Pallas Film GmbH

What Pallas Film GmbH does

Pallas Film GmbH is a privately held international film production company headquartered in Halle (Saale), Germany, founded in 2003 by producers Thanassis Karathanos and Karl Baumgartner (who passed away in 2014). The company operates a 6-person team and has produced a catalog of 40+ feature films, documentaries, and animated features across roughly 20 years, primarily through international co-production arrangements with partners in Central Europe, Western Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and East Asia. Its portfolio is anchored by auteur collaborations with directors such as Olivier Assayas, Bruno Dumont, Elia Suleiman, Sergey Dvortsevoy, Bohdan Sláma, Cherien Dabis, and Dito Tsintsadze, with multiple titles achieving Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, and Toronto premieres and four Oscar shortlistings (CENTAUR, AYKA, IT MUST BE HEAVEN, ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU).

Revenue is generated through a multi-stream production-finance model rather than direct consumer sales. Pallas Film packages each project from a combination of public film-fund grants (MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, FFA – Filmförderungsanstalt, Eurimages, MEDIA), broadcaster co-financing and pre-sales (ZDF, Arte, YLE), international world-sales agents (The Match Factory, Wild Bunch, MK2 Films, Pyramide, Memento International, m-appeal, Autlook), and German theatrical distribution (Neue Visionen, X-Verleih, Beta Cinema). GTM is event-driven: films are built around international festival premieres that generate press, awards, and downstream distribution momentum. The company has no proprietary technology stack and no consumer-facing digital products; its value lies in its creative-leadership network, festival track record, and ability to architect multi-jurisdictional co-production financing.

The active slate as of 2026 includes the recently released ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU (Sundance 2025 premiere, Oscar shortlist), OF MUD AND BLOOD (immersive documentary, Trento 2026 awards), and HEN (Toronto 2025 premiere); The Squirrel in production; and five titles in development (Playhouse, Divine Vines, Monkey, The Side Effects of Trusting Life, Wishbone). Recurring co-production partners include Negativ Film Productions (Czech Republic), Why Not Productions (France), Twenty Twenty Vision (Germany), Entre Chien et Loup / Samsa Film (Belgium/Luxembourg), and core broadcasters/financiers ZDF/Arte, Eurimages, MDM, and FFA.

Name

Pallas Film GmbH

Legal name

Pallas Film GmbH

Website

https://pallasfilm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pallas Film GmbH is a Halle (Saale)-based independent film production company founded in 2003 that produces and co-produces international auteur feature films, documentaries, and animated features for global festival, broadcast, and theatrical markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), 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

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Grant Funding & Public/Nonprofit Financing (MPADAAAO), International Sales & Licensing (Territory Pre-Sales) (MPADAJAC)

Keywords

• International film production
• Arthouse feature films
• Documentary production
• Animated feature films
• International co-production

Headquarters

HQ city

Halle (Saale)

HQ country

Germany

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. International Co-Production + Pre-Sales: Pallas Film co-produces feature films and documentaries with partners across multiple countries (Germany, France, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Israel, Palestine, Czech Republic, Serbia, etc.). Revenue is generated through pre-sales to international distributors, direct investment from co-producers, and gap financing from film funds.
2. Public Film Funding: Pallas Film receives support from regional, national, and European film funding bodies including MDM – Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, FFA – Filmförderungsanstalt, Eurimages, MEDIA Programme, and ZDF/Arte. These grants and subsidies co-finance productions.
3. Broadcast Rights: Broadcast slots on ZDF, Arte, and other national/regional broadcasters provide revenue and co-financing through pre-broadcasting deals.
4. Theatrical Distribution: Theatrical releases in Germany through distributors such as Neue Visionen Filmverleih, X-Verleih, Beta Cinema, and Sophie Dulac Distribution generate revenue through distribution fees and box office shares.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pallas Film GmbH produces international feature films, documentaries, and animated features as a co-production partner for auteur directors. Films are financed through pre-sales, European public film funds (MDM, FFA, Eurimages, MEDIA Programme), and broadcaster co-financing (ZDF/Arte), then delivered to festival, theatrical, and broadcast markets via international sales agents and German distributors. The company has produced 40+ titles over 20+ years, with premieres at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, and Toronto.

Product overview

Pallas Film GmbH is an international film production company founded in 2003 in Halle/Germany by producers Thanassis Karathanos and Karl Baumgartner. The company produces feature films, documentaries, and animated features for national and international markets. Their portfolio includes award-winning films such as 'Something Like Happiness' (Golden Shell winner), 'Tulpan' and 'AYKA' (Cannes winners), 'Irina Palm', 'Clouds of Sils Maria', 'It Must Be Heaven' (Palestine's Oscar entry), 'Centaur' (Kyrgyzstan's Oscar entry), 'All That's Left of You' (Jordan's Oscar shortlist), and 'Smuggling Hendrix'. The company has productions in various stages: released films (Of Mud and Blood, All That's Left of You, More than Strangers, Clouds of Sils Maria, HEN, and others), films in production (The Squirrel), and films in development (Playhouse, Divine Vines, Monkey, The Side Effects of Trusting Life). They collaborate with directors including Bohdan Sláma, Sam Garbarski, Olivier Assayas, Bruno Dumont, Sergey Dvortsevoy, Elia Suleiman, and Cherien Dabis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Of Mud and Blood Immersive 90-minute documentary film by Jean-Gabriel Leynaud; for international festival, theatrical, and broadcast distribution.
• All That's Left of You (Im Schatten des Orangenbaums) 145-minute feature film by Cherien Dabis; Palestinian-American production, Jordan's official Oscar entry for 2026; premiered at Sundance 2025 and released theatrically in Germany via X-Verleih.
• More than Strangers (Car Sharing) 100-minute feature film by Sylvie Michel; German production about car sharing and relationships; awarded Best Director at Filmfest München 2023.
• Clouds of Sils Maria (Die Wolken von Sils Maria) 124-minute feature film by Olivier Assayas starring Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart; for international theatrical and broadcast distribution.
• Something Like Happiness (Die Jahreszeit des Glücks) 102-minute feature film by Bohdan Sláma; Czech social drama; won the Golden Shell at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
• Gucha – Distant Trumpet 94-minute feature film by Dušan Milić; Serbian music film/comedy; for international festival and theatrical distribution.
• Irina Palm

