AF

What AF does

AF Films is a privately-held Spanish film and television production company founded by Frank Ariza and operated under the legal entity AF Films & Productions, SLU. The company is headquartered in Madrid (Calle Alcalá, 126, 28009) with a production base in the Canary Islands that qualifies productions for a 40% tax rebate, and it has filmed in Spain, the United States, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. It operates two primary divisions: AF Films Cinema (Cine) for feature films and AF Films Television for series, with a portfolio of approximately 30 titles spanning drama, comedy, thriller, action, horror, documentaries, and musicals. Recent and upcoming productions include the documentary 'Pétros Ení' with Vatican Media and Chris Pratt, 'Last Days' with MUBI and Oscar-winning co-producers, 'Sorry Baby' which premiered at Sundance 2025, the action-thriller 'Hammer Down' with Atlas Entertainment (Charles Roven), and 'Chopper' with Hidden Pictures.

The company's business model centers on acquiring remake rights to successful international films (notably Italian and Mexican titles such as 'Buen Camino', 'Per Tutta La Vita' / 'Desposados', 'Follemente' / 'Amor y Mente', and Guillermo Arriaga's 'Perro blanco, Perro negro') and developing them with international casts and co-production partners for Spanish-speaking and global audiences. Revenue is generated through distribution deals with theatrical exhibitors, global streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+, MUBI, Amazon Prime Video, Star Distribution), and traditional television networks (Televisión Española, Mediaset España), with co-production financing and licensing/royalty structures. Its go-to-market motion is sales-led and project-based, anchored by long-running partnerships with BTF Media and an expanding roster of Oscar-tier international co-producers. The company has no disclosed external institutional ownership, no funding rounds in the input data, and no headcount disclosed; it is founder-led with Frank Ariza as CEO and Manu Vega as producing partner, plus a Mexico lead (Luisa Perzabal) and a recently launched direct-to-consumer fan channel, Club AF.

Name

AF

Legal name

AF Films & Productions, SLU

Website

https://frankariza.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AF Films is a Madrid-based, privately-held Spanish film and television production company founded by Frank Ariza, producing roughly 30 titles across cinema and series for Netflix, Disney+, MUBI, and Amazon Prime Video via international co-productions targeting Spanish-speaking and global audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Film Production & Distribution: AF Films produces theatrical films and television series, generating revenue through distribution deals with theatrical exhibitors, streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+, MUBI, Amazon Prime Video, Star Distribution), and TV networks (Televisión Española, Mediaset España). Revenue comes from licensing, co-production financing, and distribution rights.
2. Remake Rights Acquisition & Development: The company acquires rights to successful international films (Italian, Korean, Mexican) and produces localized remakes, generating revenue through development deals, co-production partnerships, and distribution rights sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

AF Films is a Spanish film and television production company that produces theatrical films and TV series, often acquiring remake rights to successful international films (Italian, Korean, Mexican) and developing Spanish-language adaptations. The company produces content across genres including comedy, drama, thriller, action, horror, documentary, and musical, with distribution through streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+, MUBI, Amazon Prime Video), theatrical exhibitors, and traditional television networks in Spain and Latin America.

Product overview

AF Films is a Spanish film and television production company founded by Frank Ariza, based in Madrid with production operations in the Canary Islands. The company operates two primary divisions: AF Films Cinema (Cine) for feature film production, and AF Films Television (Series) for TV series. The portfolio spans nearly 30 titles including dramas, comedies, thrillers, action films, horror, documentaries, and musicals. Notable productions include 'Pétros Ení' (documentary with Chris Pratt), 'Sorry Baby' (premiered at Sundance 2025), 'Last Days' (musical in partnership with MUBI and Oscar-winning studios), 'Above & Below' (action thriller with Antonio Banderas), and 'Mariachis' (Mexican comedy series). The company also maintains Club AF, a fan membership program offering pre-screening invitations and promotional access. Productions are developed with international co-production partners including BTF Media, Vatican Media, Atlas Entertainment (Charles Roven), and Hidden Pictures, with distribution through platforms like Disney+, Netflix, MUBI, and Amazon Prime Video.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AF Films Cinema (Cine) Feature film production division producing dramas, comedies, thrillers, action films, horror, documentaries, and musicals across Spain, Mexico, and international markets. Titles include 'Sorry Baby' (Sundance 2025), 'Pétros Ení' (with Chris Pratt and Vatican Media), 'Last Days' (with MUBI and Oscar-winning studios), 'Above & Below' (action thriller with Antonio Banderas), 'La Familia Benetón' (#1 comedy in Spanish cinemas), and 'Mariachis'. Distributed via theatrical exhibitors and streaming platforms including Netflix, Disney+, MUBI, Amazon Prime Video.
• AF Films Television (Series/TV) Television series production division for streaming platforms and broadcast TV, including dramas, comedies, youth series, crime thrillers, and musical shows. Notable series include 'La increíble historia de Julia Pastrana' (Disney+), 'Mariachis' (Mexican comedy), 'Herederos por Accidente' (2 seasons), 'Secretos de Estado', 'El Continental', and 'Cupido'. Distributed via streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video) and broadcast networks (Televisión Española, Mediaset España, Playz).
• Club AF A fan membership club that provides invitations to pre-screenings, test screenings, promotional gifts, updates on upcoming releases, and entry into giveaways for AF Films' audience of Spanish-speaking film enthusiasts. Members register personal details and select interest categories across multiple genres (comedy, drama, thriller, romance, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, documentary, family, animation).

