CLOSE UP FILMS SARL
Close Up Films SARL is a Geneva-based independent film production company specializing in auteur cinema and ambitious documentaries for theatrical and television release, producing international co-productions with European public broadcasters and global festival-circuit distribution.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CLOSE UP FILMS SARL does
Close Up Films SARL is an independent film production company registered in Geneva, Switzerland, operating since at least 2013. The company specializes in auteur cinema and ambitious documentaries produced for both theatrical release and television, with a portfolio that spans European and international co-productions. Close Up Films has built a recognized editorial brand through festival-circuit work, including titles such as I Am Not Your Negro (BAFTA winner, Oscar nominee), Yalda (Sundance Grand Jury Prize), Les Hirondelles de Kaboul (Cannes Un Certain Regard), and more recently Le Grand Chariot (Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Director, 2025) and Foudre (Switzerland's official Oscar submission, 2024).
The company is led by co-founders and producers Joëlle Bertossa and Flavia Zanon, with a small production team. Its projects are typically financed through multi-country co-production structures, combining pre-sales and equity from European public broadcasters — including RTS, ARTE, RAI Cinema, RSI, SRG SSR, and RTBF — with regional film funds and grants. International distribution is handled through specialist sales agents such as Be For Films, with Swiss distribution handled by Outside the Box and Cineworx. Educational partnerships, notably with HEAD Genève, indicate engagement with emerging talent and training pipelines.
Close Up Films' revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed. The business model is characteristic of independent European auteur producers: project-based financing, public broadcaster pre-sales, festival-driven prestige valuation, and downstream catalog licensing across platforms. No equity funding rounds, acquisitions, or public listing are documented in the available data.
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CLOSE UP FILMS SARL
- Legal name
- Close Up Films SARL
- Website
- https://closeupfilms.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Close Up Films SARL is a Geneva-based independent film production company specializing in auteur cinema and ambitious documentaries for theatrical and television release, producing international co-productions with European public broadcasters and global festival-circuit distribution.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where CLOSE UP FILMS SARL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Geneva
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Film Production Services: Production of auteur films and documentaries for cinema and television, with coproduction partnerships across Europe and internationally.
- Coproduction Revenue: Revenue from European and international coproductions with partners including RTS, ARTE, and various production companies across France, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and other countries.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels2 records
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Close Up Films is an independent film production company that develops and produces auteur films and ambitious documentaries for cinema and television. The company works with both emerging filmmakers and established authors, focusing on stories that question the world and spark dialogue, and is active in European and international co-productions with broadcasters and partner production companies.
Product overview
Close Up Films SARL is an independent film production company based in Geneva that produces auteur films and ambitious documentaries for cinema and television. The company operates as a unified production house offering multiple film categories: documentary films (the dominant format, with award-winning works at major festivals like Visions du Réel, Berlinale, and Sundance), feature films for theatrical release, web series content produced in partnership with broadcasters like RTS, and short films. Close Up Films works with both emerging filmmakers and established authors, focusing on stories that question the world and spark dialogue. The company is active in European and international co-productions, typically partnering with broadcasters (RTS, ARTE, RSI), other production companies, and funding bodies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use CLOSE UP FILMS SARL
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
38 partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.
- StenolacoreBelgian production company coproducing Road 190 with Close Up Films.
- RTS Radio Télévision SuissecoreSwiss public broadcaster coproducing multiple films including Road 190.
- RTBFcoreBelgian French-speaking public broadcaster coproducing Road 190.
- Macalube FilmscoreFrench production company coproducing Saudades Eternas.
- JBA ProductioncoreFrench production company coproducing Enjoy Your Stay.
- Be For FilmscoreInternational sales agent handling worldwide distribution for Enjoy Your Stay.
- CineworxregionalSwiss distribution partner for theatrical releases.
- Outside the BoxregionalSwiss theatrical distributor for Road 190.
- Rectangle ProductionscoreFrench production company coproducing Le Grand Chariot and Le Sel des Larmes.
- Les ArmateurscoreFrench production company coproducing Les Hirondelles de Kaboul.
- Mélusine ProductionscoreLuxembourg production company coproducing Les Hirondelles de Kaboul.
- JBA ProductioncoreFrench production company coproducing Yalda, la nuit du pardon.
- ARTE CinemacoreEuropean cultural TV channel coproducing Yalda, la nuit du pardon.
- ARTE France CinemacoreFrench arm of European cultural TV channel coproducing Le Sel des Larmes.
- O Som e a FúriacorePortuguese production company coproducing Volta À Terra and Rio Corgo.
- HEAD GenèvecoreGeneva University of Art and Design coproducing Rio Corgo.
- KinoproduzionicoreItalian production company coproducing Il Mio Corpo.
