Sayonara Film S.R.L.

What Sayonara Film S.R.L. does

Sayonara Film S.R.L. is a privately held Italian film production and distribution company headquartered in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 2016 as a corporate entity (with distribution activities traceable to 2007), the company specializes in short films, maintaining a curated catalog of over 130 titles produced in Italy and internationally. Its core offering is film distribution, submitting works to Italian and international film festivals, negotiating TV sales with broadcasters such as Canal Plus, France Television, Rai Cinema, and Mediaset, and licensing to VOD platforms including ShortsTV, Kinoscope, The New Yorker, Argo, and Vodmania. The company attends major short film markets such as Clermont-Ferrand and Figari to promote its catalog.

The firm operates a sales-led go-to-market model built on direct relationships with festival programmers, TV sales agents, and VOD buyers, applying a selective, dedicated-strategy-per-title approach to a limited number of shorts. Its primary customer segment is independent filmmakers and small production companies (Intervallo Film, Beagle Media, Amaro Produzioni, Ginko Film, Antracine Srl, BomarStudio, Monfriguel Films, Scirocco Cinematografica, and academic partners such as RUFA) seeking international distribution access they cannot build independently. Revenue comes from licensing royalties on distributed titles and from a separate commercial production service (Sayonara Commercial) offering advertising spots, corporate videos, music videos, and equipment rental.

In addition to distribution and commercial production, Sayonara Film runs the 50h in Barca short film contest in Bologna's Barca neighborhood, now in its fourth edition, engaging 25 film crews and over 190 participants per year and producing branded community content. The company is founder-owned, employs 10 people, and has no disclosed external funding, acquisitions, or parent company. Its underlying technical platform is a standard content distribution operation with no proprietary technology, patents, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

Name

Sayonara Film S.R.L.

Legal name

Sayonara Film S.R.L.

Website

https://sayonarafilm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sayonara Film S.R.L. is a Bologna-based Italian short film production and distribution company serving independent filmmakers with a curated catalog of 130+ titles distributed internationally via festivals, TV broadcasters, and VOD platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production and Distribution

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Live-Action Short-Form Production (Short Films, Web Series) (MPADABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theatrical Distribution (Domestic) (MPADAJAA), Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Short film distribution
• Film production services
• Commercial video production
• Festival distribution
• TV sales representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Short Film Distribution: Distribution of short films to festivals, TV channels, and VOD platforms globally. The company maintains a catalog of over 130 titles and handles international TV sales and festival submissions.
2. Commercial Production: Production of commercial content including advertising spots, corporate videos, music videoclips, viral content, and photography shoots for brands and companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sayonara Film S.R.L. is an Italian film production and distribution company headquartered in Bologna that produces short films and manages international distribution of a catalog of over 130 titles through film festivals, TV broadcasters, and VOD platforms. The company also operates a commercial production division (Sayonara Commercial) producing advertising spots, corporate videos, music videos, and photography for brands, and runs the annual 50h in Barca community short film contest in Bologna.

Product overview

Sayonara Film S.R.L. is an Italian film production and distribution company based in Bologna offering a portfolio of services including cinematographic production, short film distribution, and commercial audiovisual production. The company operates through three main offerings: Production (producing short films in Italy and internationally), Distribution (managing a catalog of over 130 titles with strategies for film festivals and TV sales), and Sayonara Commercial (advertising spots, corporate videos, music videos, viral content, and photography services). Additionally, the company organizes the 50h in Barca short film contest in Bologna's Barca neighborhood. The distribution network includes partnerships with major international broadcasters and VOD platforms including Canal Plus, France Television, Rai Cinema, Mediaset, Kinoscope, ShortsTV, and The New Yorker.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 50h in Barca: Annual short film contest held in the Barca district of Bologna, where filmmaking teams create short films within 50 hours.

Products and services

• Film Production Cinematographic production service for short films produced in Italy and abroad, selecting works for their quality and potential. Targeted at independent filmmakers and production companies.
• Film Distribution Short film distribution service with a catalog of over 130 titles, focusing on Italian and international short films with dedicated strategies for each title through film festivals and TV sales. Targeted at independent filmmakers and production companies seeking international distribution.
• Sayonara Commercial Commercial production service offering advertising spots (spot pubblicitari), corporate videos, music videos, viral content, and photography services with a creative team approach. Targeted at brands and companies needing audiovisual content.
• 50h in Barca Annual short film contest held in the Barca neighborhood of Bologna where film crews create short films up to 10 minutes within 50 hours, including concept, writing, shooting, editing, and post-production. Targeted at emerging filmmakers and community participants.
• Equipment Rental Service Technical equipment rental service for audiovisual production, providing mezzi tecnici for film and video productions. Targeted at film and video production clients.

