What Rise Films does

Rise Films is a privately held, London-based film and television production company that develops and produces documentary and comedy content for global distribution. The company is the registered legal entity behind several production subsidiaries (Rise Films Limited, Rise Comedy Limited, Rise Comedy (Plebs) Limited, Plebs 5 Limited, and Green Tunnel Limited) and operates the affiliated Rise Foundation, a charity established in 2007 supporting education at the Agape Orphanage in South Africa. Its core business is content creation, not technology: the company commissions projects, attaches production talent, and then licenses finished productions to broadcasters and streaming platforms.

The company's product portfolio is anchored by award-winning documentary films including Icarus (Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature), The Invisible War (Oscar nominee, two Emmys, Peabody Award), The Interrupters (Emmy, Independent Spirit Award), All That Breathes (Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Cannes Best Documentary — the only film ever to win both), and George Carlin's American Dream (2022 Emmy for Outstanding Documentary). Its comedy franchise, Plebs, ran for five seasons on ITV2 plus a feature finale and was ITV2's highest-rated comedy ever. Distribution is achieved through direct sales to global platforms (Netflix, HBO, BBC, ITV2, Channel 4, Amazon Studios, Hulu, Sky Documentaries, Peacock, PBS) and via theatrical distributors (Dogwoof, Neon, Sony Pictures Classics), with film festival premieres at Sundance, Cannes, TIFF, and Tribeca serving as the primary marketing and sales channel.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based licensing and royalty arrangements negotiated with broadcasters and streaming platforms, plus theatrical distribution deals. The company operates with a small core team (seven named staff across leadership, producing, and operations) and is founder-led by Managing Director Teddy Leifer, with Head of Comedy Sam Leifer driving the Plebs franchise. The underlying 'technology' is creative production capability — access to talent, festival positioning, and direct buyer relationships — rather than a proprietary software platform.

Name

Rise Films

Legal name

Rise Films Limited

Website

https://risefilms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rise Films is a London-based Oscar- and Emmy-winning production company that creates documentary and comedy content for global broadcasters and streaming platforms including Netflix, HBO, BBC, ITV2, and Amazon. It operates with a small core team anchored by the Plebs comedy franchise and an award-winning documentary slate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television and Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA)

Keywords

• Documentary film production
• Television comedy production
• Independent film studio
• Factual entertainment content
• Television distribution licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Covent Garden

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Film and TV Production: Rise Films produces documentary and comedy content for global distribution. Revenue is generated through production deals with broadcasters and streaming platforms, licensing fees, and distribution agreements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rise Films is an independent production company that develops, finances, and produces documentary films and comedy television series. Its productions are licensed and distributed globally via terrestrial broadcasters (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, PBS, Sky), streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Discovery, YouTube), and theatrical release. The company's slate has screened at major festivals including Sundance, TIFF, Berlin, and Tribeca, and has earned Oscars, Emmys, and BAFTAs.

Product overview

Rise Films is an Oscar and Emmy-winning film and television production company producing content for global audiences. The portfolio spans award-winning documentary films including The Invisible War (Oscar nominee, Emmy winner), The Interrupters (Emmy winner), Icarus (Oscar winner), All That Breathes (Sundance/Cannes winner, Oscar/BAFTA nominee), and Knuckle (Sundance premiere); the ITV2 hit comedy series Plebs (five seasons plus feature finale, highest-rated comedy on the channel); and recent productions including George Carlin's American Dream (Emmy winner), Once Upon A Time In Londongrad, Teenage Wasteland, The Balloonists, and Nuisance Bear (Sundance 2026 Grand Jury Prize winner). The company also operates the Rise Foundation, a charitable initiative funding education for orphaned children in South Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• All That Breathes Feature documentary following two brothers in Delhi who run a bird hospital rescuing black kites. Produced for global festival, theatrical, and streaming distribution.
• Plebs Multi-season scripted comedy series following three young men in Ancient Rome, created by Sam Leifer. Produced for ITV2 and licensed internationally to Amazon and Hulu.
• The Invisible War Feature documentary investigating sexual assault in the U.S. military, produced for global festival, theatrical, and broadcast distribution.
• The Interrupters Feature documentary about 'violence interrupters' working to reduce gun violence in Chicago, produced for global festival, theatrical, and broadcast distribution.
• Icarus Feature documentary investigation into the Russian state-sponsored doping program that won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
• Knuckle Feature documentary exploring bare-knuckle boxing feuds between Traveller families in Ireland.
• Dreamcatcher Feature documentary exposing the sexual exploitation of young women in Chicago.
• We Are Together Feature documentary about children in a South African choir who lost their parents to AIDS.
• Rough Aunties Feature documentary following women in South Africa who protect children from abuse and neglect.
• Who Is Dayani Cristal? Feature documentary tracing the journey of an unidentified migrant found dead in the Arizona desert.
• The Art of Political Murder Feature documentary investigating the assassination of a Guatemalan bishop and the broader fight against impunity.
• George Carlin's American Dream Archival-driven documentary chronicling the life and career of comedian George Carlin, produced for premium broadcasters and streamers.
• Once Upon A Time In Londongrad Feature documentary examining Russian influence and money in London.
• Teenage Wasteland Feature documentary that premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
• The Balloonists Feature documentary that premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
• Nuisance Bear Feature documentary selected for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
• The Human Factor Feature documentary about the Trump administration's approach to Middle East peace.

