What cinegrell does

Cinegrell GmbH is a privately held, Zürich-based film industry service provider operating as the integrated, full-lifecycle partner for film and television productions in Switzerland. The company runs four core service lines from two Swiss facilities: equipment rental out of Schlieren (Wagistrasse 2) covering digital cinema systems (Sony Venice 2, ARRI Alexa 35/LF/Mini, Sony BURANO, Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55, DJI Ronin 4D) and an extensive lens inventory (ARRI Signature Primes, Zeiss Master Anamorphic, Cooke S4i, Sigma Cine); post-production at the Saatlenstrasse headquarters in Zürich (conforming, colour grading on Filmlight Baselight and DaVinci Resolve, VFX, title and motion design, mastering and deliverables); film restoration following international standards using ARRISCAN XT, Cintel Blackmagic, and Filmfabriek scanners plus the Sondor Resonances optical sound scanner — making it the only Swiss provider of that equipment; and end-to-end digitization of film (N8mm to 35mm), video (HDCAM through VHS, U-Matic, D1/D2/1-inch C) and audio (reel-to-reel, DAT, vinyl, cassette) formats under a single roof. The company also operates a used equipment and film stock shop and a Sigma Popup Store in partnership with OWY under a Sigma Brand Ambassador arrangement.

Cinegrell serves professional film, TV, and advertising production companies, Swiss public broadcaster SRF (via recurring engagements including the SRF series 'Maloney' seasons 1 and 2 and 'Unsere kleine Botschaft'), film archives and cultural heritage institutions (Memoriav, FIAF supporter), international crews shooting in Switzerland, and individual filmmakers buying used gear or film stock. Its revenue mix combines day-rate equipment rental (CHF 60 to CHF 1,950 per item per day with multi-day discounts available), project-based post-production and restoration services billed per scope, and online shop sales of used equipment, Kodak film stock, and Sigma products (EU sales restricted to traders). The business is led by founder and owner Richard Grell (CEO & Geschäftsführer) with a named core team of six specialists across restoration, rental, VFX, and colour grading, supported by a broad European network of suppliers, manufacturer partnerships (Sigma, ARRI, Sony), and archive specialists developed over more than 30 years of operation.

Name

cinegrell

Legal name

Cinegrell GmbH

Website

https://cinegrell.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cinegrell GmbH is a Zürich-based, privately held film industry service provider offering equipment rental, post-production, film restoration, and end-to-end digitization to Swiss and European film/TV production companies, archives, and international crews.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Services

NAICS

Photographic Services (54192), Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media (33461)

SIC

Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861), Services-Photofinishing Laboratories (7384)

akta.pro primary industry

Video Camera & Production Gear Retail (Camcorders, Cinema Cameras, Rigs) (CRACAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Lenses & Optical Accessories (Lenses, Filters, Adapters, Teleconverters) (CRACAPAF)

Keywords

• Film equipment rental
• Post-production services
• Film restoration
• Media digitization
• Cinema camera systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental: Day-rate rental of professional cameras, lenses, accessories, support/grip, audio, and monitoring equipment. Pricing ranges from CHF 60/day (action cameras) to CHF 1,950/day (Sony Venice 2). Multiple-day rentals may receive time discounts. The primary revenue stream for the company.
2. Post-Production Services: Conforming, colour grading, VFX, title and motion design, and mastering/deliverables for film, TV, and advertising projects. Billed per project based on scope and suite used.
3. Film Restoration Services: Analysis, scanning, digitisation, colour grading, digital restoration, and archiving of analogue and digital film material. Includes both manual analogue work and software-based digital restoration. Project-based professional service.
4. Digitisation Services: Conversion of film (N8mm, S8mm, 9.5mm, 16mm, 35mm), video (HDCAM, IMX, Digital Betacam, Betacam SP, Beta Max, DVCAM, VHS, U-Matic, D1, D2, 1-Zoll-C), and audio formats (reel tapes, DAT, vinyl, cassettes) into digital formats.
5. Used Equipment Sales: Sale of used equipment from the company's own rental inventory, including lenses, matteboxes, monitors, and zoom lenses. B2C and B2B sales via online shop; EU sales restricted to traders only.
6. Film Stock Sales: Sale of Kodak film stock including Kodak Vision2 50D (35mm) and Kodak Vision3 16mm/200T. Niche product line supporting analogue film users.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cinegrell is a Zürich-based, full-service film production partner offering equipment rental (digital and analog cinema cameras, lenses, accessories), post-production (conforming, colour grading, VFX, title design, mastering/deliverables), film restoration (scanning, digital restoration, grading, archiving), and digitization of legacy film, video, and audio formats. The company also sells used equipment and operates a Sigma Popup Store in Zürich.

