Fremantle acquires production studio Asacha

Content production company Freemantle has acquired global production studio Asacha Media Group and its portfolio of award-winning labels based in France, Italy and the UK. The deal sees Fremantle acquire the Group from Asacha’s founding partners, managers and funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.

Asacha is made up of eight distinct and individually successful labels across scripted, unscripted and feature films. These labels are Kabo Family, Mintee and Srab Films in France; Picomedia and Stand By Me in Italy; and Arrow Media, Red Planet Pictures, and Wag in the United Kingdom.

The acquisition of Asacha was spearheaded by Fremantle’s Group COO and CEO Continental Europe, Andrea Scrosati, and underlines Fremantle’s strategic plan to invest in and develop premium production companies and creative talents from around the world.

Headquartered in Paris, France, Asacha will continue to be run by Co-Founder and Group CEO Gaspard de Chavagnac who will report to Andrea Scrosati. Gaspard de Chavagnac will continue to be supported by Marina Williams, as Chief Content Officer of Asacha. The portfolio of award-winning Asacha labels in France, Italy and the UK will continue to report to Gaspard de Chavagnac.

The multi award-winning slate of international IP from Asacha includes: Death in Paradise and Beyond Paradise (Red Planet Pictures, BBC One); Mare Fuori and La Storia (Picomedia, Rai 1); Saint Omer (Srab Films); Cimetiere Indien (Mintee Studio, Canal Plus France); 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’s existing businesses in the regions in which Asacha operates, includes 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). These will be unaffected by the deal and will continue to operate and report to the current Fremantle structure as before.

Andrea Scrosati, Group COO and CEO Continental Europe, Fremantle, said: “We are pleased to welcome Asacha and its incredible labels, producers and creative talent, under Gaspard de Chavagnac to the Fremantle family. With the completion of the acquisition, we look forward to working closely with Gaspard, Marina and all of the label MD’s and talent to achieve bigger things together within our new group.”

Gaspard de Chavagnac, Co-Founder and Group CEO, Asacha Media Group, said: “I am thrilled about this deal with Fremantle which is opening a new phase of Asacha’s journey as part of one of the leading production and distribution groups in the world. We – all Asacha talents and myself – are very excited to start working closely with Andrea Scrosati and all the Fremantle team to grow our labels and IPs.”

Advising for Asacha Media Group and Oaktree has been Lazard, Mayer Brown, Duroc partners and Arsene and for Fremantle has been CMS.