STUDIOCANAL, a European leader in the production, distribution and international sale of feature films and TV series, is announcing the acquisition of a majority stake in Dutch FilmWorks, the Benelux leader in the independent distribution of feature films.
The acquisition of Dutch FilmWorks is part of STUDIOCANAL's aim to consolidate its leading position in European content with international potential. It allows STUDIOCANAL to benefit from the expertise of Dutch FilmWorks in terms of production, acquisition and distribution of content within Benelux.
For its part, Dutch FilmWorks will benefit from STUDIOCANAL's international network, distribution capacities and wealth of content. Its management team and operational structure otherwise remain unchanged. DFW International will continue handling the global sales of its Benelux titles.
Willem Pruijssers, CEO and founder of Dutch FilmWorks: “I am proud to announce - exactly 25 years after Dutch FilmWorks was founded - the collaboration with STUDIOCANAL and thus the continuity of our company for the long term. DFW and STUDIOCANAL are a perfect match to strengthen each other in business and creativity. We both work with the same vision in the field of production, acquisition and distribution of films and series and very important: we operate from the same values. We offer counterbalance to the major US studios and strongly believe in the power of local content and taste. STUDIOCANAL offers the opportunity to be part of a European powerhouse with global reach and to maintain our autonomy in the Benelux. After 25 years working as an independent, it is an exciting step but with many opportunities for growth, including more possibilities to bring Dutch and Flemish content to an international audience.”
Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL: "I’m delighted that STUDIOCANAL is welcoming Dutch FilmWorks into its ecosystem! It turned out that our values, ways of working and vision of the production and distribution of content come together perfectly. Together, we will produce local content that travels and introduce as many people as possible to Dutch and Flemish works that deserve to become known. I’d like to sincerely thank Dutch FilmWorks, and in particular its CEO Willem Pruijssers, its co-CEO Marcel De Block and its COO René van Turnhout, for believing in a future with STUDIOCANAL."
ABOUT STUDIOCANAL (a CANAL+ Company)
STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, distribution and international sales of feature films and series, operating in all four major European markets - France, United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain - as well as in Australia and New Zealand. It finances and produces around 30 films per year, distributes around 50 films per year and owns one of the largest film libraries in the world, boasting nearly 6,500 titles from 60 countries. STUDIOCANAL also produces more than 200 hours of TV series each year at an international level, either directly or through its award-winning network of European production companies (TANDEM Productions, RED Production Company, URBAN MYTH FILMS, BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES, STUDIOCANAL ORIGINAL, SUNNYMARCH TV, SAM Productions).
ABOUT DUTCH FILMWORKS
DFW’s philosophy of ‘being the fastest in changing all the time' has made it the Benelux’s largest independent distributor of cinema, home entertainment, video on demand, and pay and free TV. Founded in 1997 and with a strongly commercial vision in terms of content, it now has a wide catalogue of feature films and TV series. This extensive and diverse portfolio makes it a preferred partner for many major content providers in the Benelux and beyond. In 2018, it established an international branch to bring Dutch content to a global audience.