Product overview

Cinegrell GmbH is a Zürich-based film industry service company offering an integrated portfolio of four core service lines: Equipment Rental (professional cameras, lenses, and accessories for film/TV productions), Post-Production (conforming, color grading using Baselight and DaVinci Resolve, VFX, title design, and deliverables), Film Restoration (scanning, digital restoration using DIAMANT-Film, color grading, and archiving following international standards), and Digitization (converting analog film, videotape, and audio formats to digital). The company also operates a Used Equipment Shop and a Sigma Popup Store. Equipment rental includes major cinema cameras (Sony Venice 2, ARRI Alexa series, Sony BURANO, Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55) and an extensive lens collection. Post-production facilities include a Kino Suite with 2K projection and two TV Suites. The restoration department features ARRISCAN XT scanners and Sondor sound scanning equipment. Services are complemented by professional workshop capabilities including lens testing, adjustment, cleaning, and sensor cleaning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Equipment Rental Rental of professional digital and analog cinema cameras, lenses, and accessories (e.g., Sony Venice 2, ARRI Alexa 35, ARRI Alexa mini LF, Sony BURANO, Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55, DJI Ronin 4D, plus ARRI Signature Primes, Zeiss Master Anamorphic, Cooke S4i, Sigma cine lenses). Day-rate pricing with multi-day discounts. Pickup at Schlieren location.
• Post-Production End-to-end image post-production for film, TV, and advertising projects, covering conforming, colour grading, VFX, title/motion graphics, and mastering/deliverables with Filmlight Baselight and DaVinci Resolve suites (including a Kino Suite with 2K DCI projection and TV suites).
• Film Restoration Restoration of amateur, archival, and feature film material following international standards. Services include analysis, film and optical sound scanning, digitisation, digital restoration with DIAMANT-Film software, colour grading for tinted/toned material, and archiving.
• Digitisation Services Conversion of analog film (N8mm, S8mm, 9.5mm, 16mm, 35mm), video (HDCAM, IMX, Digital Betacam, Betacam SP, Beta Max, DVCAM, VHS, U-Matic, D1, D2, 1-inch C), and audio (reel-to-reel, DAT, vinyl, cassettes) into digital formats, all delivered under one roof.
• Used Equipment Shop Online sales of tested, used equipment from Cinegrell's own rental inventory (lenses, matte boxes, follow focus units, monitors, zoom lenses) plus Kodak film stock. EU sales restricted to traders only; payment via invoice, TWINT, or PayPal.
• Sigma Popup Store Zürich Sigma brand showroom in Zürich for testing, rental, and sales of Sigma photography and cinema products (AIZU Primes, Cine FF, Contemporary, ART Series) operated in partnership with OWY.
• DJI Ronin 4D Ecosystem Rental Rental configuration of the DJI Ronin 4D flexible cinema camera system with multiple mount and gimbal options.
• Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55 Rental Rental of the Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55 medium format cinema camera with 8K capture up to 120fps.
• Blazar Mantis & Cato Anamorphic Lens Rental Rental of Blazar Mantis 1.33x and Cato 2x anamorphic lenses.
• Sony Venice 2 & Rialto 2 Rental Rental of the Sony Venice 2 8.6K full-frame cinema camera (with Anamorphic and Full Frame licences) plus the Sony Rialto 2 sensor extension set.

Quantifiable outcome

• Restoration projects completed for internationally recognised films including 'They Call Him Chop-Suey' (1975), 'Mulher de Verdade' (1954, shown at Locarno Film Festival 2024), and 'Samba Traoré' (1992/1993).

