Industry

Fremantle announces that it has signed a conditional purchase agreement for Asacha Media, a leading European group in the production of entertainment content, documentaries, TV series, and films. The agreement is signed with Oaktree Capital Management L.P ("Oaktree"), the founding partner, administrator, and manager of Asacha Media funds.
Asacha owns production companies in Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. The acquisition will see all eight companies of Asacha Media, which successfully operate in scripted, unscripted, and cinema production, join the Fremantle group. Among these are the Italian companies Picomedia and Stand By Me, which in recent years have produced successful series and programs, including - under the Picomedia brand - the cult series "Mare Fuori," the event series "La Storia di Francesca Archibugi," the collection of TV films on Eduardo De Filippo, and successful films such as "Nostalgia" by Mario Martone, "La scuola cattolica" by Stefano Mordini, "Nowhere Special" by Uberto Pasolini, and "Venuto al Mondo" by Sergio Castellitto. And, among the scripted and unscripted successes of Stand by Me: "È sempre mezzogiorno," "DI4RI," "Il nostro Generale," "Una giornata particolare," "Primo Appuntamento," and "Faccende complicate."
The other companies in the Asacha Media family worldwide are the French companies Kabo Family, Mintee, and Srab Films; and the English companies Arrow Media, Red Planet Pictures, and Wag.

Among the critically and publicly acclaimed titles produced by Asacha Media group companies - in addition to those already mentioned - we recall: "Death in Paradise" and "Beyond Paradise" TV (Red Planet Pictures, BBC1), "Saint Omer" (Film, Srab Films), "Cimetiere Indien" (Mintee Studio, Canal Plus France), "Don’t Pick up the Phone" (Wag, Co-pro Netflix/Paramount), "Instagram’s Worst Con Artist" (Wag, ITVX), "See no Evil" (Arrow Media/Discovery ID), "Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom" (Arrow Media/Disney+/Nat Geo), "Scènes de Ménages" (Kabo).

Headquartered in Paris, Asacha will continue to be run by co-founder and group CEO Gaspard de Chavagnac, who will report to Scrosati.

De Chavagnac will continue to be supported by Asacha chief content officer Marina Williams. The portfolio of labels in France, Italy and the UK will continue to report to De Chavagnac.

Created in 2020 by de Chavagnac, Marc-Antoine d’Halluin and Williams, Asacha has a slate of international IP including Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise (Red Planet Pictures, BBC One); Mare Fuori and La Storia (Picomedia, Rai 1); Saint Omer (Srab Films); and Cimetiere Indien (Mintee Studio, Canal+ France).

It also produces Don’t Pick up the Phone (Wag, Netflix/Paramount); Instagram’s Worst Con Artist (Wag, ITVX); See No Evil (Arrow Media, Discovery ID); Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Arrow Media, Disney+/Nat Geo); It’s Lunch Time (Stand By Me, Rai1); Diaries (Stand By Me, Netflix); Scènes de Ménages (Kabo) and General Men (Stand by Me, Rai 1).

Fremantle said its existing businesses in the regions in which Asacha operates – which include Talkback, Thames, Naked, Label 1, Euston Films, Dancing Ledge Productions, Wildstar Films and 72 Films (UK); Fremantle France, Kwaï (France); and Fremantle Italy, The Apartment Pictures, Wildside and Lux Vide (Italy) – will be “unaffected by the deal” and “continue to operate and report to the current Fremantle structure as before.”

Scrosati said: “Fremantle is proud to be investing and partnering with the very best international creative talent. Gaspard de Chavagnac, Marina Williams and Marc-Antoine d’Halluin and the incredible producers and talents that have created Asacha certainly fall into this category, and we are delighted they have chosen to join the Fremantle family.

“They have built an impressive portfolio of market-leading labels, each of which perfectly complements our existing businesses in each of their markets. This strategic deal underlines both companies’ ambitious growth targets and we look forward to collaborating with their immensely talented creatives across the group.”

De Chavagnac added: “I am thrilled about this deal with Fremantle, one of the world’s leading studios for television and movie production. Fremantle will bring all its expertise and resources in premium content development and distribution, to accelerate the growth of our fantastic creative labels. I am very excited to pursue this exciting journey with Andrea Scrosati and all the Fremantle team. I also want to thank Oaktree for their support in our growth so far.”

Mario Adario, Asacha’s chairman and MD at Oaktree Capital Management, said: “In 2020, Oaktree launched, together with the management team, the Asacha Media Group platform with the acquisition of three production companies in France and Italy. In less than four years, Asacha has become a leader in the media industry under the stewardship of an exceptional team. We believe Fremantle is the right partner for the next chapter of Asacha’s growth.”