acpav

What acpav does

ACPAV (Association coopérative de productions audio-visuelles) is a Montreal-based film production cooperative founded in the early 1970s, structured as a member-owned association coopérative rather than a traditional corporation. It produces auteur cinema across four formats — feature films (long métrages), documentaries, short films (court métrages), and television series (notably the Livrofolie youth literary series, 1992-1994). Its catalog spans more than fifty years and includes work by recurring collaborators such as Sophie Deraspe, Bernard Émond, Pierre Falardeau, and Jean-Claude Coulbois; flagship titles include Antigone (2019, Canada's Oscar submission), Le dernier repas (2024, multiple festival winner), Ce qu'il faut pour vivre (2008, Canada's prior Oscar submission), and La Sarrasine (1992, Berlin Panorama selection).

ACPAV generates revenue through theatrical distribution, broadcast licensing, streaming rights, international sales, and festival prize winnings, monetizing each production on a one-time license basis. Distribution runs through a network of Quebec-focused partners — Maison 4:3, K-Films Amérique, Les Films du 3 Mars, Éléphant (streaming), Les Films Séville, Filmoption Internationale — alongside co-production with the Office national du film du Canada (ONF) and selective international partners such as Piksuk Media (Iqaluit) and Athénaïse (France, Rêves de poussière). Go-to-market is event-driven: films premiere on the festival circuit (Toronto, Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, Locarno) to secure distribution deals and public funding renewal.

The cooperative operates without disclosed external investment, headcount, or revenue figures. Its core technology is standard cinematographic equipment and post-production workflow with no proprietary features. Currently ACPAV has a slate of six to seven projects in development, production, or post-production spanning 2025-2026, including Arctic documentary Le navire, the Sophie Deraspe-directed Le dernier acte, and Frédérick Pelletier's Un homme libre. The business model is inherently project-based, with revenue dependent on individual film performance, public subsidy cycles, and distributor relationships.

Name

acpav

Legal name

Association coopérative de productions audio-visuelles

Website

https://acpav.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ACPAV is a Montreal-based film production cooperative founded in the early 1970s that produces and distributes auteur feature films, documentaries, short films, and television series in Quebec and internationally through festival-led distribution and partnerships with Canadian distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Film Production and Distribution: ACPAV produces feature films and documentaries, generating revenue through theatrical distribution, broadcast rights, streaming licensing, and international sales. Films are distributed via platforms like Éléphant, K-Films Amérique, Maison 4:3, Les Films du 3 Mars, and through co-productions with the NFB.
2. Festival Participation and Awards: Revenue generation through festival circuit participation, prize winnings, and increased visibility leading to distribution opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ACPAV is a Quebec film production cooperative that produces feature films (long métrages), documentaries, short films, and television series exploring sociopolitical realities. Over 50 years, the cooperative has produced a catalog of auteur-driven works distributed through streaming platforms, theatrical distributors, broadcast channels, and international festival circuits. Its current pipeline includes multiple films in development, production, and post-production.

Product overview

ACPAV (Association coopérative de productions audio-visuelles) is a Quebec film production cooperative founded in the early 1970s, supporting auteur cinema that explores sociopolitical realities. The cooperative produces a diverse portfolio of films including feature films (long métrages), documentaries, short films (court métrages), and television series (séries télévisées). Notable productions include Antigone (2019), which represented Canada at the Oscars, the Elvis Gratton satirical series, and numerous acclaimed documentaries. The cooperative currently has multiple projects in various stages of development and production. Films are distributed through various platforms including Éléphant, ONF, Maison 4:3, K-Films Amérique, and Les Films du 3 Mars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Feature Films (Long métrages) Feature-length narrative films produced by ACPAV cooperative members, typically 90-115 minutes in duration. Includes dramatic films, comedies, and feature documentaries exploring sociopolitical themes.
• Documentaries (Documentaires) Documentary films exploring social, political, cultural, and environmental themes relevant to Quebec and international audiences. Producers include Richard Desjardins, Robert Monderie, Bernard Émond, and Jean-Claude Coulbois.
• Short Films (Court métrages) Short-format films typically under 60 minutes, including works from the 'Deux contes de la rue Berri' series and various other short film productions.
• Livrofolie Television Series Youth television series (ages 9-13) exploring literature through dramatic adaptations, author interviews, and literary criticism. Includes Livrofolie (1992, 26 episodes), Livrofolie Plus (1993, 13 episodes), and Livrofolie III (1994, 13 episodes).
• Antigone (2019) Award-winning feature film directed by Sophie Deraspe, selected to represent Canada at the Oscars. Won Prix Canada Goose at Toronto International Film Festival and multiple Borsos awards at Whistler Film Festival.
• Le dernier repas (2024) Long métrage fiction film directed by Maryse Legagneur, co-written with Luis Molinié. In theatrical release from September 27, 2024. Has received multiple awards including Grand Prix FCVQ Québecor, Best Feature Film at International Black Film Festival Montreal, and Best First Feature at Kingston Canadian Film Festival.

