The Film

What The Film does

The Film is a privately held French film and television production company founded in 2003 by Michael Gentile and headquartered in Paris. It operates two distinct divisions: The Film, the original feature film production arm created in 2003, and The Film TV, a wholly-owned subsidiary created in 2018 by Michael Gentile and Lauraine Heftler dedicated to producing series and films for television channels and audiovisual platforms. The company produces theatrical feature films with auteur directors — including Julie Delpy (Les Barbares, 2024), Laurence Arné (La Famille Hennedricks, 2024), Isabelle Brocard (Madame de Sévigné, 2024), Mehdi Fikri (Avant que les flammes ne s'éteignent, 2023), and Fabrice du Welz (Calvaire, 2005) — alongside TV series (On the Verge, Unlikely Stepmom, Visions) and development projects including animated series.

The company's distribution and financing relationships span the major French and global content buyers: Canal+ and MyCanal (primary broadcast partner for multiple titles), Netflix (international streaming and coproduction partner), TF1 (Visions series), OCS (Unlikely Stepmom), Arte (Temps de chien!), and Gaumont (theatrical and international sales for La Famille Hennedricks). Its core technology and assets are human creative capital — director relationships, an editorial development pipeline, and a 20-year content library — rather than proprietary software or platform infrastructure.

The Film's business model is project-based and B2B: it generates revenue through pre-sales to French broadcasters (Canal+, TF1, OCS, Arte), coproduction financing with platforms (notably Netflix), theatrical distribution partnerships with sales agents such as Gaumont, international licensing of completed works, and ancillary revenue from DVD/Blu-ray (Studio Canal), VOD, and festival-driven visibility. Its go-to-market is event-driven, leveraging film festival premieres (Festival du Film Francophone d'Angoulême, Toronto International Film Festival, Cannes Séries, Séries Mania) for awards recognition and to secure distribution deals. It serves two primary segments: French-language general cinema audiences (theatrical feature films) and French/international premium TV series audiences (streaming and broadcast). The company has earned César eligibility (2025), an International Emmy nomination (2022), and Séries Mania awards (2021) as validation of creative standing.

Name

The Film

Legal name

The Film SAS

Website

https://thefilm.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Film is a privately held French film and television production company headquartered in Paris, operating two divisions — The Film (theatrical features) and The Film TV (TV series, est. 2018). It produces auteur-driven cinema and premium series for major French broadcasters, Netflix, and theatrical distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Catalog / Library Distribution & Re-Release (MPADAJAK), Distribution Strategy & Release Planning (MPADAAAL)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Television series production
• Theatrical film distribution
• French cinema production
• Coproduction financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Feature Film Production: The Film produces theatrical feature films that generate revenue through theatrical distribution, VOD/SVOD licensing, DVD/Blu-ray sales, and international sales. Films like 'Les Barbares', 'La Famille Hennedricks', and 'Madame de Sévigné' are distributed through theatrical releases followed by streaming and home video platforms.
2. TV Series Production: The Film TV produces TV series for French broadcasters and streaming platforms. Revenue comes from pre-sales to broadcasters (Canal+, TF1, OCS, Arte), coproduction agreements with platforms like Netflix, and international licensing of completed series.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Film is a French film and television production company that develops, produces, and distributes feature films and TV series through two divisions: The Film (theatrical features since 2003) and The Film TV (series for broadcasters and streaming platforms since 2018). It finances productions via coproduction deals and broadcaster pre-sales with Canal+, Netflix, TF1, OCS, and Arte, and licenses content for theatrical release, streaming, broadcast, and home video.