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Andec Filmtechnik GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecommended partner for analogue film development. With the closure of analogue film laboratories in Zürich, Andec Filmtechnik in Berlin is the recommended partner for all analogue film development. Cinegrell coordinates the process for customers in Switzerland.
• Sigma (SIGMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCinegrell operates as a Sigma Popup Store in Zürich, offering test, rental, and sale of Sigma products. As Sigma Brand Ambassadors, they work with the products personally and have direct contact with the manufacturer. They also rent Sigma cine lenses (AIZU Primes, Cine FF High Speed, Cine FF Classic) as part of their equipment inventory.
• FIAF (Fédération Internationale des Archives de Films)minorOthersDedicated FIAF supporter. Engaged with international film archive community and participates in FIAF activities. Listed as a FIAF supporter on the website.
• FTB/SITIS (Fachverband Technik Bureau / Schweizerischer Fachverband für Video- und Filmspezialisten)minorOthersListed as a member/partner on the website footer. Represents Swiss film technical professionals.
• MemoriavminorOthersListed as a partner on the website footer. Memoriav is the Swiss organisation for audiovisual heritage preservation.
• SSFV (Schweizerischer Syndikat Film und Video)minorOthersListed as a partner on the website footer. Represents Swiss film and video professionals.
• Zürifilm (Zürcher Filmwirtschaft)minorOthersListed as a partner on the website footer. Regional film industry association for the Zürich area.
• Stunt Camera CrewminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for providing operators or technicians for DJI Ronin 4D setups at shooting locations. Available on request to complement Cinegrell's equipment rental services.
• OWYcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with OWY for Sigma product sales. OWY handles the product sales side while Cinegrell manages the popup store in Zürich for Sigma products. Customers purchase through OWY while accessing the products through Cinegrell's showroom.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Band Pro Film & Digital: International cinema equipment sales, rental, and service company representing manufacturers like ARRI, Sony, and Cooke. Comparable as a one-stop provider of premium cinema gear with a similar manufacturer-ambassador model to Cinegrell's Sigma partnership.
• Keslow Camera: US-based high-end camera and lens rental house serving feature film, episodic television, and commercial productions. Comparable as a premium, service-oriented rental specialist with similar manufacturer relationships and customer segments.
• L'Immagine Ritrovata: Bologna-based film restoration laboratory specializing in digital and physical restoration of historic films for archives and festivals worldwide. Directly comparable as a specialist restoration house with FIAF connections and international festival presence (Pordenone, Cannes, Locarno).
• Cinegate: Munich-based film equipment rental and post-production house offering cameras, lenses, grip, lighting, and post services to DACH-region productions. Most directly comparable German-language peer in scope and service mix.
• ARRI Rental: ARRI's global equipment rental arm offering high-end cinema cameras, lenses, and lighting to film productions. Directly comparable as a premium rental house specializing in ARRI cinema systems, competing for the same premium production customers in Europe.
• Panavision: Global leader in film and digital cinema equipment rental with full-service offering including cameras, lenses, and post-production. Closest direct competitor in the high-end rental space, with overlapping customer base of feature film and TV production companies.

Emerging players

• Hiventy: European post-production, restoration, and content management services provider with heritage film restoration capabilities. Comparable in post-production and archive services, though operating at larger scale with multiple European locations.
• Haghefilm Digitaal: Netherlands-based film restoration and digitization laboratory serving European archives. Comparable in film archive restoration and digitization, with similar FIAF community engagement and specialization in legacy format handling.

Regional players

• Foto Video Zumstein: Long-established Swiss photography and video equipment retailer and service provider based in Bern. Comparable as a Swiss specialty retailer/rental provider of camera equipment, though focused more on still photography and consumer/prosumer than Cinegrell's cinema-rental niche.
• Cinetec: Berlin-based film technology distributor and service provider to German film industry. Comparable in scale and DACH regional focus, primarily serving German-language production and post-production market rather than Swiss clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cinegrell
• Facebookfacebook.com/cinegrellpostproduction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eglifilm-premium-postproduction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 cinegrell