Written by Joe Jackson on Jan 20, 2022. Posted in General Interest

MUBI acquires Germany’s The Match Factory and Match Factory Productions

Global film platform MUBI has bought German sales and production company The Match Factory. This deal includes the acquisition of The Match Factory’s production arm Match Factory Productions. While The Match Factory will maintain its current offices in Berlin and Cologne, the firm’s presence is set to expand through MUBI’s headquarters in London and its New York and Los Angeles offices.

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

“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,” explains managing director Weber. “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.

“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 new opportunities to nourish the future for the cinema we love.”

The Match Factory, which counts Waltz With Bashir and Drive My Car among its films, was founded in 2006. The organisation has handled sales on numerous international hits including Waltz With Bashir, Toni Erdmann, Girl and Palme d’Or winner Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. Match Factory Productions was founded in 2013, producing arthouse titles including Memoria, Never Gonna Snow Again, Martin Eden and The Traitor.

The Match Factory’s current management team is set to continue leading the company’s general operations. The managerial group will maintain its current slate of sales titles and projects in development. This encompasses new films from Lukas Dhont, Christian Petzold, Fatih Akin, Emin Alper, Andreas Dresen and Marco Bellochio, as well as incoming works by Amat Escalante and Joshua Oppenheimer through Match Factory Productions.