napafilms oy
napafilms Oy is a Helsinki-based independent documentary production company founded in 2009, producing creative feature documentaries and series primarily as international co-productions. It distributes through global sales agents, film festivals, Finnish broadcasters (Yle), and Vimeo on-demand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersHelsinki, Finland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What napafilms oy does
napafilms Oy is a privately held Finnish documentary production company founded in Helsinki in 2009 by Liisa Karpo. The company specializes in creative documentary filmmaking, producing feature-length documentaries, short documentaries, and documentary series — the majority as international co-productions with partners across Europe, Asia, and North America. Its catalog of more than 25 titles since inception includes co-productions with companies in France (Les films du balibari), South Korea (Shangma Pictures), Norway (UpNorth Film), Croatia (Slavica Film), Germany (CORSO Film), Sweden (Story), and Mexico (Cactus Film). Production output is consistent, with releases in nearly every year from 2015 through 2024 and a visible forward pipeline extending to 2026 (Soap Fever, Almost Forever).
The core product is creative documentary content, produced by a small leadership team (founder Liisa Karpo, producer Marianne Mäkelä, production manager Maria Leskinen) and financed through a mix of Finnish Film Foundation support, EU slate funding, international co-production financing, and broadcaster pre-sales. Distribution is multi-channel: films travel international festivals, are licensed globally through four sales agents (Rise and Shine World Sales, Syndicado Film Sales, CAT&Docs, DR Sales), screened domestically via Finnkino theatrical and free Yle/ESMA ry events, and made available for rental on Vimeo on-demand. Marketing is conducted through organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) and festival-driven PR.
The business model is project-based one-time licensing rather than a recurring IP royalty business, making revenue inherently lumpy and tied to release cycles and grant/funding windows. Customers in the strict sense are sales agents and broadcasters (notably Finnish national broadcaster Yle), with end consumers reached indirectly through festival screenings, theatrical releases, and Vimeo VOD rentals. No external venture or growth capital investment is documented; the company is founder-controlled and operates within the niche of internationally touring Finnish documentary production.
napafilms oy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- napafilms oy
- Legal name
- napafilms Oy
- Website
- https://napafilms.fi
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- napafilms Oy is a Helsinki-based independent documentary production company founded in 2009, producing creative feature documentaries and series primarily as international co-productions. It distributes through global sales agents, film festivals, Finnish broadcasters (Yle), and Vimeo on-demand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
napafilms oy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Documentary Film Production
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live-Action International/Co-Production & Service Production (MPADABAG)
Keywords
Where napafilms oy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Helsinki
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
napafilms oy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Film Production and Distribution: Napafilms produces documentary films and co-productions, earning revenue through film distribution sales to broadcasters, festivals, and VOD platforms. The company works with sales agents (Rise and Shine World Sales, Syndicado Film Sales, CAT&Docs, DR Sales) to distribute content internationally.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
napafilms oy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
napafilms oy is a Finnish documentary film production company that creates creative documentaries and documentary series, functioning as both an independent producer and an international co-producer with partners across Europe, Asia, and North America. The company produces feature-length documentaries, short documentaries, and documentary series distributed globally through international sales agents (Rise and Shine World Sales, Syndicado Film Sales, CAT&Docs, DR Sales), film festivals, broadcasters, and Vimeo on-demand rental.
Product overview
napafilms oy is a Finnish documentary filmmaking company established in 2009. The company produces creative documentaries and documentary series, functioning as both an independent production company and co-producer with international partners. The core offering consists of documentary films and series distributed through Vimeo on-demand, with films traveling globally and winning prestigious awards. The company is led by founder Liisa Karpo along with producers Marianne Mäkelä and production manager Maria Leskinen.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Documentary Films Creative documentary films in various formats (feature-length, short, and standalone documentaries) produced both independently and as international co-productions, distributed globally to broadcasters, festivals, and VOD platforms.
- Documentary Series Multi-episode documentary series produced alongside feature films, including Game of Minds (2023) and Almost Forever (2026), aimed at broadcasters and streaming platforms.
- VOD Distribution Direct-to-consumer video-on-demand rental service via Vimeo platform, offering napafilms' documentary catalog to global individual viewers.
Companies that use napafilms oy
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
napafilms oy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
napafilms oy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UpNorth FilmcoreNorwegian production company and co-producer of Phantoms of the Sierra Madre (2024) alongside napafilms and Cactus Film.
- DR SalescoreInternational sales agent handling distribution of Phantoms of the Sierra Madre (2024).
- Cactus FilmminorCo-production partner for Phantoms of the Sierra Madre (2024) alongside UpNorth Film.