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple Oscar nominations and shortlists for national entries (e.g., Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Jordan)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• ZDF / ArtecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZDF and Arte are German-French public broadcasters that co-produce and co-finance many of Pallas Film's international productions. Appears as co-producer/broadcaster on films including Die Jahreszeit des Glücks, Tulpan, The World is Big, The Country Teacher, Clouds of Sils Maria, Centaur, and AYKA. Arte is specifically cited as co-producer on multiple German-French co-productions.
• Negativ Film Productions (Czech Republic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNegativ Film Productions is Pallas Film's primary Czech co-production partner, having co-produced multiple films including Die Jahreszeit des Glücks (Something Like Happiness, 2004) and Alois Nebel (2011).
• Why Not Productions (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhy Not Productions is a French film production company that co-produced The Country Teacher (2008) alongside Pallas Film, indicating an established co-production relationship.
• Entre Chien et Loup / Samsa Film (Belgium / Luxembourg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian and Luxembourg-based production companies Entre Chien et Loup and Samsa Film co-produced multiple Pallas Film productions including Irina Palm (2007), A Distant Neighbourhood (2010), and Waiting for the Sea (2012).
• Twenty Twenty Vision (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwenty Twenty Vision is a German production company that has co-produced multiple Pallas Film films including Invasion (2012), Our Little Differences (2012), The Farewell Party (2014), Slack Bay (2016), and Happy Birthday (2017).
• The Match Factory (Germany)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Match Factory is an international sales agent that has handled world sales for several Pallas Film productions including Irina Palm, Gucha – Distant Trumpet, and Alois Nebel. They are a key distribution partner for getting Pallas Film films to international buyers.
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (Germany)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNeue Visionen is a German arthouse film distributor that has handled German theatrical distribution for Pallas Film productions including Die Jahreszeit des Glücks (as Verleih) and The Country Teacher.
• m-appeal (Germany)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributorm-appeal is a world sales agent specializing in international film distribution that has handled world sales for The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner (2008).
• Beta Cinema (Germany)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBeta Cinema is a German film distribution company that handled German theatrical distribution for The Farewell Party (2014).
• X-Verleih (Germany)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorX-Verleih is a German film distributor that handled German theatrical distribution for Irina Palm and ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOU (Im Schatten des Orangenbaums, 2025).
• Pyramide / Pyramide International (France)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPyramide is a French film distribution company that handled international distribution for Irina Palm, and Pyramide International serves as world sales agent.
• Wild Bunch / The Wild Bunch (France)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWild Bunch / The Wild Bunch is an international sales agent and distributor that handled world sales/distribution for Die Jahreszeit des Glücks and A Distant Neighbourhood.
• MK2 Films (France)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMK2 Films is an international film sales agent that handled world sales for Clouds of Sils Maria (2014).
• Memento International (France)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMemento International is an international film sales agent that handled world sales for Slack Bay (Ma Loute, 2016).
• Autlook Films (Austria)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAutlook Films is an international sales agent specializing in documentary films that handled world sales for MACHINES (2016).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Schiwago Film: Berlin-based German production company producing auteur-driven arthouse films with international co-productions. Comparable in size and artistic positioning to Pallas Film, often premiering at major European festivals.
• Komplizen Film: Berlin-based independent German production company focused on arthouse and auteur-driven films with international co-production partners. Directly comparable to Pallas Film in producing prestige arthouse features with major European sales agents and public broadcasters.
• Mact Productions: Paris-based French production company specializing in international arthouse co-productions with established auteur directors, comparable in artistic positioning and co-production structure to Pallas Film. Active across European public funding and broadcaster co-financing channels.
• Negativ Film Productions: Prague-based Czech production company and confirmed long-term co-production partner of Pallas Film (Something Like Happiness, Alois Nebel). Operates a similar boutique international co-production model targeting festival circuits and European broadcasters.
• Heimatfilm: Cologne-based German production company specializing in international arthouse co-productions with established auteur directors. Operates a similar boutique model of multi-country co-productions targeting festival premieres and European broadcaster partnerships.
• Pandora Film: Frankfurt-based German international co-production company producing arthouse and documentary films with similar reliance on European public funding and broadcaster co-financing. Active across multiple co-production territories with auteur directors.
• Why Not Productions: Paris-based French production company and confirmed co-production partner of Pallas Film (The Country Teacher). Produces arthouse films with international auteur directors for festival and theatrical release.
• Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion: Berlin-based German production company and confirmed co-production partner of Pallas Film (Slack Bay, The Farewell Party, Invasion). Produces European arthouse features with similar international scope and auteur focus.

Broad incumbents

• Studio Babelsberg: Potsdam-based historic German film studio and one of the largest production companies in Germany. Operates at much larger scale than Pallas Film but participates in similar international co-productions, German broadcaster financing, and theatrical release ecosystems.

Emerging players

• Razor Film Produktion: Berlin-based German production company with a strong focus on documentary and hybrid arthouse films, similar to Pallas Film's documentary output (Machines, Marek Edelman). Operates with similar European public funding and broadcaster relationships.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pallas-film-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Pallas Film GmbH