Banijay Americas has acquired a majority stake in Brazilian studio A Fábrica.
The purchase comes just one week after Banijay revealed it will launch Banijay Studios Brasil, a 750,000 square foot studio outside of São Paulo, in early 2023.
Based in Rio de Janeiro, A Fábrica was founded in January 2016 and has content crossing Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video, Turner, HBO Max, Globo, Globoplay, Canal GNT and Multishow.
A Fábrica produces Brazil’s highest-rated pay TV sitcom, “Vai Que Cola,” which is in its 10th season for Multishow and Globo, and has two highly anticipated scripted series launching soon, including Netflix comedy “Sem Filtro.”
The studio currently has eight feature films in its pipeline, including the comedy “Cansei De Ser Nerd,” in partnership with Hungry Man for Paramount Pictures, and “Era Uma Vez Minha Primeira Vez,” based on a book by best-selling Brazilian author Thalita Rebouças. The studio is also producing four true-crime docuseries.
Under the Banijay Americas deal, Fábrica’s management team — comprised of Luiz Noronha (CEO), Renato Fagundes (chief content officer), Cecilia Grosso and Samanta Moraes (producers) and Alberto Elias (CFO) — will remain in place and now report to Endemol Shine Latino President Laurens Drillich.
Banijay Americas’ production companies now include Endemol Shine North America, Bunim/Murray Productions, Truly Original, 51 Minds Entertainment, Authentic Entertainment and Stephen David Entertainment in the U.S., as well as Endemol Shine Brasil, Mexico City-based Endemol Shine Boomdog and the recently opened Banijay Mexico and U.S. Hispanic, and the upcoming Banijay Studios Brasil.
“When we look at potential new partnerships and or acquisitions, we always start with a search for talented storytellers and strong leadership and the team at A Fábrica was clearly at the top of that list,” Ben Samek, president and chief operating officer of Banijay Americas, said. “They have quickly established A Fábrica as Brasil’s go-to studio for the best in film and scripted content and we are thrilled to have their team join our roster of world-class production studios in the Americas.”
Noronha added: “With the arrival of Banijay, we are guaranteed to grow with ever-increasing quality, both in terms of management and delivery capacity. We maintain flexibility in our business models and personalized customer service, reaffirming our commitment to originality and the results of our productions.”