Polyphon Leipzig Film

What Polyphon Leipzig Film does

Polyphon Film GmbH, trading publicly as "Polyphon Leipzig Film," is a Hamburg-headquartered independent German television and film production company founded in 1965. It produces scripted crime series, procedural formats, docu-dramas, and feature-length TV films commissioned primarily by German public broadcasters, including ARD, ZDF, NDR, SWR, MDR, and the commercial broadcaster RTL. The company maintains a multi-city production footprint with offices in Hamburg, Berlin, and Baden-Baden, and operates two subsidiaries — Klingsor Media GmbH (Pirna) and DOKFILM GmbH (Potsdam) — which extend its documentary and specialty-format capabilities. Leadership comprises Chairwoman of the Management Board Dr. Beatrice Kramm and Managing Director Christoph Bicker.

Polyphon's catalogue is dominated by long-running, returning franchises that anchor specific public-broadcaster slots: "Der Usedom-Krimi" (27+ films, NDR/ARD), "Stubbe" (since 1995, ZDF), "Das Traumschiff," "WaPo Elbe," "Die Notärztin," "Die Toten von Marnow," and the International Emmy-winning "Familie Braun." It has additionally produced fact-based dramatizations such as "Fritzie – Der Traum vom Glück" for ZDF. The company's portfolio has accumulated major German and international television awards, including the International Emmy (2017), multiple Deutscher Fernsehpreis awards, the Grimme Prize, and the FIPA d'Or, signaling sustained editorial and craft recognition across six decades.

The business model is commissioned production: Polyphon develops, produces, and delivers completed programmes on contract for German broadcasters, which retain the broadcasting rights. Revenue is therefore tied to per-episode and per-film commission fees, with renewal probability driven by ratings, broadcaster scheduling fit, and the company's editorial relationships. There is no disclosed exposure to international streamers, subscription platforms, or non-German-language markets. The company is privately held and does not publicly disclose revenue, headcount, or profitability; no AI/ML technology stack, patents, or proprietary platform is referenced in available materials.

Name

Polyphon Leipzig Film

Legal name

Polyphon Film GmbH

Website

https://polyphon-leipzig.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Polyphon Film GmbH is a Hamburg-based German independent TV and film producer (founded 1965) that develops returning crime, procedural, and docu-drama franchises for German public broadcasters ARD, ZDF, NDR, SWR, MDR, and RTL.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Co-Production & Distribution Partnerships (Pre-Sales, Output Deals) (MPABANAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Program Format Licensing (Scripted & Unscripted) (MPABANAA)

Keywords

• TV film production
• Drama series production
• Crime series production
• Broadcast content production
• Scripted television content

Headquarters

HQ city

Leipzig

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Production: Polyphon produces TV content commissioned by German public broadcasters including ARD, ZDF, NDR, SWR, MDR, and regional channels. Revenue comes from production fees paid by broadcasters for commissioned series, films, and specials.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Polyphon Film GmbH is a Hamburg-based German production company that develops and produces scripted television content — including crime dramas, medical dramas, family series, comedies, romantic comedies, travel anthologies, mini-series, and feature films — on a commissioned basis for German public broadcasters (ARD/Degeto, ZDF, NDR, SWR, MDR) and commercial broadcasters (RTL, SAT.1). Long-running franchises include Der Usedom-Krimi (27+ films), Stubbe (since 1995), Das Traumschiff, Kreuzfahrt ins Glück, Die Notärztin, and WaPo Elbe. The company also operates wholly owned subsidiaries Klingsor Media GmbH and DOKFILM GmbH that extend its production capacity.