- RSI Radiotelevisione SvizzeracoreItalian-speaking Swiss public broadcaster coproducing Il Mio Corpo.
- Nour FilmscoreFrench production company coproducing Cosmos.
- Leykauf FilmscoreGerman production company coproducing Wild Plants.
- 9338-6223 Québec Inc.coreCanadian production company coproducing Ta peau si lisse.
- Avenue BcoreFrench production company coproducing Au Large.
- Les Films d'IcicoreFrench production company coproducing Chienne de Rouge.
- Sister ProductioncoreFrench production company coproducing Diabète, une addition salée.
- BrainworkscoreFrench production company coproducing Diabète, une addition salée.
- Arte FrancecoreFrench arm of European cultural TV channel coproducing Diabète, une addition salée.
- Norte ProductioncoreFrench production company coproducing Des Moutons et des Hommes.
- MegafuncoreCanadian production company coproducing Léa Tsemel, Avocate.
- Home Made DocscoreIsraeli production company coproducing Léa Tsemel, Avocate.
- Les Films de l'AircoreFrench production company coproducing Volta À Terra.
- 24 imagescoreFrench production company coproducing A la recherche de l'homme à la caméra.
- KNM Michel MerktcoreSwiss production company coproducing Full House and For this is my body.
- Thala FilmscoreAlgerian production company coproducing Babor Casanova.
- HEAD GenèvecoreGeneva University of Art and Design coproducing Demain le soleil.
- IndycacoreItalian production company coproducing Lonely.
- RAI CinemacoreItalian public broadcaster coproducing Lonely.
- RSIcoreSwiss Italian public broadcaster coproducing 'A Iucata and Pescatori di corpi.
- SRG SSRcoreSwiss public broadcaster network coproducing multiple films.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Playtime: Paris-based independent film production and sales company specializing in auteur features and festival titles. Directly comparable business model and international co-production profile to Close Up Films.
- Wild Bunch: European sales, production, and distribution group focused on auteur and arthouse films. Operates in the same festival-driven value chain as Close Up Films with comparable co-production and international sales-agent functions.
- Dogwoof: UK-based documentary production and international sales company operating in the same festival-to-distribution pipeline as Close Up Films. Closely comparable in documentary focus and global sales-agent model.
- Les Films du Losange: Historic French independent production company associated with auteur cinema and European co-productions. Comparable in scale, artistic positioning, and dependency on public broadcaster co-financing.
- Final Cut for Real: Copenhagen-based documentary production company with international co-production activity and festival-circuit focus. Comparable to Close Up Films in documentary specialization and European public-broadcaster co-financing structure.
- Haut et Court: Paris-based production and distribution company with strong arthouse and documentary focus, including ARTE co-productions. Mirrors Close Up Films' genre mix (documentary + feature auteur) and broadcaster-dependence profile.
- Coproduction Office: Paris-based international sales and production company representing award-winning European auteur filmmakers. Closely mirrors Close Up Films' combination of festival-circuit sales representation and co-production activity.
- Memento Films Production: Paris-based independent film production and distribution company specializing in auteur cinema and festival-circuit titles, with strong European co-production activity. Directly comparable to Close Up Films in business model, talent profile, and distribution strategy.
- MK2 Productions: French independent production, distribution, and exhibition company with deep auteur-cinema heritage. Operates in the same festival-to-theatrical value chain as Close Up Films and shares a comparable artistic-editorial positioning.
- Be For Films: Brussels-based international sales company focused on arthouse and festival-driven films. Already a direct partner of Close Up Films (handles Enjoy Your Stay) and operates in the same sales-agent layer of the European auteur value chain.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL social profiles
Digital presenceCLOSE UP FILMS SARL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CLOSE UP FILMS SARL
What does CLOSE UP FILMS SARL do?
Close Up Films is an independent film production company that develops and produces auteur films and ambitious documentaries for cinema and television. The company works with both emerging filmmakers and established authors, focusing on stories that question the world and spark dialogue, and is active in European and international co-productions with broadcasters and partner production companies.
Is CLOSE UP FILMS SARL a public or private company?
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CLOSE UP FILMS SARL founded?
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CLOSE UP FILMS SARL based?
CLOSE UP FILMS SARL is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does CLOSE UP FILMS SARL make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Film Production Services are the primary driver. The others are coproduction Revenue.
Who are CLOSE UP FILMS SARL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Playtime, Wild Bunch, Dogwoof, Les Films du Losange, Final Cut for Real, Haut et Court, Coproduction Office, Memento Films Production, MK2 Productions and Be For Films.
Does CLOSE UP FILMS SARL have an API?
No public API is recorded for CLOSE UP FILMS SARL.