- CORSO FilmcoreCo-producer of Game of Minds documentary series (2023), a co-production between Finland and Germany following young e-sports professionals.
- Syndicado Film SalescoreInternational film sales agent handling distribution of Game of Minds documentary series to broadcasters and festivals.
- YlecoreFinnish national broadcasting company collaborating on documentary productions including Kultainen maa / Golden Land (2022) free screening at Finnkino Itäkeskus.
- ESMA ryminorFinnish organization co-organizing free screening event for Golden Land documentary in collaboration with napafilms and Yle.
- StorycoreSwedish production company serving as co-producer on Golden Land (2022) and Almost Forever (2026).
- Rise and Shine World SalescoreInternational film sales agent handling global distribution and sales of Karaoke Paradise documentary.
- CAT&DocscoreInternational documentary sales agent handling distribution of Kultainen maa / Golden Land (2022).
- Les films du balibaricoreFrench production company (Les films du balibari) leading This Train I Ride (2019) co-production with napafilms as Finnish co-producer.
- Shangma PicturesminorSouth Korean production company leading Family in the Bubble (2017) co-production with napafilms as Finnish co-producer.
- KinocompanyminorFinnish production company as main producer of War and Peace of Mind (2016) with napafilms as co-producer.
- Slavica FilmminorCroatian co-production company partnering on Äiti / Mother (2015) and The Beast (2015) documentary projects.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
napafilms oy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Story AB: Swedish production company and recurring co-producer with napafilms on Golden Land (2022) and Almost Forever (2026). Similar international creative documentary orientation with established broadcaster sales.
- Les Films du Balibari: French production company that led the This Train I Ride (2019) co-production with napafilms as Finnish partner. Engages in similar European cross-border co-production structures.
- UpNorth Film: Norwegian documentary production company and an actual co-production partner of napafilms on Phantoms of the Sierra Madre (2024). Operates a similar Nordic co-production model with international sales agent distribution.
- Mantaray Film: Swedish documentary production company producing creative documentaries with international festival appeal. Comparable in scale, genre focus, and reliance on regional co-production financing.
- Final Cut for Real: Oscar-winning Danish documentary production company with a similar international co-production model, producing creative documentaries that travel globally to festivals and broadcasters. Highly comparable in scale, geographic footprint, and reliance on Nordic/EU public funding.
- New Black Films: UK-based documentary production company with a similar international co-production model in creative nonfiction. Comparable in size and festival-circuit focus.
- Kinocompany: Finnish production company and co-producer with napafilms on War and Peace of Mind (2016). Operates in the same Helsinki ecosystem with comparable Finnish Film Foundation funding access.
- Passion Pictures: London-based documentary and animation production company working with international co-producers and sales agents. Same creative documentary segment with global festival and broadcaster reach.
Broad incumbents
- Nordisk Film Production: Largest Nordic film and TV production group, producing a wide range of documentaries and series for Danish and international broadcasters. Operates in the same funding ecosystem but at significantly greater scale and with broader portfolio.
Others
- Yle: Finland's national public broadcaster and a commissioning partner of napafilms (e.g., Golden Land, 2022). Functions as a customer and financing counterparty rather than a competing production company, but sits at the center of the same Nordic documentary ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
napafilms oy social profiles
Digital presencenapafilms oy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
napafilms oy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
napafilms oy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
napafilms oy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about napafilms oy
What does napafilms oy do?
napafilms oy is a Finnish documentary film production company that creates creative documentaries and documentary series, functioning as both an independent producer and an international co-producer with partners across Europe, Asia, and North America. The company produces feature-length documentaries, short documentaries, and documentary series distributed globally through international sales agents (Rise and Shine World Sales, Syndicado Film Sales, CAT&Docs, DR Sales), film festivals, broadcasters, and Vimeo on-demand rental.
Is napafilms oy a public or private company?
napafilms oy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was napafilms oy founded?
napafilms oy was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is napafilms oy based?
napafilms oy is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does napafilms oy make money?
One revenue line is on record: film Production and Distribution.
Who are napafilms oy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Story AB, Les Films du Balibari, UpNorth Film, Mantaray Film, Final Cut for Real, New Black Films, Kinocompany and Passion Pictures. Nordisk Film Production is listed as a broad incumbent. Yle is listed as an others.
Does napafilms oy have an API?
No public API is recorded for napafilms oy.
What industry is napafilms oy in?
napafilms oy's product category is Documentary Film Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADABAG, Live-Action International/Co-Production & Service Production. Its NAICS code is 51211 and its SIC code is 7812.