Wild Bunch (company)
| Company type | Public company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film distribution, film production |
| Predecessor | Senator Entertainment AG |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Fate | Renamed from Senator Entertainment AG in July 2015 |
| Headquarters | Berlin , Germany |
Area served | Europe (including Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain), France (theatrical and video distribution), worldwide (some operations) |
Key people | Vincent Maraval (leader of Insiders, part of Wild Bunch group) |
| Products | Film distribution, film sales agency, digital distribution (Filmo TV) |
Wild Bunch AG is a film distribution firm based in Germany, originally established in 1979 under the name Senator Film Verleih GmbH and later known as Senator Entertainment AG. The Wild Bunch brand derives from the French company Wild Bunch S.A., founded in 2002 and acquired by Senator Entertainment in February 2015. Subsequently, in July 2015, Senator Entertainment AG adopted the Wild Bunch AG name. The company has been responsible for distributing acclaimed titles such as Land of the Dead (2005), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), The King's Speech (2010), The Artist (2011), Titane, and Where Is Anne Frank (2021).
Previously, Wild Bunch managed an international sales division that was separated into an independent entity named Wild Bunch International in July 2019. This company rebranded itself as Goodfellas in March 2023 following the expiration of its licensing rights to the Wild Bunch name.
History
Wild Bunch S.A. was established in 2002 by former employees of StudioCanal, emerging as an independent company distinct from the studio. In 2011, Wild Bunch secured a controlling interest in the Spanish independent distributor Vértigo Films.
In July 2014, a collaboration between German distributor Senator Entertainment and Wild Bunch was announced to form a joint independent film distribution and production group. The merger was finalized in February 2015, with Senator Entertainment AG adopting the name Wild Bunch AG while continuing to use Senator as one of its brands.
In May 2015, Wild Bunch introduced Insiders, a Los Angeles-based international sales company focusing on independent films, led by Vincent Maraval. By February 2016, Chinese firm Bliss Media had acquired a stake in Insiders. Subsequently, in May 2016, Insiders joined forces with MadRiver Pictures to create IMR International, a joint venture specializing in international sales.
In July 2018, Wild Bunch obtained judicial approval for its restructuring initiatives. By mid-2019, it consolidated its international sales operations under Wild Bunch International. In June 2021, Wild Bunch debuted the genre label Wild West alongside French studio Capricci and announced an equal partnership with Gebeka Films for animation sales at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
Activities
Wild Bunch functions as both a film sales agency and a pan-European distributor. Its former international sales branch, now known as Goodfellas after rebranding from Wild Bunch International, concentrates on pre-selling films produced by third parties.
France
Within France, Wild Bunch acts as a theatrical distributor and handles video distribution through its subsidiary Wild Side. It has also ventured into digital distribution through its VoD/SVoD service Filmo TV.
Worldwide
Apart from its international sales operations, Wild Bunch directly distributes films across Italy, Germany, Austria, and Spain.
Studio Ghibli
Wild Bunch International holds global sales rights for Studio Ghibli films outside Asia and North America. Since September 2020, it has taken over from Disney as Ghibli’s distributor for theatrical releases, home media, and television broadcasts within France.
In December 2022, StudioCanal UK—which manages Ghibli film distribution in the UK and Ireland—initiated legal action against Wild Bunch International concerning its streaming contract with Netflix, alleging infringement of exclusive streaming rights. In response, Wild Bunch filed a countersuit claiming their distribution agreement encompasses all distribution channels and justifies recouping associated costs accordingly.
Catalogue
Wild Bunch oversees a collection comprising more than 1,700 film titles.
Academy Awards
- The Artist (2012): Awarded Best Picture, Best Director (Michel Hazanavicius), Best Actor (Jean Dujardin), Best Original Score, and Best Costume Design
- The King's Speech (2011): Honored with Best Picture, Best Director (Tom Hooper), Best Actor (Colin Firth), and Best Original Screenplay
- Pan's Labyrinth (2007): Recognized for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography
- March of the Penguins (2006): Winner of Best Documentary Feature
- Spirited Away (2003): Awarded Best Animated Feature
Berlin International Film Festival
- Before, Now & Then (2022): Received Silver Bear for Outstanding Supporting Performance
- The Wayward Cloud (2005): Honored with Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Achievement
- Spirited Away (2002): Recipient of the Golden Bear
Cannes Film Festival
- Shoplifters (2018): Palme d'Or recipient
- I, Daniel Blake (2016): Awarded Palme d'Or
- Goodbye to Language (2014): Prix du Jury winner
- Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013): Palme d'Or winner
- The Angels' Share (2012): Prix du Jury recipient
- Beyond the Hills (2012): Awarded Best Screenplay and Best Actress
- The Kid with a Bike (2011): Grand Prix winner
- The Artist (2011): Best Actor awardee
- Polisse (2011): Prix du Jury recipient
- Of Gods and Men (2010): Grand Prix du Jury recipient
- 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007): Palme d'Or winner
- Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004): Palme d'Or recipient
- Oldboy (2004): Grand Prix du Jury winner
- At Five in the Afternoon (2003): Prix du Jury recipient
- Chi-hwa-seon (2002): Awarded Best Cinematography
- The Son's Room (2001): Palme d'Or winner
- Blackboards (2000): Prix du Jury recipient
Venice Film Festival
- Jackie, directed by Pablo Larraín (2016): Awarded Best Screenplay
- Mr. Nobody, directed by Jaco Van Dormael (2009): Golden Osella recipient
- The Wrestler, directed by Darren Aronofsky (2008): Winner of the Golden Lion
- Mary, directed by Abel Ferrara (2005): Special Jury Prize honoree
- The Magdalene Sisters, directed by Peter Mullan (2002): Golden Lion recipient
External links
- Articles with short description
- German companies established in 1979
- French companies established in 2002
- Mass media companies established in 1979
- Mass media companies established in 2002
- Film distributors of France
- Film distributors of Germany
- Film production companies of France
- Film production companies of Germany
- Film production companies of the United States
- Television production companies of France
- Television production companies of Germany
- Television production companies of the United States
- Mass media in Berlin
- Mass media in Kentucky
- International sales agents
- Companies listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange