HAUSEN) for theatrical distributors, broadcasters, and streaming platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Scripted Feature Film Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live-Action International/Co-Production & Service Production (MPADABAG), Live-Action Production Management & Line Producing (MPADABAH)

Keywords

• Feature film production
• International co-productions
• Film distribution licensing
• Television series production
• German cinema

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Film Production and Distribution: Lago Film produces national and international feature films, generating revenue through theatrical distribution, broadcast licensing, and international co-productions with France, Belgium, Canada, and Germany.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Lago Film GmbH is a Berlin-based film production company that develops, produces, and co-produces national and international feature films and television series. The company manages the full production pipeline from development through international distribution, and has delivered titles with budgets up to $50 million through co-productions with partners in France, Belgium, Canada, and Germany. Its catalog spans theatrical features (SURVEILLANCE, MR. NOBODY, A DANGEROUS METHOD, ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE, THE VOICES, TSCHICK) and the SKY television series HAUSEN.

Product overview

Lago Film GmbH is a Berlin-based film production company founded in 2004 by Marco Mehlitz. The company produces national and international feature films, operating as both an independent producer and co-producer with international partners. Their portfolio spans international productions including thrillers (SURVEILLANCE), science fiction (MR. NOBODY), period dramas (A DANGEROUS METHOD), and genre films (ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE, THE VOICES), as well as German-language productions (TSCHICK, HAUSEN). The company serves the theatrical film market and has expanded into television series production for platforms like Sky.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SURVEILLANCE International thriller directed by Jennifer Lynch; selected for the Cannes Film Festival official program and awarded Best Picture at Sitges Film Festival 2008. Distributed internationally as a feature film.
• MR. NOBODY $50 million international co-production with France, Belgium, and Canada, premiered at the Venice Film Festival. A high-budget feature film positioned for global theatrical release through international partners.
• A DANGEROUS METHOD German-Canadian co-production directed by David Cronenberg starring Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, and Michael Fassbender. Premiered at Venice 2011 and Toronto 2011 (Gala Screening).
• ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE Feature film directed by Jim Jarmusch starring Tilda Swinton; competed in the official selection of the Cannes Film Festival 2013.
• THE VOICES Feature film directed by Marjane Satrapi starring Ryan Reynolds in the lead role; released theatrically as an English-language genre title.
• TSCHICK German-language feature film adaptation of Wolfgang Herrndorf's bestselling novel, directed by Fatih Akin. Released in German cinemas on September 15, 2016, and later on ARD/Das Erste free-TV on June 24, 2018. Targeted at the German theatrical market and youth audiences, with multiple festival awards and nominations.
• HAUSEN Television series produced for Sky, directed by Joerg Schneider, about a teenager who discovers a malevolent entity inhabiting a decaying apartment building. Filming began September 16, 2019, and the series was released in 2020. Targeted at Sky subscribers and German-speaking television audiences.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• France, Belgium, Canada (Co-production partners for MR. NOBODY)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009MR. NOBODY was co-produced with France, Belgium and Canada as international co-production partners, with a $50 million budget.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Constantin Film: Germany's leading publicly-listed film production and distribution company, active in theatrical features, TV, and international co-productions. Comparable in producing German-market and international features, but operates at significantly larger scale.
• Beta Film: Munich-based leading European distributor and co-producer, active in high-end TV series and international co-productions. Comparable as a German-based player in premium content production and international licensing.
• Wild Bunch: Major European film sales, distribution, and co-production company, handling international sales for auteur films. Comparable as a European partner for international co-productions and festival-circuit distribution.
• UFA Fiction: Major German TV and film production subsidiary of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, producing premium scripted content for German broadcasters and streamers. Comparable as a Berlin/Germany-based premium content producer with both TV series and film operations.
• Tobis Film: Long-standing Berlin-based German film production and distribution company, focused on theatrical and TV features. Comparable in producing for German theatrical market with international co-production angle.
• Studio Babelsberg: Germany's largest and most historic film studio, producing major German and international co-productions. Comparable as a German film production competitor, but with a much broader portfolio including studio facilities and services.

Direct peers

• Komplizen Film: Berlin-based independent film production company producing critically acclaimed German and international features. Closely comparable to Lago Film in size, geography, auteur focus, and festival-circuit positioning.
• X Filme Creative Pool: Berlin-based independent German film production company of similar size, producing auteur-driven German and international features. Directly comparable in scale, geography, and author-talent focus to Lago Film.

Regional players

• MK2 Productions: Paris-based independent film production, sales, and exhibition company with a strong auteur catalog. Comparable as a European independent producer of festival-circuit films, though primarily French-market focused.

Emerging players

• A24: US-based independent film and television production company known for auteur-driven, festival-validated content. Comparable in festival-circuit prestige and director-relationship model, though operating at much larger scale in English-language markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Lago Film