Newen, the Paris-based production and sales company owned by TF1 Group, has signed a strategic deal with Anton, a producer and financier of global content.
Under the pact, Anton will be co-investing in Newen’s distribution rights for both in-house productions and third-party programs across fiction, documentary and animation, up to €35 million ($39 million).
This agreement will allow Newen to pursue its international expansion which it kicked off over a year ago. Newen, which is already well-positioned in French-speaking markets with production banners such as Capa Drama (“Versailles”) and Telfrance, recently acquired majority stake in the Canadian outfit Reel One which specializes in TV films for the North American and global markets.
Founded by Sebastien Raybaud in 2011, Anton has been co-financing a number of international films from Studiocanal, notably the “Paddington” franchise, “Non-Stop,” “Shaun The Sheep” and is also set to co-finance the upcoming animated feature “Fireheart,” from the producers of “Ballerina.” Anton is also active on the TV side, boasting a co-financing/co-production partnership with Federation Entertainment. Its TV projects include the acclaimed BBC series and recent International Emmy nominee, “McMafia;” “Les Misérables;” “Gentleman Jack;” and Tom Hooper’s anticipated adaptation of Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Material.”
Romain Bessi, Newen’s managing director, said “Anton shares our ambition. Its support will help speed up our growth and expand our European projects by boosting their export potential.”
Raybaud, meanwhile, said “Newen has a proven track record in creating original, world-class content for the global market.” The exec added that Newen was standing at a “key moment in its expansion.”