Quantifiable outcome

• Icarus won the Oscar® for Best Documentary
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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.

• BFI (British Film Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBFI is listed as a partner/client of Rise Films for film production and distribution activities.
• Sundance InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSundance Institute is a key partner with multiple Rise Films documentaries premiering at Sundance Film Festival and winning awards.
• DogwoofcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based documentary distribution company handling theatrical distribution of Rise Films productions in the UK.
• Media Rights CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia Rights Capital listed as a partner for Rise Films productions.
• Vice MediacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVice Media listed as a distribution and content partner for Rise Films.
• HulucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHulu is a streaming partner distributing Rise Films content including the Plebs series.
• NeoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS theatrical distributor handling Rise Films documentary releases in the United States.
• Endeavor ContentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEndeavor Content listed as a content distribution and sales partner for Rise Films.
• More4coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK television channel More4 is a broadcast partner for Rise Films productions.
• Amazon StudioscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon Studios distributes Rise Films productions through Prime Video streaming platform.
• Doc SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDoc Society is a UK-based documentary organization supporting Rise Films documentary productions.
• Sony Pictures ClassicscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSony Pictures Classics distributed Rise Films documentary The Human Factor.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Dogwoof: UK-based documentary distributor handling theatrical releases of independent docs. Listed as a Rise Films distribution partner but operates an adjacent business acquiring and releasing similar documentary titles in UK theatrical channels.

Direct peers

• Participant Media: US-based, Oscar-winning media company producing socially-driven documentaries and narrative films. Directly comparable to Rise Films in documentary focus, award positioning, and mission-driven storytelling, though at larger scale.
• Pulse Films: London-based independent production company producing feature documentaries, scripted content, and branded entertainment for global platforms. Directly comparable to Rise Films in genre mix and distribution model.
• Kudos Film and Television: UK-based scripted television production company behind award-winning dramas and comedies for UK and international broadcasters. Comparable to Rise Films' scripted/comedy work (Plebs) in geography and broadcaster relationships.
• See-Saw Films: UK/Australian independent production company behind award-winning film and television projects (e.g., Lion, Top of the Lake). Comparable to Rise Films in producing prestige content for global platforms with strong festival credentials.
• Working Title Films: London-based independent film and television production company producing premium content for global distribution. Comparable to Rise Films in geography, business model, and broadcaster relationships.
• Passion Pictures: London-based, Oscar-winning independent production company specialising in feature documentaries and prestige factual content. Highly comparable to Rise Films in geography, scale, documentary focus, and award track record.

Broad incumbents

• Vice Studios: Global documentary and unscripted content producer and distributor. Listed as a Rise Films partner but operates a much broader portfolio of premium factual and documentary content for the same streaming buyers.
• Sony Pictures Classics: Major US theatrical distributor of independent films including prestige documentaries. Listed as a Rise Films distribution partner for The Human Factor but operates as a much larger incumbent across similar content.
• A24: US-based independent entertainment company producing and distributing award-winning films and television, including documentaries. Broader and much larger than Rise Films but operates in the same premium indie content space with similar award and platform positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/risefilms
• Facebookfacebook.com/RiseFilms
• Instagraminstagram.com/risefilms.official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Rise Films