KANARI FILMS

What KANARI FILMS does

Kanari Films SARL is an independent French documentary film production company founded in 1993 and headquartered in Annecy-le-Vieux with operational offices in Paris (45-47 rue d'Hauteville, 75010). The company produces author-driven documentaries spanning society, art and culture, history, sports, and nature, with a creative philosophy centered on following engaged individuals through personal and collective trajectories. With 7 employees and €57,887 in share capital, Kanari Films operates as a small, founder-managed production boutique under the direction of gérant Laurent Segal.

The company's core product is original documentary film production, distributed through three channels: broadcast licensing and co-production deals with French public broadcasters (France Télévisions, Canal+, ARTE, TV5 Monde, Ushuaïa TV, Public Sénat, LCP) and international channels; direct-to-consumer DVD sales through the company's own e-commerce boutique (kanarifilms.fr/boutique-dvd/) at approximately €15 per title; and VOD streaming via third-party platforms such as Capuseen and filmsdocumentaires.com. Technology use is limited to standard web infrastructure (Infomaniak hosting, Stripe payments, Google Analytics), with no proprietary software or AI/ML components.

The business model is a hybrid of project-based co-production financing, per-unit DVD sales, VOD revenue-sharing, and recurring public funding from the CNC, regional councils, and cultural institutions. Production costs are largely co-funded through public grants and broadcaster pre-sales, with the company retaining distribution rights for secondary exploitation. The customer base spans enterprise buyers (broadcasters, government institutions) and individual consumers (DVD/VOD purchasers), with a 30+ year track record of festival selections and award recognition across documentary and niche film festivals in France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and beyond.

Name

KANARI FILMS

Legal name

Kanari Films SARL

Website

https://kanarifilms.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kanari Films is an independent French documentary production company founded in 1993, producing auteur-driven documentaries distributed via broadcast licensing to French public broadcasters, direct DVD e-commerce, and VOD platforms, with public funding from the CNC and regional councils.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Production & Distribution

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Historical, Biographical & Archival Documentaries (MPADADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA), Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB)

Keywords

• Documentary film production
• Independent documentary films
• Broadcast content licensing
• Documentary DVD sales
• Video on demand distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Annecy-le-Vieux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Broadcast licensing and co-production deals: Kanari Films produces documentaries in co-production with French and international broadcasters (France Télévisions, Canal+, ARTE, TV5 Monde, Ushuaïa TV, Public Sénat, regional channels) and sells broadcast licenses. Revenue comes from co-production contributions, pre-sales, and licensing fees paid by broadcasters for the right to air their documentary content.
2. DVD / Physical product sales: Kanari Films sells DVDs of their documentary catalog directly to consumers through their e-commerce website (kanarifilms.fr/boutique-dvd/). The company manages the full sales process including payment processing, shipping, and returns, as described in their Conditions Générales de Vente.
3. VOD (Video on Demand) distribution: Kanari Films makes their documentary catalog available for streaming via VOD platforms such as Capuseen. Consumers can rent or purchase digital access to individual films. Revenue flows through VOD platform revenue-sharing arrangements.
4. Public funding and grants: Kanari Films' productions routinely receive support from public institutions including the CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée), regional councils (Grand Est, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Normandie, etc.), and other governmental/cultural bodies. These grants and subsidies co-fund production costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kanari Films is an independent documentary film production company that produces author-driven documentaries spanning society, culture, sports, history, and nature themes. It monetizes its catalog through broadcast licensing and co-production deals with French and international television networks, direct-to-consumer DVD sales via its own e-commerce boutique, and video-on-demand streaming via third-party platforms such as Capuseen. Productions are largely co-financed by French public funding bodies including the CNC and regional councils.

