Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH

What Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH does

Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH is a privately held German film production company founded in 2003 by sisters Alexandra and Meike Kordes and headquartered in Berlin, with additional offices in Cologne, Stuttgart and Munich (the latter branded 'Kordes & Kordes Film Süd' since 2007). The company produces documentary and feature films for theatrical release and for German-language television, organized around three revenue streams: (i) theatrical feature production distributed in the DACH territory (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) via the LEONINE distribution partnership; (ii) commissioned TV movies, crime dramas and documentaries for the German public broadcasters ZDF, ARD/DEGETO and ARTE; and (iii) international co-productions with partners in France, Estonia, Austria, Poland and Switzerland, which generate territorial licensing revenue. The commercial center of gravity is the family-entertainment franchise 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere' (The School of Magical Animals), based on Margit Auer's bestselling book series, with installments released in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2026 that together drew more than 8.5 million viewers to German cinemas and consistently ranked as the most-attended German film of their respective years.

The underlying production technology is conventional cinematography and post-production rather than proprietary software; the firm's defensibility rests on IP rights (book-to-screen adaptation), producer talent and accumulated creative reputation. Production financing is structurally underwritten by German federal and state film funds — Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF), Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (MBB), FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (FFF) and Film- und Medienstiftung NRW — alongside broadcaster commissioning fees and co-producer equity from partners including Lightburst Pictures, WEGA Film and Clever Production. Since founding, the company has received over 170 national and international awards, including the German Film Award (Lola) in Gold, the Golden Cup at Shanghai, the Grimme Award, the Prix Italia, multiple Bavarian Film Awards and the 2026 Jupiter audience award. Customer concentration is moderate: commercial theatrical exposure runs through a single distributor (LEONINE), while broadcast commissions are split across three public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD, ARTE), creating some single-point dependence on the franchise-distributor relationship offset by multi-broadcaster diversification.

Name

Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH

Legal name

Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH

Website

https://kordesfilm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH is a Berlin-based German film production company that produces theatrical features and TV movies for German public broadcasters, with the 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere' family-entertainment franchise as its commercial anchor.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Services

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Live-Action TV Movies, Miniseries & Specials Production (MPADABAD)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Feature film production
• Family entertainment films
• Television movie production
• Documentary production

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Theatrical Film Distribution: Production of feature films released in German cinemas (DACH territory) with distribution through theatrical partners. Revenue derived from box office receipts and subsequent licensing to home entertainment and VOD platforms.
2. Commissioned TV Productions: Production of TV movies and documentaries commissioned by German public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD, ARTE). Broadcast fees and co-production funding constitute revenue streams. Productions include first broadcast windows on the commissioning channels.
3. International Co-production Licensing: Co-productions with international partners (France, Estonia, Austria, Poland, Switzerland) generate licensing revenue through territorial distribution rights and international sales.
4. Franchise Licensing: The 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere' franchise generates revenue across multiple film installments, with merchandise and licensing potential from the established IP based on Margit Auer's bestselling book series.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH produces feature films, television movies, and documentaries for theatrical cinema release and German public broadcasters. The company operates as an independent production house with a flagship family entertainment franchise ('Die Schule der magischen Tiere') and a slate of award-winning dramatic films and commissioned TV productions.

Product overview

Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH is a German film production company founded in 2003 by sisters Alexandra and Meike Kordes in Berlin. The company operates as a single unified production house producing cinema and television films, including the successful family entertainment franchise 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere' (The School of Magical Animals) which has multiple installments. The company also produces award-winning dramatic films such as 'VIER MINUTEN' and 'POLL'. With offices in Berlin (headquarters), Cologne, Stuttgart, and Munich (Kordes & Kordes Film Süd), the company has produced over 170 national and international award-winning productions since its founding. The company specializes in family entertainment, dramatic feature films, and television movies, often in co-production with European broadcasters and film funds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kordes & Kordes Film Süd: Munich-based regional office established in 2007.

