LA ONDA PRODUCTIONS

What LA ONDA PRODUCTIONS does

La Onda Productions is an independent French film and series production company founded in 2015 by producers Thibaud Ader (formerly Gaumont, Les Films du Cap) and Baptiste Bertin (formerly MUBI, Fémis Atelier de production Ludwigsburg-Paris), with a small core team of approximately three to five people. The company produces documentaries, fiction series, short-form web content, and feature films for cinema, television, and streaming platforms, with a catalog of eight productions including the Loulou franchise (web series 2017/2020 and 82-minute feature film released on Arte.tv and ARTE in January–February 2024), the comedy series Brigade Mobile, the Iranian road-trip series Happiness, the Wim Wenders Foundation-backed documentary collection A Sense of Place (CPH:DOX 2023 world premiere), and the documentaries Just Kids (Canal+ Création Originale) and Julie au pays des chasseurs (France 3). Operations run from Paris headquarters and a Berlin office established to support international coproductions, with active filming planned in Lebanon (Dream Plaza, spring 2026) and Berlin (Flatwar, early 2026).

Revenue is generated primarily through broadcast licensing fees from French public broadcasters — chiefly ARTE France, with secondary placements on Canal+ and France 3 — combined with French public film subsidies from the CNC, regional film funds (Pictanovo, CICLIC Centre-Val de Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Nouvelle Aquitaine), and industry organizations (Procirep, Angoa-Agicoa, Adami). Distribution is concentrated through linear ARTE broadcasts and the Arte.tv streaming platform, supplemented by international festival exposure (Series Mania, Festival de la Fiction TV La Rochelle, CPH:DOX, Beldocs, Sheffield Doc/Fest). The company maintains membership in SPI and Unifrance, has not raised external institutional capital, and operates as a founder-controlled entity with no disclosed ownership changes.

The company has accumulated festival recognition including a Globes de Cristal 2019 award (Best Webseries), Series Mania 2017 (Best Digital Series), and three prizes at Festival de la Fiction TV La Rochelle 2023 for LOULOU le Film (Best Screenplay, Best Female Performance, Best Male Young Talent), and was nominated for the Procirep Prix du producteur de TV 2023 in fiction. A forward development slate of at least seven projects (Georges est morte, Pompidou, Zebras, Contre-emploi, Johnny B. Good, RIP Reine des astres, Mâchefer, Austère Esther) is in place with CNC and regional writing and development support already secured on multiple titles.

Name

LA ONDA PRODUCTIONS

Legal name

La Onda Productions

Website

https://laondaprod.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Onda Productions is an independent French film and series production company founded in 2015, producing documentaries, fiction series, and feature films primarily for ARTE France, Canal+, and France 3 from offices in Paris and Berlin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Live-Action International/Co-Production & Service Production (MPADABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scripted TV Series Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAB), Live-Action TV Movies, Miniseries & Specials Production (MPADABAD)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Television series production
• Documentary film production
• Independent film studio
• Broadcast content licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Broadcast licensing: Licensing fees from ARTE France, Canal+, and France 3 for original productions. Primary revenue source for short series and documentary films.
2. Public funding and grants: Support from CNC (National Centre for Cinema), regional film funds (Pictanovo, CICLIC Centre-Val de Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), and industry organizations (Procirep, Angoa-Agicoa). Also receives development aid from FAIA (CNC) and writing grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

La Onda Productions is an independent French production company that develops and produces films, television series, and documentary content for cinema, television, and streaming platforms. The company specializes in author-driven short-form drama, comedy series, and documentary films, primarily working with French and European public broadcasters (ARTE France, Canal+, France 3) and securing coproduction financing from CNC and regional film funds.

Product overview

La Onda Productions is an independent film and series production company that produces documentaries, fiction series, and feature films for cinema, television, and streaming platforms. The company operates a portfolio of products including documentary films (Just Kids, Julie au pays des chasseurs), documentary collections (A Sense of Place), comedy series (Loulou la série, Brigade Mobile, Happiness), and feature films (LOULOU le Film). Current productions in development include Dream Plaza, Flatwar, and Black Out. The company has offices in Paris and Berlin, coproduces primarily with ARTE France, and its content is distributed through platforms including Arte.tv, Canal+, and France 3.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LOULOU le Film

Quantifiable outcome

• LOULOU film won 3 prizes at Festival de la Fiction TV La Rochelle 2023
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 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 core and minor.

• ARTE FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary broadcast partner and coproducer for multiple series including Loulou, Happiness, Brigade Mobile, and Dream Plaza. ARTE provides broadcast licensing fees and coproduction financing. Major distribution channel through arte.tv platform and linear TV broadcasts.
• Mother ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for Brigade Mobile series. Mother Production handles day-to-day production management while La Onda serves as production company.
• My Box ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for Just Kids documentary film.
• Bon Port FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for Just Kids documentary film.
• Abbout ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partner for Dream Plaza series, coproduced with ARTE France. Filming planned for spring 2026 in Lebanon.
• Wim Wenders FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with The Wim Wenders Foundation for A Sense of Place documentary collection. Films developed in close collaboration with Wim Wenders and Hella Wenders. International coproduction with Germany and France.
• Goethe InstitutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman cultural institute supporting A Sense of Place documentary collection with German-Iranian coproduction elements.
• Institut Français de TéréhanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench cultural institute in Iran supporting A Sense of Place documentary collection.
• Syndicat des Producteurs Indépendants (SPI)minorOthersTrade association for independent producers in France. La Onda is a member.
• UnifranceminorOthersOrganization promoting French cinema internationally. La Onda is a member.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Haut et Court: Established French independent production company with broader catalogue across fiction features, series, and documentaries for ARTE, Canal+, and international platforms. Comparable as a French indie but larger and more diversified than La Onda.

Direct peers

• Sister Productions: French independent production company focused on auteur fiction series and documentaries for French and European broadcasters. Comparable in scale, broadcaster mix, and commitment to emerging auteur talent.
• TS Productions: Paris-based independent producer of short-form fiction series and documentaries for ARTE and French public broadcasters. Closely comparable in format focus, ARTE dependency, and small-team operating model.
• Mon Voisin Productions: French independent producer of documentary and fiction series for public broadcasters. Comparable in auteur focus, public funding access, and small operating scale.
• Kazak Productions: Paris-based independent producer of documentary films and series for ARTE and France Télévisions. Comparable in documentary focus, public broadcaster relationships, and small-team operating model.
• What's Up Films: Paris-based independent production company producing auteur fiction and documentary content for French and European broadcasters. Comparable in scale, format focus, and CBC-style public funding reliance.
• Agat Films & Cie: Long-established French independent production company producing auteur fiction series and documentaries for ARTE, Canal+, and France Télévisions. Comparable in scale, broadcaster mix, and auteur-driven slate to La Onda.
• Makever: Paris-based independent production company developing original fiction series and feature films for French broadcasters and international partners. Comparable as a French indie auteur producer with similar broadcaster relationships.
• Chi-Fou-Mi Productions: French independent production company focused on auteur-driven comedy and drama series for ARTE, Canal+, and French streamers. Comparable in short-form scripted content and broadcaster mix.
• Hola Productions: French independent production company producing short-form series and documentary content for ARTE and French public TV. Closely comparable in short-form auteur focus and public broadcaster mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@artefr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-onda-productions
• Instagraminstagram.com/laondaprods

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 LA ONDA PRODUCTIONS