Quantifiable outcome

• Production base in Canary Islands provides 40% tax rebate for international productions

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• LatinWeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Partnership to acquire and develop 'Perro Blanco, Perro Negro' - the original screenplay for 'Amores Perros' by Guillermo Arriaga - for premium TV series adaptation.
• Hidden PicturesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Producer of 'The Housemaid' partnering with AF Films on action-thriller 'Chopper', with Todd Lieberman and Alex Young from Hidden Pictures producing.
• Many EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Oscar-winning studio co-producing 'Last Days', adaptation of Matt Copson and Oliver Leith's opera, based on Gus Van Sant's film about Kurt Cobain.
• Louverture FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Oscar-nominated studio co-producing 'Last Days' with AF Films and Many Enterprises for MUBI platform.
• Atlas EntertainmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Oscar-winning producer Charles Roven (Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight trilogy) partnering with AF Films on action-thriller 'Hammer Down', with AF leading European production.
• Vatican MediaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Co-production partnership with Vatican Media for documentary 'Pétros Ení' featuring Chris Pratt and Pope Leo XIV, exploring the tomb of Saint Peter in the Vatican Necropolis.
• Fabric of St PetercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Co-production partner for 'Pétros Ení' documentary about the crypt of St. Peter's Basilica.
• BTF MediaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecurring co-production partner on multiple AF Films projects including 'V de Víctor', 'Instintos', 'Islas', 'Mariachis', and others.
• Leone Film GroupcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerItalian partner providing rights to Paolo Genovese's 'Per Tutta La Vita' for Spanish remake 'Desposados'.
• PiperPlaycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHandling international remake rights sales for 'Buen Camino', Italy's most successful film ever with 70M+ euros box office.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Beta Film: Germany-based European content distribution and co-production powerhouse managing rights and co-financing across multiple languages. Comparable international co-production and rights-acquisition model at larger scale.
• Atresmedia Studios: Production arm of Spanish broadcaster Atresmedia, producing TV series and films for Spanish and international markets. Larger incumbent with broader portfolio but comparable Spanish-language production and distribution activities.
• Mediaset España / Telecinco Cinema: Major Spanish broadcaster with in-house production arm distributing content via Telecinco and affiliated platforms. Larger incumbent serving as both distributor and producer of Spanish-language content, with comparable genre breadth.

Direct peers

• A Contracorriente Films: Spanish production and distribution company active in feature films and international co-productions. Comparable independent Spanish player with theatrical distribution and remake rights activities.
• Buendia Estudios: Spanish production company producing premium series and films with international co-production partners (founded by former Mediapro executives). Closely comparable Spanish production model targeting global streamers.
• Vancouver Media: Spanish production company behind globally distributed Netflix hits (La Casa de Papel, Élite). Closely comparable Spanish indie production model selling premium Spanish-language content to global streamers with international co-productions.
• Mediapro: Spain's largest independent production group, producing feature films and premium TV series for global streamers and broadcasters. Direct competitor in Spanish-language film/TV production with comparable international co-production footprint and similar platform relationships.
• Leone Film Group: Italian production company and rights holder that supplied AF Films with remake rights to 'Per Tutta La Vita'. Comparable production-and-rights business model in a different language market with direct counterparty relationship to AF Films.
• Pokeepsie Films: Spanish production house behind 'La Casa de Papel' and 'Sky Rojo', producing high-end Spanish-language series for global streamers. Comparable indie Spanish production model with strong Netflix and international platform relationships.
• BTF Media: Mexico-based production company and recurring AF Films co-production partner on titles like 'V de Víctor', 'Instintos', 'Islas', and 'Mariachis'. Comparable mid-sized Spanish-language production footprint with focus on international co-productions.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/af-films

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 AF