Product overview

Polyphon Film GmbH is a traditional German film and television production company established in 1965 in Hamburg, Germany, with offices in Berlin and Baden-Baden, celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. The company does not operate a software product or platform; rather, its core offering consists of producing television content (dramas, crime series, comedies, literary adaptations, operas, and feature films) for major German broadcasters including ARD/Degeto, ZDF, NDR, SWR, MDR, RTL, and 3sat. The production portfolio is broad and spans multiple decades, encompassing long-running series such as 'Der Usedom-Krimi' (over 27 films starring Katrin Sass), 'Stubbe – Von Fall zu Fall' (running since 1995), 'Die Schwarzwaldklinik', 'Das Traumschiff' anthology, and 'Kreuzfahrt ins Glück', as well as contemporary series including 'Die Notärztin' (ARD), 'WaPo Elbe' (ARD), 'Fritzie' (ZDF, four seasons), 'Die Toten von Marnow' (award-winning four-part crime mini-series), 'Familie Braun' (ZDFneo, International Emmy winner 2017), 'Tempel' (ZDF neo, German Television Prize winner 2017), and 'Der Lissabon-Krimi'. The company also produces romantic comedies ('Rosen und Reis', 'Herzklopfen im Gepäck'), literary adaptations ('Emilie Richards', 'Ein Tisch in der Provence'), cultural series ('Neues aus Büttenwarder'), and classic sitcoms ('Salto Postale', 'Alarm für Cobra 11'). Subsidiaries include Klingsor Media GmbH (Pirna) and DOKFILM GmbH (Potsdam). Productions are distributed via broadcaster platforms including ARD Mediathek and ZDF Mediathek. The company is led by Dr. Beatrice Kramm (Chair of Management) and Christoph Bicker (Managing Director).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Der Usedom-Krimi
• Stubbe – Von Fall zu Fall
• Die Notärztin
• WaPo Elbe
• Fritzie – Der Himmel muss warten ZDF drama series starring Tanja Wedhorn as a schoolteacher facing a breast cancer diagnosis; expanded across four seasons.
• Die Toten von Marnow Four-part ARD crime mini-series starring Petra Schmidt-Schaller and Sascha Geršak as investigators; second installment features Sabrina Amali and Bernhard Conrad. Won Best Crime Series at the German Television Crime Festival 2021 and Deutscher Fernsehpreis 2021 awards for Best Actress and Best Actor.
• Die Maiwald ZDF series following veterinarian Johanna Maiwald (Doris Schretzmayer) caring for animals and people in the Salzburg region of Maria Alm, Austria; two 90-minute episodes produced.
• Das Traumschiff ZDF anthology travel series featuring Captain Max Parger (Florian Silbereisen); Island episode scheduled for Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026.
• Herzklopfen im Gepäck ARD Degeto romantic comedy currently in production on Crete, following a group of singles aged 60+ on a bus tour; ensemble cast led by Saskia Vester.
• Rosen und Reis ARD romantic comedy about relationship dynamics among three couples, one wedding, and multiple infidelities; co-produced with win win Film for NDR and ARD Degeto. Second installment (Rosen und Reis 2) and continuation 'Käse & Blei' produced.
• Neues aus Büttenwarder NDR cult comedy series set in a fictional North German village; produced in collaboration with win win Film.
• Familie Braun ZDFneo comedy series about two neo-Nazis who unexpectedly become guardians of a six-year-old Black girl; won Romy 2016, Comedypreis 2016, and International Emmy Award 2017.
• Tempel ZDFneo drama series starring Ken Duken as a caretaker in Berlin's Wedding district; winner of the Deutscher Fernsehpreis 2017 for Best Series (Ken Duken Best Actor).
• Der Lissabon-Krimi ARD crime series set in Lisbon featuring lawyer Eduardo Silva (Jürgen Tarrach); multiple films including 'Alte Rechnungen', 'Dunkle Spuren', 'Feuerteufel', 'Der Tote in der Brandung', and 'Zum Schweigen verurteilt'.
• Magda macht das schon! RTL comedy series starring Verena Altenberger; four seasons produced. Winner of the Deutscher Fernsehpreis 2018 for Best Comedy Series.
• Tiere bis unters Dach ARD family series produced by Polyphon Pictures for SWR about animals and forest rangers; nine seasons produced.
• Über die Grenze SWR/ARD Degeto crime series about a German-French police unit; multiple films including 'Gesetzlos', 'Alles auf eine Karte', and 'Racheengel'.
• Kreuzfahrt ins Glück ZDF wedding cruise series; multiple destination episodes produced for ZDF.
• Reisen mit Muddi Six-part NDR mini-series starring Alwara Höfels as a woman who inherits her deceased mother's house and must travel with her mother's coffin; co-produced with win win Film.
• Die Schwarzwaldklinik Classic ZDF medical drama series set in the Black Forest, originally produced by Polyphon.
• Doctor's Diary RTL medical comedy series starring Diana Amft as Gretchen Haase; multiple seasons produced for RTL.
• Alarm für Cobra 11 Action crime series set on German autobahns; 3 seasons with 34 episodes produced for SAT.1.
• Helicops Action series about a special unit equipped with a high-tech helicopter; 3 seasons, 34 episodes for SAT.1.
• Pfarrer Braun Comedic crime series starring Ottfried Fischer; 22 episodes produced from 2002 to 2013.
• Familie Dr. Kleist ARD family series about physician Christian Kleist (Francis Fulton-Smith) and his family.
• Emilie Richards ZDF Sunday film series based on novels by American author Emilie Richards, set in New Zealand landscapes.
• Ein Tisch in der Provence ZDF family drama series following nurse Véro Gilbert in a southern French village; multiple parts produced for ZDF.
• DonnerstagsKrimi (Operative Fallanalyse) ARD Thursday crime series featuring an Operative Crime Analysis team of profilers; includes 'Auge um Auge' and 'Haus der Toten'.
• Klingsor Media GmbH Wholly owned subsidiary of Polyphon Film GmbH located in Pirna, operating adjacent film and TV production activities as part of the Polyphon group.
• DOKFILM GmbH Wholly owned subsidiary of Polyphon Film GmbH located in Potsdam, focused on documentary film production within the Polyphon group.