Quantifiable outcome

• Antigone was selected to represent Canada at the Oscars
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

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

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

• Office national du film du Canada (ONF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerONF is a key co-production partner for ACPAV, producing documentaries including Labrecque, une caméra pour la mémoire, Cap Tourmente, and serving as a distributor for several ACPAV productions.
• Piksuk Media Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPiksuk Media co-produced Iqaluit with ACPAV, combining expertise in Quebec and Indigenous storytelling.
• Maison 4:3majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of ACPAV films including Antigone for theatrical release and home video in Quebec and Canada.
• K-Films AmériquemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of ACPAV films including Rêves de poussière, La neuvaine, and Le cœur régulier for Quebec and international markets.
• Les Films du 3 MarsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of ACPAV documentaries including L'erreur boréale, Nous autres, les autres, and La loi de l'eau.
• ÉléphantmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming platform making ACPAV classic films available to viewers in Quebec, including Ti-cul Tougas, Vie d'Ange, and others.
• Les Films Séville Inc.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of ACPAV films including Tout ce que tu possèdes, Iqaluit, and Ce qu'il faut pour vivre.
• Athénaïse (France)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench co-production partner for Rêves de poussière alongside ACPAV and Sahel production companies.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cité-Amérique: Montreal-based film and television production company producing auteur-driven Quebec content with similar festival-oriented positioning and sociopolitical themes to ACPAV's slate.
• Productions du Méchant: Quebec independent film production house specializing in genre and auteur cinema with festival ambitions, sharing ACPAV's Montreal-based, French-language production model and writer-director-driven pipeline.
• micro_scope: Montreal-based independent film production company focused on distinctive auteur features, with comparable Toronto/Venice/Cannes festival exposure and feature-length Quebec auteur output.
• Cinémaginaire: Montreal-based film and animation production company producing original auteur content including features and shorts, operating a similar Quebec ecosystem, festival-circuit distribution model and scale.
• EyeSteelFilm: Montreal-based documentary and hybrid feature producer with strong international festival positioning, sharing ACPAV's emphasis on documentaries alongside narrative features and Quebec-rooted storytelling.
• Item 7: Montreal-based film production company specializing in distinctive independent features with auteur sensibilities, comparable festival placement and Quebec-based production infrastructure to ACPAV.
• Vidéographe: Montreal-based artist-run media arts cooperative with a member-driven structure closely analogous to ACPAV, distributing and producing independent video and short-form work for over 50 years.
• Rhombus Media: Toronto-based Canadian independent production company with strong international reputation for auteur features and documentaries, comparable prestige positioning and festival-oriented distribution to ACPAV.

Broad incumbents

• Office national du film du Canada (NFB/ONF): Canada's government film agency and a co-production/distribution partner of ACPAV; operates at significantly larger scale across animation, documentary, and interactive, serving as the broad public-sector incumbent in the same Quebec/Canadian cinematic space.

Emerging players

• Babe Nation Films: Montreal-based women-led independent production company with auteur feature focus and festival placement, operating at smaller scale in the same Quebec independent ecosystem as ACPAV.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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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 acpav