Product overview

The Film is a French film and television production company founded in 2003 by Michael Gentile, operating two distinct divisions: The Film (feature film production) and The Film TV (television series production, created 2018). The Film division has produced over 20 theatrical feature films since 2005, including works by notable directors such as Julie Delpy, Fabrice du Welz, and Laurence Arné. The Film TV division produces series for major French broadcasters including Canal+, OCS, TF1, and Netflix, with productions like 'On the Verge' (Julie Delpy's first series, nominated for International Emmy Awards) and 'Unlikely Stepmom' (award-winning at Séries Mania 2021). The company also has several projects in development including animated series Chouim and feature films.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Les Barbares A comedy film directed by Julie Delpy, featuring Sandrine Kiberlain, Laurent Lafitte, and others, released theatrically in September 2024 and subsequently made available on Canal+, DVD, and VOD.
• La Famille Hennedricks A comedy film directed by Laurence Arné starring Dany Boon, released theatrically in June 2024, distributed by Gaumont with Canal+, Netflix, and France Télévisions as partners.
• Madame de Sévigné A period film directed by Isabelle Brocard starring Karin Viard, Ana Girardot, and Cédric Kahn, released theatrically in February 2024.
• Avant que les flammes ne s'éteignent The first feature film by Mehdi Fikri starring Camélia Jordana, released November 2023, available on Netflix since February 2025.
• On the Verge Julie Delpy's first TV series, a 12-episode comedy in English about four female friends facing midlife crisis in Los Angeles, broadcast on Canal+ and Netflix, nominated for International Emmy Awards 2022.
• Unlikely Stepmom (Jeune et Golri) An 8-episode comedy series created by Agnès Hurstel about a young stand-up comedian becoming a stepmother, broadcast on OCS, won Best Original Soundtrack and Best Show at Séries Mania 2021. Two seasons produced.
• Visions A 6-episode supernatural thriller series directed by Akim Isker starring Louane, about a young girl with visions linked to a disappearance case, broadcast on TF1.
• En roue libre (Freestyle) The first feature film by Didier Barcelo starring Marina Foïs and Benjamin Voisin, released June 2022, eligible for César 2023, available on multiple VOD platforms.
• Calvaire The first production of The Film and first feature film by Fabrice du Welz, originally released 2005; remastered Blu-ray released August 2022 by Studio Canal.
• Premières Vacances First feature film by Patrick Cassir with Camille Chamoux and Jonathan Cohen, made available on Netflix in November 2022.

Named customers5 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GaumontcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGaumont serves as distributor and international sales agent for 'La Famille Hennedricks'. Partnership includes theatrical distribution in France and international sales.
• Studio CanalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStudio Canal distributed the remastered Blu-ray release of 'Calvaire' in 2022.
• Bonnes Soeurs ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for 'La Famille Hennedricks' (Laurence Arné's first feature film).
• Topshot FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for 'Avant que les flammes ne s'éteignent', the first feature film of Mehdi Fikri.
• 6bonyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for 'Jeune et Golri' (Unlikely Stepmom) Season 1.
• Hanoï ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for 'Visions' series for TF1.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Studiocanal:

Broad incumbents

• Pathé: Large French studio with film and television production, distribution, and exhibition businesses. Represents the broader incumbent tier against which The Film competes for director talent and broadcaster commissions.
• Gaumont: One of the oldest film studios in the world, with integrated production, distribution, and international sales. Already a direct distribution partner of The Film (La Famille Hennedricks), and a far larger incumbent operating across cinema and TV.

Direct peers

• Haut et Court: Independent French film and series producer known for auteur cinema and festival-facing titles (e.g., The Class, Dheepan). Highly comparable to The Film in scale, editorial positioning, and broadcaster relationships.
• Agat Films & Cie: Paris-based independent producer across cinema and television, with a comparable mix of feature films and TV series for Canal+/France Télévisions/Arte. Closely aligned business model to The Film/The Film TV.
• Pan Européenne: Long-established French independent producer and distributor of auteur cinema, with theatrical distribution capability similar to The Film's release model. Comparable in independent French production positioning.
• Why Not Productions: Paris-based independent producer behind arthouse and festival-circuit features (e.g., Beau Travail, Jacques Audiard titles). Comparable in independent French production model, festival strategy, and feature/series slate.
• MK2 Productions: French independent producer, distributor, and exhibitor with a long-standing auteur slate and theatrical footprint. Comparable in production catalogue, festival presence, and integrated distribution approach.
• Reboot Stories: Independent French production company focused on premium series and feature films for broadcasters and streamers including Canal+ and Netflix. Comparable scope of work and client base.

Regional players

• France TV Studios: Production arm of France Télévisions, producing scripted content for the public broadcaster and partners. Comparable as a French-language series producer but is in-house and broadcaster-owned rather than independent.

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thefilmprod
• Instagraminstagram.com/thefilm_prod
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-film

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 The Film