ma.ja.de. filmproduktion

What ma.ja.de. filmproduktion does

Ma.ja.de. filmproduktion is a founder-led German independent film production company established in 1991 by Heino Deckert, headquartered in Leipzig with a second office in Berlin. The company operates through two legally separate GmbH entities: MA.JA.DE. FILMPRODUKTIONS GMBH, the documentary production arm founded in 1991 with a catalog of 120+ titles, and MA.JA.DE. FICTION GMBH, the feature film subsidiary founded in 2005 under the banner 'Documentary filmmakers go feature.' The company also holds a minority involvement in Blinker Filmproduktion in Cologne, expanding its German production footprint.

The company produces documentaries and narrative features in close collaboration with an exceptional roster of internationally renowned directors including Ai Weiwei, Sergej Loznitsa, Thomas Heise, Viktor Kossakovsky, Ulrike Ottinger, Heidi Specogna, and Pirjo Honkassalo. Two films — RABBIT À LA BERLIN and THE CAVE — have received Oscar nominations, and the catalog has accumulated over 1,000 awards across premieres at Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, IDFA, Locarno, and DOK Leipzig. Recent titles include The Universal Theory (Venice 2023), A Poet (Cannes 2025), and White Snail (Locarno 2025).

Ma.ja.de. monetizes through a portfolio of film industry revenue streams: European public film subsidies (Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Eurimages), international co-production financing, theatrical distribution deals with German art-house distributors (Neue Visionen, Real Fiction, Salzgeber), world sales licensing through agents (Pluto Film, Charades Films, Westendfilms), and broadcast rights to networks including ZDF, ARTE, HBO Europe, National Geographic, and Participant Media. The core team of six is led by founder Heino Deckert, and the business operates without external private equity or venture capital involvement.

Name

ma.ja.de. filmproduktion

Legal name

MA.JA.DE. FILMPRODUKTIONS GMBH + MA.JA.DE. FICTION GMBH

Website

https://majade.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ma.ja.de. filmproduktion is a founder-led German independent film production company established in 1991, producing documentaries and feature films with 120+ titles, two Oscar nominations, and over 1,000 awards across Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, and IDFA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts & Culture Documentaries (MPADADAI), Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

Keywords

• Documentary film production
• Feature film production
• International co-production
• Festival film distribution
• Film funding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Leipzig-plagwitz

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Film Production Revenue: Revenue generated through film production contracts, co-production agreements, government and private film fund subsidies, theatrical distribution deals, world sales licensing, and broadcast rights sales to television networks.
2. International Co-production: Co-produces films with international partners (Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, etc.) and secures funding from multiple national and European film subsidy programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ma.ja.de. filmproduktion produces documentary and feature films for international festivals and global distribution. Operating through two divisions (Ma.ja.de. Filmproduktion for documentaries and Ma.ja.de. Fiction for feature films), the company manages the full production cycle from development through production, post-production, festival strategy, and worldwide distribution via world sales agents and theatrical distributors. Revenue is generated through production contracts, international co-productions, European film fund subsidies, theatrical distribution deals, world sales licensing, and broadcast rights sales.

Product overview

Ma.ja.de. filmproduktion is a German film production company established in 1991 by Heino Deckert, operating as two divisions: Ma.ja.de. Filmproduktion (documentary production, 120+ films) and Ma.ja.de. Fiction (feature film production since 2005). The company also has involvement in Blinker Filmproduktion in Cologne. Based in Leipzig with a second office in Berlin, the company has collaborated with renowned directors including Sergej Loznitsa, Ai Weiwei, and Thomas Heise, and has achieved Oscar nominations for RABBIT Á LA BERLIN and THE CAVE.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ma.ja.de. Filmproduktion (Documentary Production) Documentary film production services producing and delivering award-winning documentaries selected at major international festivals including Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, Rotterdam, Visions du Réel, Cinema du Réel, IDFA, and DOK Leipzig. The division has produced over 120 documentaries with notable Oscar nominations for RABBIT À LA BERLIN and THE CAVE.
• Ma.ja.de. Fiction (Feature Film Production) Feature film production services producing narrative fiction films with distinct artistic perspectives under the banner 'Documentary filmmakers go feature'. Notable works include THE UNIVERSAL THEORY, WILMA OR THE GHOSTS OF FREEDOM, WHITE SNAIL, ANXIETY, NATASHA'S DANCE, and HEAVENS ABOVE.

Quantifiable outcome

• 120+ documentaries produced in 30 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ma.ja.de. FictioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Subsidiary company founded in 2005 to handle growing involvement in international feature film production. Projects forged under the banner 'Documentary filmmakers go feature' for distinct points of view.
• Blinker FilmproduktionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCologne-based production company that Ma.ja.de. is involved in, expanding production network across Germany.
• Panama FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for White Snail (2025). Austrian production company with ongoing collaboration with Ma.ja.de.
• CatpicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss production company, co-producer of The Universal Theory (2023) and Queen of the Stone Age.
• RaumzeitfilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for White Snail (2025).
• Delirium FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Heavens Above (2021), Serbian production company.
• Arthouse TrafficcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian co-producer of Rhino (2021).
• Apple Film ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish co-producer of Rhino (2021) and Anxiety (2023).
• Danish DocumentarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead production company for The Cave (2019), Danish documentary production company.
• Navigator FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian co-producer of Heimat is a Space in Time (2018).
• MDRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMitteldeutscher Rundfunk, German public broadcaster, co-producer of Wilma or the Ghosts of Freedom (2025).
• Tondowski FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction company for Song from the Forest (2013).
• Chilli ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish co-producer of The Queen of Silence (2014).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion: Hamburg and Berlin-based production house specializing in high-end documentaries and factual content; competes for European funding and broadcast commissions in a directly overlapping segment.
• Pandora Film: German documentary and art-house production company based in Cologne; competes directly with Ma.ja.de. for European subsidy funding, festival selections, and co-production partners in the same size tier.
• Razor Film Produktion: Berlin-based Oscar-winning documentary production company (behind THE LOOK OF SILENCE, CITIZENFOUR); directly comparable in size, prestige tier, and art-house/documentary focus to Ma.ja.de.
• Final Cut for Real: Danish Oscar-winning documentary production company (THE CAVE, IDFA winner); directly comparable in size, European co-production model, and festival pedigree.
• Agat Films & Cie: French production company focused on documentaries and fiction with strong festival track record; comparable size and creative positioning in the European art-house ecosystem.
• zero one film: Berlin-based boutique film production company focused on auteur cinema and documentaries; comparable headcount and creative profile, competing for the same German subsidies and festival slots.
• Coproduction Office: Paris-based sales agent and co-producer for art-house cinema with strong documentary slate; comparable in auteur focus and European co-production financing model.

Broad incumbents

• Studio Babelsberg: Germany's largest film studio with established prestige and art-house production arms; represents the larger incumbent end of the German film production market where Ma.ja.de. operates.

Regional players

• Piraya Film: Norwegian documentary and fiction production company with comparable boutique profile; competes in Nordic/European co-production funding pools rather than direct German market.
• Taskovski Films: London-based documentary and art-house production company; comparable in boutique size and festival focus, with overlap in European co-production financing networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/majadefilm
• Instagraminstagram.com/majadefilm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ma-ja-de-filmproduktion

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 ma.ja.de. filmproduktion