Product overview

Kanari Films is an independent documentary film production company founded in 1993, producing documentary films distributed through DVD sales, VOD streaming, and television broadcasts. The company maintains a diverse catalogue of documentaries organized into categories: Society, Art & Culture, History, Sports, and Discovery. Films are available for purchase as physical DVDs through the e-commerce platform and for streaming via VOD partners. The company collaborates with French broadcasters and regional partners for coproduction and distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Documentary Film Catalog A searchable online catalog of independent documentary films covering Society, Art & Culture, History, Sports, and Discovery themes, produced by Kanari Films since 1993. Available for license, sale, or streaming.
• DVD Sales (Direct-to-Consumer Boutique) Physical DVD distribution of Kanari Films' documentary catalog sold directly to consumers through the company's own e-commerce platform. Sales governed by Conditions Générales de Vente with payment by credit card, bank transfer, check, or PayPal.
• Video on Demand (VOD) Streaming Digital streaming access to Kanari Films' documentary catalog via third-party VOD platforms such as Capuseen and filmsdocumentaires.com. Consumers can rent or purchase digital access to individual films on a transaction basis.
• Broadcast Licensing & Co-Production Licensing of broadcast rights and co-production of independent documentaries with French and international television channels (France Télévisions, Canal+, ARTE, TV5 Monde, Ushuaïa TV, Public Sénat, LCP, and regional channels). Revenue from co-production contributions, pre-sales, and licensing fees paid by broadcasters.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• France TélévisionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance Télévisions is a key co-production and broadcast partner for Kanari Films, having co-produced multiple documentaries including 'Nos ombres d\'Algérie', 'La disparition des lucioles', 'Léo', and 'Là où poussent les coquelicots'. As the French public broadcasting group, France Télévisions provides both production funding and broadcast distribution for Kanari Films\' documentary projects.
• Canal+coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanal+ is a significant broadcast and co-production partner for Kanari Films, having co-produced 'François Gabart, coureur au large' and broadcast other documentary titles. The partnership provides both licensing revenue and production co-funding.
• ARTEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARTE (Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne) is listed among Kanari Films\' trusted broadcasting partners. As a Franco-German public channel focused on cultural and documentary programming, ARTE represents a key distribution channel for the company\'s catalog.
• TV5 MondecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTV5 Monde, the global francophone international TV network, is a broadcast partner for Kanari Films\' documentaries including 'Nos ombres d\'Algérie' and 'Where the Poppies Grow'. The partnership extends distribution to francophone audiences worldwide.
• Ushuaïa TVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUshuaïa TV, the French nature and adventure TV channel, is a co-producer and broadcaster of Kanari Films\' environmental documentaries including 'Le combat pour les oiseaux dans le ciel d\'Isaël' and 'Anna et le requin-renard'. The partnership aligns Kanari Films\' nature content with Ushuaïa TV\'s niche audience.
• CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CNC is the primary public funding body for French film and audiovisual production. Kanari Films receives production support from the CNC across nearly all of their documentary projects. This support is critical for the financial viability of independent documentary production in France.
• Public SénatmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic Sénat, the French public parliamentary channel, is a co-producer and broadcaster of Kanari Films\' documentaries including 'Inclassables' and 'Euskara'. The partnership provides access to Public Sénat\'s audience interested in social and cultural documentary content.
• Demain!majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDemain! is a recurring co-production partner for Kanari Films across multiple documentary projects including 'Blast', 'Inclassables', 'Les mots de la cité', 'Leo', and 'Braiseuses'. The partnership represents an established creative and production collaboration.
• Procirep et AngoamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProcirep (Société Civile des Producteurs de Cinéma) and Angoa (Société de Gestion des Droits de la Musique Audiovisuelle) are collective rights management organizations that provide production support to Kanari Films\' documentary projects. Nearly all Kanari Films productions credit these organizations as supporters.
• Région Grand EstmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Grand Est regional council is a co-producer and supporter of Kanari Films\' documentaries, having supported 'Le combat pour les oiseaux dans le ciel d\'Isaël', 'La disparition des lucioles', and other projects. Regional councils in France provide both funding and legitimacy to cultural productions.
• Région Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional council supports Kanari Films\' documentary productions including 'Notre santé est politique' and 'Inclassables'. The region\'s support enables production of documentaries focused on social and cultural themes relevant to the region.
• SacemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sacem (Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique) is a music rights organization that supports Kanari Films\' productions including 'Tsiganies' (as co-producer), 'A qui veut bien l\'entendre', and other projects involving original musical content.
• LCP Assemblée NationalemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLCP (La Chaîne Parlementaire) is a French parliamentary channel that broadcasts Kanari Films documentaries including 'Cité de Dieu, la rédemption d\'une favela' and others. The channel provides access to a politically engaged audience.
• Cinémathèque des Pays de Savoie et de l'AinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cinémathèque des Pays de Savoie et de l\'Ain is a co-production partner for Kanari Films\' documentary series 'Feuilleton d\'une mémoire heureuse' and 'Savoies, mémoire d\'un pays'. The partnership provides archival footage and institutional support for regional historical documentaries.
• Fondation pour la Mémoire de la ShoahmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah supports Kanari Films\' documentary 'Leo', which follows students investigating the life of a deportee from the last convoy from Drancy to Auschwitz. The foundation\'s support is critical for Holocaust memory and education projects.
• ECPAD (Établissement de communication et de production audiovisuelle de la Défense)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ECPAD, France\'s defense audiovisual agency, is a co-producer and supporter of Kanari Films\' historical documentaries including 'Là où poussent les coquelicots' and 'Cité de Dieu'. The agency provides archival footage and institutional support for military and historical film projects.
• ONACVG (Office national des anciens combattants et victimes de guerre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ONACVG supports Kanari Films\' documentary 'Nos ombres d\'Algérie', which explores the memories of the Algerian War. As France\'s national office for war veterans and memory, ONACVG provides institutional legitimacy and funding for memory-related documentary projects.
• Capuseen (VOD platform)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCapuseen is a VOD platform that distributes Kanari Films\' documentary catalog for streaming. The platform hosts individual film pages where consumers can watch documentaries online. Capuseen represents the primary digital streaming channel for Kanari Films\' content beyond their own e-commerce site.
• 8 Mont-BlancminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor8 Mont-Blanc is a regional TV channel in the Mont Blanc area that co-produces and broadcasts Kanari Films\' documentaries including 'Les amants du grès', 'Feuilleton d\'une mémoire heureuse', 'Savoies mémoire d\'un pays', and 'Différents comme tout le monde'.
• GlénatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlénat, the French comic book publisher, is a co-production partner and supporter of Kanari Films\' documentaries related to graphic arts and comics, including 'L\'histoire de la page 52' (about Jean-Claude Mézières and Valérian) and 'Laurent Vicomte, Entretemps'.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ZED: ZED is a leading French independent documentary and factual production company working in the same broadcast-licensing and co-production model with French and international channels. Closely comparable in catalog size, genre breadth, and reliance on public broadcaster commissions.
• Gedeon Programmes: Gedeon Programmes is a French independent production company producing documentaries and factual programs for French broadcasters including France Télévisions, ARTE and Canal+. Directly comparable co-production model and broadcaster relationships.
• Silverback Films: Silverback Films is a UK-based independent nature and wildlife documentary producer with strong broadcast relationships. Comparable to Kanari in producing premium natural-history content sold to international broadcasters.
• Les Films d'Ici: Les Films d'Ici is a major French independent production company specializing in auteur documentaries and series. It shares Kanari's broadcast-driven, publicly funded model and works with similar French and European broadcasters on history, society and art documentaries.
• Bonne Pioche: Bonne Pioche is a French independent documentary producer with a strong naturalist and science catalog and recurring partnerships with French public broadcasters. Comparable in scale, genre mix (nature, society, science), and broadcast-licensing business model.
• NHNZ: Natural History New Zealand (NHNZ) is a specialist nature and wildlife documentary producer selling to international broadcasters. Comparable to Kanari in nature documentary subject matter and global broadcaster licensing approach.
• Wildstar Films: Wildstar Films is an independent nature and wildlife documentary producer with international broadcast distribution. Closely comparable to Kanari's nature/wildlife slate (e.g., 'Le combat pour les oiseaux dans le ciel d'Israël', 'Anna et le requin-renard') in subject matter and broadcast-to-international-channel model.

Broad incumbents

• ARTE: ARTE is the Franco-German public broadcaster and a major documentary buyer. It is both a key distribution partner for Kanari and a broad incumbent that commissions large documentary slates and operates ARTE Distribution, influencing the same market in which Kanari competes.
• France.tv Studio: France.tv Studio is the in-house production arm of France Télévisions, Kanari Films' largest customer and a broad incumbent that produces documentaries internally. It competes with independents like Kanari for both production budgets and editorial slots on France Télévisions channels.
• BBC Studios: BBC Studios is the commercial production and distribution arm of the BBC, a global leader in documentary production and sales. It is a broad incumbent competing in the same international documentary licensing market where Kanari monetizes titles such as 'Where the Poppies Grow' and 'Nos ombres d'Algérie'.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kanari-films

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 KANARI FILMS