Named customers5 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• win win FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing co-production partnership with Valentin Holch's win win Film. Jointly produced series include Rosen und Reis, Reisen mit Muddi, Da is ja nix, and multiple Usedom-Krimi films.
• ARD DegetocoreOthersPrimary commissioning broadcaster and co-production partner for numerous series and TV films including Der Usedom-Krimi, Die Toten von Marnow, and various crime dramas.
• NDRcoreOthersCommissioning broadcaster and co-production partner based in Hamburg, producing series like Stubbe, Neues aus Büttenwarder, and Reisen mit Muddi.
• ZDFcoreOthersMajor commissioning broadcaster producing Das Traumschiff, Kreuzfahrt ins Glück, Fritzie, and numerous other series and TV films for ZDF slots.
• Klingsor Media GmbHminorOthersSubsidiary company based in Pirna with its own production operations. Part of the Polyphon group of companies.
• DOKFILM GmbHminorOthersSubsidiary company based in Potsdam with its own production operations. Part of the Polyphon group of companies.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UFA Fiction: One of Germany's largest TV production companies (part of Bertelsmann/RTL Group), producing scripted series, crime, and event programming for German broadcasters. Direct peer in production model, genre mix, and broadcaster customer base, though at significantly larger scale.
• MME Moviement: German TV production company producing scripted content, family series, and event programming for public broadcasters. Comparable mid-sized independent producer in the same commissioning ecosystem.
• Bavaria Film: Munich-based German film and TV production company with a long-running scripted and unscripted slate for ARD, ZDF, and regional broadcasters. Comparable as a multi-decade incumbent with similar genre breadth and broadcaster relationships.
• Network Movie: ZDF subsidiary producing TV movies and series for the ZDF family of channels. Comparable as a TV-movie-driven production house supplying the same commissioning broadcaster (ZDF) with similar genre programming.
• Ziegler Film: Berlin-based German production company producing TV movies, crime series, and literary adaptations for ARD and ZDF. Comparable mid-sized independent producer competing for the same public-broadcaster commissions as Polyphon.
• Letterbox Filmproduktion: Hamburg-based independent German production company producing TV movies and crime series for ARD and ZDF. Comparable as an independent Hamburg producer with similar public-broadcaster customer base.
• Studio Hamburg: Hamburg-based German TV and film production company producing scripted and unscripted content for public broadcasters. Direct comparable as a long-established, multi-genre producer in the same commissioning ecosystem. Polyphon even lists Studio Hamburg as its website's data protection responsible entity, indicating an operational link.
• ndF: neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft: Berlin-based independent German TV and film producer focused on high-quality scripted content for public broadcasters. Comparable as an independent producer competing for the same commission slots with similar genre range.

Broad incumbents

• Constantin Film: Major German film and TV production-distribution company producing theatrical, TV, and streaming content. Comparable in genre breadth but operates at significantly larger scale with theatrical and international distribution capabilities Polyphon lacks.
• Beta Film: Munich-based German distribution and co-production company specializing in international sales of German scripted TV content. Comparable in content focus but positioned as a distribution/international sales partner rather than primary production house.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/polyphon-leipzig-film

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Polyphon Leipzig Film