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INDUSTRY / MARKET UK / Germany

MUBI acquires The Match Factory

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- Aiming to “bring beautiful cinema to film lovers”, the new collaboration will open up new opportunities to nourish the future of the cinema that both companies adore

MUBI acquires The Match Factory

One of the biggest news of the year has broken, as London-based distributor, streaming service and production company MUBI has acquired German sales company The Match Factory and production outfit Match Factory Productions.

The acclaimed sales company has been in the business since 2006 and has a highly respectable slate, including festival hits such as Toni Erdmann [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Maren Ade
film profile
]
, Waltz With Bashir [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, Happy as Lazzaro [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alice Rohrwacher
film profile
]
, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, The Traitor [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Marco Bellocchio
film profile
]
, Foxtrot [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Samuel Maoz
film profile
]
, Girl [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lukas Dhont
film profile
]
and Drive My Car. Furthermore, The Match Factory handles the complete library of Aki Kaurismäki and the early films of Jim Jarmusch. The production arm of the company, which has been active for the past nine years and was founded by Michael Weber and Viola Fügen, has produced, among others, Prayers for the Stolen [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, Memoria [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, Evolution [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Kornél Mundruczó and Kata W…
film profile
]
, Never Gonna Snow Again [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Małgorzata Szumowska and Mi…
film profile
]
and Martin Eden [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pietro Marcello
film profile
]
. It is currently in production with the latest works by Amat Escalante, Lost in the Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Amat Escalante
film profile
]
, and Joshua Oppenheimer, The End (see the news).

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Efe Cakarel, founder and CEO of MUBI, commented: “As long-time partners of The Match Factory, we have gained tremendous admiration and respect for Michael and his team. 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.”

Michael Weber, managing director of The Match Factory, added: “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 envisaged discovering filmmakers and their stories, working with them and bringing their finest work out to the world. I have taken great pleasure and satisfaction throughout the years in our many encounters with truly gifted people, creative minds and generous souls. Cinema is a vibrant and living ecosystem, constantly altering and expanding. Efe and his team share the same vision and passion for cinema. We admire them for gaining new audiences and creating such an impressive, sustainable success story. Our combined strengths will open up new opportunities to nourish the future of the cinema we love.”

According to the initial information, The Match Factory’s current management team will continue to lead its operations and will remain focused on its core business, including 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, and will expand its presence through MUBI’s headquarters in London and offices in New York and Los Angeles.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

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