ACQUISITION OF MAJORITY STAKE IN DUTCH FILMWORKS

STUDIOCANAL, European leader in the production, distribution and the international sale of feature films and TV series today announces the acquisition of a majority stake in Dutch FilmWorks, the Benelux leader in the independent distribution of feature films.

Dutch FilmWorks is a central player in film production and distribution in Benelux, with more than 25 films produced and distributed each year. Since its inception in 1998, Dutch FilmWorks has built up a catalogue of over 900 Dutch and international films.

The acquisition of Dutch FilmWorks is part of STUDIOCANAL's aim to consolidate its leading position in European content with international potential. It allows STUDIOCANAL to benefit from the expertise of Dutch FilmWorks across the production, acquisition, and distribution of content within Benelux.

Dutch FilmWorks will benefit from STUDIOCANAL's international network, distribution capacities and wealth of content. Its management team and operational structure otherwise remain unchanged.

Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL, explains: "I am proud to welcome Dutch FilmWorks to STUDIOCANAL. Our values align across production, acquisitions, and distribution, as well as through a shared creative vision. Together we will realise our ambition to produce first class European content, out of Benelux which will captivate audiences worldwide. I would sincerely like to thank CEO Willem Pruijssers, co-CEO Marcel De Block and COO René van Turnhout for their belief and commitment in joining STUDIOCANAL. This collaboration is incredibly exciting, and I know that our slate is in the hands of a very talented, professional team.”

Willem Pruijssers, CEO and founder of Dutch FilmWorks: “I am proud to announce - exactly 25 years after Dutch FilmWorks was founded - the collaboration with STUDIOCANAL and thus the continuity of our company for the long term. DFW and STUDIOCANAL are a perfect match to strengthen each other in business and creativity. We both work with the same vision in the field of production, acquisition and distribution of films and series and very important: we operate from the same values. We offer counterbalance to the major US studios and strongly believe in the power of local content and taste. STUDIOCANAL offers the opportunity to be part of a European powerhouse with global reach and to maintain our autonomy in Benelux. After 25 years working as an independent, it is an exciting step but with many opportunities for growth, including more possibilities to bring Dutch and Flemish content to an international audience.”

About STUDIOCANAL (a CANAL+ Company)

STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, distribution and international sales of feature films and series, operating in all four major European markets - France, United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain - as well as in Australia and New Zealand. It finances and produces around 30 films per year, distributes around 50 films per year and owns one of the largest film libraries in the world, boasting nearly 6,500 titles from 60 countries. STUDIOCANAL also produces more than 200 hours of TV series each year at an international level, either directly or through its award-winning network of European production companies (TANDEM Productions, RED Production Company, URBAN MYTH FILMS, BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES, STUDIOCANAL ORIGINAL, SUNNYMARCH TV, SAM Productions).

About Dutch FilmWorks

DFW’s philosophy of ‘being the fastest in changing all the time' has made it the Benelux’s largest independent distributor of cinema, home entertainment, video on demand, and pay and free TV. Founded in 1997 and with a strongly commercial vision in terms of content, it now has a wide catalogue of feature films and TV series. Recent Dutch successes include My Best Friend Anne Frank, Pirates Down the Street and Banker of the Resistance. Besides an impressive range of local content, DFW also distributes Hollywood productions such as The Hitman's Wife’s Bodyguard, Midway and The Wolf of Wall Street. This extensive and diverse portfolio makes it a preferred partner for many major content providers in the Benelux and beyond. In 2018, it established an international branch to bring Dutch content to a global audience.

CONTACTS

Groupe CANAL+ / STUDIOCANAL Elvire Charbonnel elvire.charbonnel@canal-plus.com

Dutch FilmWorksSanne Veldhoven sveldhoven@dfw.nl