21/10/2013 - Producer David Grumbach takes over the French company sold by Millimages. Mathieu Robinet remains General Director

David Grumbach, photo by Fabrizio Maltese

It’s a new era for Bac Films Distribution. The French company, which operates in the acquisition, distribution (theatres, TV, DVD and VoD), international sales and production sectors, was purchased from Millimages by a French and European investment pool managed by David Grumbach who is taking over as President of the structure. The new team includes financier Eric Chinchon as vice-President while Mathieu Robinet maintains his job as General Director and Gilles Sousa stays at the head of international sales.  

David Grumbach whose ambition is to create "a mini major of European scope, capable of playing a role in every step of the film creation process”, worked as a producer since 1999 at the head of Juliette Films (Luxembourg) and Jaya Productions (France), and as a partner for Frakas Productions (Belgium). He also worked on international distribution for Paul Thiltges Distributions. He has produced or coproduced over 25 films including The Congress [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Sleepless Night [+see also:
trailer
making of
interview: David Grumbach
film profile] and La vie d’une autre [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. He was designated Producer on the Move in 2011 by the European Film Promotion (read his interview in English).

Founded in 1986, Bac Films was bought by Millimages in 2003 and his initial manager Jean Labadie left the directing team in 2007 to create Le Pacte. The sale by Millimages is said to have been concluded for 2.7 M€. In the first 2013 term, the turnover was of 2.8 M€ including 1.1 M€ for the cinema activity with four theatrical releases (including a Spanish animated film Wrinkles [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ignacio Ferreras
interview: Ignacio Ferreras
film profile] and The Deep [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Baltasar Kormakur), 0.9 M€ for video distribution, 0.5 M€ for TV distribution and 0.3 M€ for international sales. Last week, Bac launched Northwest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Michael Noer
film profile] by Danish director Michael Noer in French theatres. The line-up of the international sales’ team, which will soon take the direction of the American Film Market, features the post-production titles El Ardor by Argentinean director Pablo Fendrik (with Gael Garcia Bernal), Fool Circle by Vincent Mariette (article), Run by Philippe Lacote (article), Le grand homme (qui ne voulait pas mourir) by Sarah Leonor (article), The Quiet Roar by Swedish Henrik Hellström, Human Capital by Italian director Paolo Virzi (news) and Fusi by Icelandic director Dagur Kari.

(Translated from French)