Paris, 30 September 2026 — Nine leading production companies have joined forces to form The Creatives, the first European-rooted producer-owned group of its scale in film and television.

After 5 years of cooperation, the 17 producer-founders behind Lemming Film, Good Chaos, Haut et Court, Komplizen, Maipo, Masha, Razor Film, Spiro and Unité, are bringing their companies into a jointly owned holding structure. The producer owned group will be led by CEO Romain Bessi. Anton Studios joins as a partner and minority investor.

The group has been built in response to a decade shaped by industrial consolidation, the rise of streamers and AI, and increasing pressure on public funding. Rather than sell, the producers have invested their companies into a new formalised corporate alliance, each retaining its own name, team, leadership, culture and creative direction. The 17 founders and the CEO hold collective control, on a founding principle of cooperation rather than concentration, and creative decisions stay with the individual producers.

The Creatives rests on three pillars. Producer ownership: the producers build the work, own the work, and govern the structure. Cultural plurality: nine companies across eight countries, bringing a diverse and shared DNA to every project. Track record: a combined body of work of more than 400 films and series.

Rooted in European independent film and television and working across international markets, that work has drawn over 140 awards at major festivals and awards ceremonies worldwide, including a Cannes Palme d’Or and a Venice Grand Jury Prize, alongside multiple Academy Award nominations and wins. Signature lead-produced titles include Lemming Film’s six-time Dutch Academy Award-winner Sweet Dreams, Komplizen’s Oscar-nominated Toni Erdmann, Haut et Court’s Palme d’Or winner The Class, Good Chaos’s Sisu films, which both topped global streaming charts, Spiro’s Venice Grand Jury Prize-winner Foxtrot, Razor Film’s Oscar-nominated Waltz with Bashir, Maipo Film’s Canneseries-winner A Better Man, Unité’s multi-César winner Souleymane’s Story, and Masha’s hit series False Flag.

For filmmakers, The Creatives brings together what has rarely existed in one place: creative independence, a proven track record and the financial depth to sustain both. Its nine member companies already collaborate project-by-project on co-production, financing, casting and post-production. Now they share a combined slate, and the ambition behind it. The Creatives offers a
financially sustainable home where producers can make the work they believe in and remain free to choose their own sales and distribution partners.

Romain Bessi serves as CEO. He brings three decades of experience in production, distribution and broadcasting, having built two international studios: Newen Studios / Studio TF1, which he led as Chairman and CEO within the TF1 Group until 2024, and Studio Canal where he served as Group
COO. Prior to this he served as CFO for the Canal + channels in France and CEO for Canal+ in the Nordics.

Anton Studios joins The Creatives as a partner, taking a minority position in the collective. Led by Sébastien Raybaud, Anton is a fast-growing European studio working with top tier talent. Current projects include In Love with George Clooney and Annette Benning, Pumping Black starring Jonathan
Bailey and Natalie Portman and crime thriller My Darling California featuring an all-star cast, Jessica Chastain, Chris Evan, Chris Pine, Mikey Madison and Don Cheadle.
Its investment reinforces the financial strength of the group and provides additional access to equity financing.
The group will be formally created at closing, following technical steps expected to take a few months.

QUOTES

“At a time when the international market is shifting and collaboration is becoming increasingly important, we are proud to become part of such a strong alliance of independent producers. The Creatives offers us the opportunity to strengthen each other and continue realizing ambitious, world-class projects without losing what makes us independent. Together, we can continue to safeguard the future of independent European cinema.”
— Leontine Petit, Founder/Producer – Lemming Film

“We have known and trusted each other for years. That trust is what The Creatives is built on. Nine of us have built a new collective together, and we own it. It gives us the structure to grow together, without any of us giving up who we are and what we want to create.”
— Carole Scotta, Founder/Producer - Haut et Court

“Seventeen remarkable producers asked me to lead something they own. That's a rare privilege. They're brilliant, ambitious, and generous with each other. I'm proud to build with them a unique and totally new type of group with European roots and creativity at its heart.”
— Romain Bessi, CEO - The Creatives