Named customers9 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

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

• Elenfant DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorElenfant Distribution is a related distribution company that co-distributes content with Sayonara Film. Multiple blog posts reference both companies sharing distribution responsibilities for short films including Beagle, Lu Piscatori, and Pazzo & Bella. The companies appear to operate with shared catalog management and festival submissions.
• Canal PlusmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench broadcasting partner for Sayonara Film's distribution catalog. Bellissima by Alessandro Capitani was broadcast on Canal Plus in June 2017.
• France TelevisionmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench public broadcaster partner for TV distribution of short films in the Sayonara Film catalog.
• Rai CinemamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian public broadcaster for film distribution, handling TV rights for Sayonara Film's short film catalog in Italy.
• MediasetmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian commercial TV network partner for broadcasting short films from the Sayonara Film catalog.
• ShortsTVmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal short film VOD platform (UK, India) distributing Sayonara Film's catalog internationally.
• The New YorkermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmerican media company featuring short films from Sayonara Film's distribution catalog on their digital platform.
• KinoscopeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmerican VOD platform for independent short film distribution.
• ArgominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmerican VOD platform distributing Sayonara Film's short film catalog.
• VodmaniaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench VOD platform for short film distribution.
• Studio UniversalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian TV channel for broadcasting archived film content including short films.
• Pacific VoiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese distribution partner for short films.
• Shot TVminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRussian TV channel for short film broadcasting.
• AdcomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrize sponsor for 50h in Barca competition, providing gift vouchers for Best Film (€1000), Best Direction (€500), and Best Photography (€500).
• KoreLabminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService prize sponsor for Best Editing award in the 50h in Barca competition.
• CombominorGTM or Marketing PartnerService prize sponsor for Best Original Subject award in the 50h in Barca competition.
• CNA BolognaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional association offering membership prize for Best Production award in 50h in Barca competition.
• Festival Visioni ItalianeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFilm festival providing screening prize for the 50h in Barca competition winner.
• Bz48h Short Film ContestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBolzano short film contest offering hospitality prize for 10th edition to 50h in Barca winner.
• Corto WeekendminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShort film festival offering participation prize to 50h in Barca winner for 2027 edition.
• Leila BolognaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal partner providing special mention prize for 50h in Barca competition.
• Campi ApertiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal community organization providing special mention prize for 50h in Barca competition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MUBI: MUBI is a global streaming platform and distribution company curating independent and arthouse films. While broader than Sayonara Film, it competes for similar filmmaker talent and viewer attention in the short and independent film space.
• Oscilloscope Laboratories: Oscilloscope is a US independent film distributor across features and shorts, with a curated, quality-focused catalog approach that parallels Sayonara Film's selective acquisition strategy.
• Kino Lorber: Kino Lorber is a US-based independent film distribution company specializing in art-house and specialty films, including short film collections. It operates at a larger scale than Sayonara Film but addresses overlapping audiences and content types.

Direct peers

• ShortsTV: ShortsTV is a global short film VOD platform and linear channel that distributes short films internationally. It is one of Sayonara Film's existing distribution partners, making it a directly comparable company operating in the same niche.
• Elenfant Distribution: Elenfant Distribution is a short film distribution company that co-distributes content with Sayonara Film on multiple titles. It operates with a similar boutique catalog approach focused on European short films.

Others

• RAI Cinema: RAI Cinema is the Italian public broadcaster's film arm and one of Sayonara Film's major TV distribution partners. It is a buyer rather than direct competitor, but operates in the same Italian film distribution ecosystem.
• Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market: Clermont-Ferrand operates the world's largest short film market, which Sayonara Film regularly attends. It is an industry infrastructure provider rather than a direct competitor, but is central to the company's distribution strategy.
• RAI Cinema Channel: RAI Cinema Channel is an Italian VOD platform for independent and short films. It is a partner/buyer for Sayonara Film's catalog but operates in the same distribution ecosystem for Italian short films.

Regional players

• Fandango (Italy): Fandango is a major Italian film production and distribution company. It operates at a larger scale than Sayonara Film but addresses the same Italian independent film market and competes for similar talent and content.
• Indigo Film: Indigo Film is an Italian independent film production and distribution company. While focused on feature films, it shares the Italian indie film ecosystem and target audience of independent filmmakers with Sayonara Film.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@50hinBarca
• Facebookfacebook.com/sayonarafilm2016
• Instagraminstagram.com/50hinbarca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sayonara-film

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Sayonara Film S.R.L.