Products and services

• Film Production Services End-to-end film production services for cinema and television, including commissioned television movies, dramatic features, and documentaries. Productions are delivered to German public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD, ARTE) and theatrical distribution partners, and span co-productions across France, Estonia, Austria, Poland, and Switzerland.
• Die Schule der magischen Tiere (The School of Magical Animals) Film Franchise Multi-installment family entertainment theatrical franchise based on Margit Auer's bestselling book series, distributed through LEONINE in DACH cinemas. Installments have attracted over 8.5 million viewers and were the most successful German cinema films of 2021, 2022, and 2024.
• Vier Minuten (Four Minutes) Award-winning dramatic feature film. Released theatrically and recognized with the German Film Award (Lola) in Gold for Best Feature Film and the Golden Cup at the International Film Festival Shanghai.
• Poll Historical drama feature film recognized with multiple German Film Awards (Best Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Costume Design, Production Design), the Special Award of the Jury at Rome International Film Festival, and the Main Award at the Minsk International Film Festival.
• International Co-production Services International co-production services delivered with European partners (DOR Film, Lightburst Pictures, WEGA Film, Clever Production, Lucky Bird Pictures, SI Film) and broadcasters (ARTE), enabling financing, talent access, and territorial distribution across multiple European markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8.5+ million cinema viewers for the 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere' franchise
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LEONINEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTheatrical distribution partner for the 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere' franchise films. LEONINE handles cinema distribution across DACH territory (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
• ZDF / Das kleine FernsehspielcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor commissioning broadcaster for TV movies and documentaries. ZDF has commissioned multiple productions including 'Das Gesetz sind wir', 'Jonathan', 'Mein Bruder sein Erbe und ich', and documentaries.
• ARD / DEGETOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic German broadcaster consortium commissioning TV movies. Productions include 'Familie Lotzmann auf den Barrikaden' and other comedy and drama films.
• ARTEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFranco-German public broadcaster co-producing feature films and documentaries. ARTE co-productions include 'Vier Minuten', 'Poll', 'Jonathan', 'Festung', 'Ein Jahr nach Morgen', and multiple documentaries.
• Lightburst PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere' Parts 2 and 3.
• WEGA FilmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere 1'.
• Clever ProductionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for 'Die Schule der magischen Tiere 1'.
• DOR FilmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian co-production partner for 'Poll' and 'Tag der Wahrheit'.
• Lucky Bird PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for 'PETTING STATT PERSHING'.
• SI FilmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for 'PETTING STATT PERSHING'.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Tobis Film: Established German film production and distribution company with a deep theatrical catalog and active production slate. An incumbent that competes for theatrical exhibition slots and is a frequent collaborator/competitor in the German film ecosystem.
• UFA: Germany's largest TV and film production group (Bertelsmann-owned). Operates across film and television production with deep broadcaster ties; is the dominant incumbent whose commissioning decisions shape the available independent production capacity, making UFA a key reference competitor for K&K.
• Bavaria Film: Long-standing Munich-based German film production and studio operator producing cinema, TV, and co-productions. Larger and broader than K&K but overlaps directly in the same German feature-film and broadcaster-production segments.
• Beta Film: Major German-based international TV/film distribution and co-production company. While distribution-led, it co-finances and packages German-language productions for international buyers, positioning it as a strategic partner/competitor to K&K on co-production financing.

Direct peers

• X Filme Creative Pool: Berlin-based independent German film production company known for feature films and international co-productions (e.g., 'Run Lola Run'). Same size bracket, similar mix of prestige features and broadcaster work, and overlapping access to Berlin production funding (MBB). Highly comparable to K&K's profile.
• Letterbox Filmproduktion: Independently owned German production company focused on high-quality feature films and TV movies, with frequent broadcaster commissions. Closely parallels K&K's split between theatrical arthouse/prestige features and commissioned television productions.
• Studio Babelsberg: Historic Potsdam/Berlin-area film production studio producing both German theatrical features and international co-productions. Comparable in DACH feature-film focus, broadcaster relationships, and access to regional film funding, with a similar premium-positioned slate.
• Wüste Film: Independently owned German feature and TV-movie production company with regular broadcaster commissions and festival presence. Mid-sized independent peer in the same cinematic-family-and-drama space as K&K's arthouse features.
• Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion: German independent producer of feature films and TV movies with strong broadcaster relationships. Operates in the same mid-sized independent production segment in Germany and competes for similar broadcaster commissions and theatrical releases.
• Constantin Film: One of Germany's largest independent film producers and distributors, with both major theatrical features and TV commissions. Operates in the same feature-film and broadcaster-commissioned space as K&K and is a direct competitor for theatrical slots and broadcaster deals in DACH.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH