Ziegler Films

What Ziegler Films does

Ziegler Films (legal entity: ZIEGLER FILM GmbH & Co. KG) is a privately held, family-owned German film and television production company founded on 27 April 1973 by Regina Ziegler in Berlin with 60 Deutsche Mark of starting capital. The company operates from four German offices (Berlin headquarters at Neue Kantstr. 14, Köln, München, Baden-Baden) and produces cinema feature films, prime-time television movies, crime and family drama series, literary adaptations and documentaries for German public broadcasters. Across its five-decade history it has delivered more than 600 productions, including recurring franchise series such as Theresa Wolff, Lena Lorenz, Thüringenkrimi, Familie Bundschuh and Der Amsterdam-Krimi, prestige titles such as Volker Schlöndorff's Heimsuchung, and the internationally distributed Erotic Tales short-film anthology.

The business model is a traditional sales-led film production motion: one-time licensing and co-production commissions from German public broadcasters and their regional stations (ZDF, ARD via SWR/WDR/HR, ARTE, plus Swiss partner SRF), supplemented by theatrical distribution through partners such as X Verleih, festival sales, and public funding from bodies including DFFF, MFG Baden-Württemberg, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, FFF Bayern, Suissimage and Zürcher Filmstiftung. Films are produced as bilateral or multi-party co-productions (e.g., the German-Swiss Drowak with tellfilm, ARTE, SWR, WDR, HR and SRF). Pricing for production services is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per project. Cross-promotion channels include Instagram, Facebook, the company website, press releases, and industry event hosting (annual Currywurst-Empfang at Berlinale, Weißwurst-Empfang at Filmfest München).

Ownership and governance are concentrated: Tanja Ziegler, daughter of founder Regina Ziegler, joined as Managing Director in February 2000 and has held the majority shareholding since 2006, making Ziegler Films the only mother-daughter-led production company in the German film industry. The firm is self-financed through production activities — no disclosed funding rounds, external investors, M&A, or public listing — and remains an independent, family-controlled enterprise of 11–50 employees recognized in third-party coverage as one of Germany's largest concern-independent film and TV production houses.

Name

Ziegler Films

Legal name

ZIEGLER FILM GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://ziegler-film.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ziegler Films is a privately held, family-owned German film and television production company founded in 1973, producing cinema features, TV films, crime and family drama series, and literary adaptations on commission for German public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD, ARTE) and partners such as SRF and X Verleih.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Distribution Strategy & Release Planning (MPADAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business, Politics & Current Affairs Documentaries (MPADADAJ)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Television production
• Documentary production
• Cinema distribution
• Media content licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TV Production Sales: Producing television films, series, and documentaries for German public broadcasters including ZDF, ARD, ARTE, SWR, SRF, WDR, and HR. Revenue is generated through production commissions and licensing deals with broadcasters.
2. Cinema/Theatrical Production: Producing theatrical feature films distributed by partners such as X Verleih. Revenue generated through theatrical distribution, DVD sales, and subsequent licensing windows.
3. Erotic Tales Short Film Series: Producing and licensing the Erotic Tales anthology series of short films to broadcasters and at international film festivals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ziegler Films is a film and television production company that develops, finances, and produces theatrical cinema films, TV movies, recurring TV series, documentaries, and short film anthologies for German public broadcasters and theatrical distributors. Its output is sold/licensed to clients such as ZDF, ARD, ARTE, SWR, WDR, HR, and SRF, and distributed theatrically through partners such as X Verleih. The company also co-produces internationally with European partners such as Swiss tellfilm.

Product overview

Ziegler Film is a family-owned German film and television production company founded in 1973 by Regina Ziegler, now led alongside daughter Tanja Ziegler. The company operates as a multi-faceted entertainment production house with four main offerings: (1) Kino cinema productions featuring theatrical feature films including award-winning works; (2) TV Productions encompassing crime dramas, family series, and streaming content for major German broadcasters (ZDF, ARD, ARTE); (3) Erotic Tales, an internationally recognized series of short erotic films directed by notable filmmakers; and (4) a comprehensive Filmography Archive documenting over 600 productions spanning five decades. The company maintains offices in Berlin (headquarters), Köln, München, and Baden-Baden, and is recognized as one of Germany's largest independent film production houses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kino (Cinema Productions) Theatrical feature film productions for cinema release, including award-winning and festival-premiering films such as "Heimsuchung – Eine Jahrhundertgeschichte" (Cannes 2026 world premiere), "Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?" (German theatrical release February 19, 2026 via X Verleih), "In einem Land, das es nicht mehr gibt" (2021), and earlier works. Sold/distributed theatrically through partners such as X Verleih in German cinemas.
• TV Productions Television films and series produced for German public broadcasters including recurring franchises such as Thüringenkrimi, Theresa Wolff (ZDF), Lena Lorenz (ZDF), Familie Bundschuh (ARD), Der Amsterdam-Krimi, and adaptations of Sebastian Fitzek novels. Sold/licensed as production commissions to broadcasters ZDF, ARD, ARTE, SWR, WDR, HR, and SRF.
• Erotic Tales Series of short erotic films featuring international directors including Susan Seidelman, Rosa von Praunheim, and Melvin van Peebles. Includes titles such as "Der flämische Meister" (1993, Oscar-nominated for Short Fiction Film), "Can I Be Your Bratwurst, Please?" (1999), and others spanning 1993-2003. Licensed to broadcasters and screened at international film festivals.
• Filmography Archive Comprehensive archive cataloguing over 600 films, documentaries, and TV series produced since the company's founding in 1973, organized chronologically from 1973 through 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ productions completed since 1973
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• tellfilmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Swiss production company (tellfilm, Katrin Renz) was the main production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'. A German-Swiss co-production.
• SWRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSüdwestrundfunk (SWR) was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• SRFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• WDRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• HRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHessischer Rundfunk (HR) was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• Zieglerfilm MünchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZieglerfilm München (sister company) was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• MMC MoviesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMMC Movies was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• ARTEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARTE was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?' and the Erotic Tales series
• BEWEGTE BILDERminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEWEGTE BILDER was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• Edition TanjaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdition Tanja was a co-production partner for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• X VerleihcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorX Verleih is the theatrical distributor that brought 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?' to German cinemas since February 19, 2026
• Graf FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZIEGLER FILM and Graf Film jointly host the jury sessions for the International Emmy Awards with subsequent Cocktail Prolongé. This partnership has been ongoing for 10 years (as of 2025), marking the 8th time Berlin hosted the Semi-Final Round of Judging in 2023.
• MFG Baden-WürttembergminorOthersMFG Baden-Württemberg (Medien- und Filmgesellschaft) provided funding for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• DFFFminorOthersDFFF (German Federal Film Board) provided funding for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• Film- und Medienstiftung NRWminorOthersFilm- und Medienstiftung NRW provided funding for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• FFH Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-HolsteinminorOthersFFF Bayern (Film Fernseh Film) provided funding for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• SuissimageminorOthersSwiss film funding body Suissimage provided funding for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'
• Zürcher FilmstiftungminorOthersZürcher Filmstiftung provided funding for 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?'

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MMC Movies: MMC Movies is a Cologne-based German independent production company producing TV films and event movies for public broadcasters. It is a direct peer, having co-produced 'Sie glauben an Engel, Herr Drowak?' with Ziegler Films, and is comparable in size and broadcaster-commissioned focus.
• Network Movie Film- und Fernsehproduktion: Network Movie is a Hamburg-based German production company focused on TV films and crime series for public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD). It is a close direct competitor to Ziegler Films in the broadcaster-commissioned TV-film segment.
• Constantin Film: Constantin Film is a leading German independent production and distribution company producing theatrical features, TV films, and series for German broadcasters. It is the closest direct peer to Ziegler Films in terms of genre mix (crime, family, literary adaptations) and broadcaster-customer base.
• Polyphon Film- und Fernsehgesellschaft: Polyphon is a German independent production company producing TV films, crime series, and event movies for ARD, ZDF, and ARTE. It is a direct peer to Ziegler Films in producing broadcaster-commissioned TV films and crime franchises (e.g., comparable to Theresa Wolff and Thüringenkrimi).
• Beta Film: Beta Film is a Munich-based German production and distribution company producing and licensing high-end TV series and films internationally, with strong broadcaster relationships. It is comparable to Ziegler Films in producing German-language premium content for public broadcasters, with greater international sales focus.
• Letterbox Filmproduktion: Letterbox is a Cologne-based German independent production house producing theatrical features and TV films, often in co-production with WDR and ARTE. It is comparable to Ziegler Films as a German independent producer with strong literary/arthouse credentials and public broadcaster co-productions.
• Tobis Film: Tobis Film is a German production and theatrical distribution company producing and releasing feature films in German cinemas. It is comparable to Ziegler Films as a domestic theatrical-film competitor, with distribution capability analogous to Ziegler's relationship with X Verleih.

Broad incumbents

• UFA (Bertelsmann's production arm): UFA is Germany's largest television production group, producing scripted series, entertainment, and drama for German broadcasters and streaming platforms. It is the dominant incumbent comparable to Ziegler Films on the TV production side, though UFA operates at significantly greater scale and as part of Bertelsmann.
• Bavaria Film: Bavaria Film is a major German film production and studio-services company based in Munich, producing TV films, series, and theatrical features for ARD and other public broadcasters. It is comparable to Ziegler Films in TV-film commissioning model and is a direct competitor for ARD/ZDF commissions.
• Studio Hamburg: Studio Hamburg is a major northern-German production house producing TV films, series, and theatrical features, including crime franchises for public broadcasters. It is comparable to Ziegler Films as another large independent German TV/film producer with a crime-drama franchise strategy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ZIEGLER.FILM
• Instagraminstagram.com/zieglerfilm_germany
• Xx.com/zieglerfilm

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 Ziegler Films