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Mubi, the art house streaming platform and theatrical distributor, is moving into the sales arena.
The London-based company, which has recently been on a buying spree of indie titles, has now acquired well-establish sales company The Match Factory and its production arm Match Factory Productions.
Founded in 2006, The Match Factory has built up a reputation for distinct independent and specialty films, including the Cannes Palme d’Or winner Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Oscar-nominated titles such as Waltz With Bashir and Toni Erdmann, the early films of Jim Jarmusch, the complete library of Aki Kaurismäki and award-winning films like Happy as Lazzaro, Girl, Foxtrot, The Traitor and recent critics fave Drive My Car.
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Match Factory Productions, which was founded in 2013 by Michael Weber and Viola Fügen, has produced and co-produced art house films including Prayers for the Stolen, Memoria, Evolution, Never Gonna Snow Again, Martin Eden and The Traitor. Their newest projects include films by Amat Escalante and Joshua Oppenheimer.
“As long time partners of The Match Factory we have gained tremendous admiration and respect for Michael and his team,” said Mubi founder and CEO Efe Cakarel. “We could not be more excited for them to join us in pursuing the goal we clearly share: to bring beautiful cinema to film lovers around the world. Mubi and The Match Factory are highly complementary businesses and we look forward to joining together with our friends.”
The Match Factory’s current management team will continue to lead its operations and are set to remain focused on its existing slate, deals and projects in development, which include new films by Andreas Dresen, Lukas Dhont, Christian Petzold, Fatih Akin, Emin Alper and Marco Bellocchio. The company will maintain its offices in Berlin and Cologne, although it is expected to expand its presence through Mubi’s HQ in London and offices in New York and Los Angeles.
“When I embarked on the The Match Factory journey together with my partners Reinhard Brundig, Viola Fügen, Thania Dimitrakopoulou, Jenny Walendy and the late Karl Baumgartner, I envisioned discovering filmmakers and their stories, working with them and bringing their finest work out to the world,” said Weber, Match Factory managing director. “I have taken great pleasure and satisfaction throughout the years with the many encounters with truly gifted people, creative minds, generous souls. Cinema is a vibrant and living ecosystem, constantly altering and expanding.”
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