EuropaCorp

EuropaCorp is one of the major feature film producers in France and Europe, headquartered in Saint-Denis near Parisâ€"and one of only a few fully integrated independent studios that both produces and distributes feature films.

Founded in 1999, EuropaCorp's activities include production, theatrical distribution, home entertainment, VOD, international distribution and sales, French TV Sales, partnerships and licenses, original soundtrack production, publishing and exhibition. EuropaCorp's integrated financial model generates revenues from a wide range of sources, with films from many genres and a strong presence in the international markets.

Over 14 years, EuropaCorp has produced and co-produced over 80 films and is now distributing over 500 titles after the integration of the RoissyFilms Catalogue. The studio is mainly known for its expertise in the production of English language films with strong earning potential in the international marketplace. The company is renowned for developing and producing the blockbuster franchises, the Taken trilogy and the Transporter series.

The company began producing TV series in 2010 through EuropaCorp Television which is currently adapting one of EuropaCorp's most famous and popular film franchises: Taxi.

History

Luc Besson began directing features with his film, Le Dernier Combat (1983). In 1985 he worked with Pierre-Ange Le Pogam for the first time on the movie Subway. Le Pogam was then Distribution Director at Gaumont. Subsequently, virtually all the films that Besson made with Gaumont between 1985 and 1999 topped the three-million ticket mark at the box office (e.g. The Big Blue (1988), Nikita (1990), Léon, The Fifth Element (1997) and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)) Meanwhile, Le Pogam developed innovative promotional techniques at Gaumont, which he applied for the first time for Besson’s The Fifth Element (1997). This film was France’s biggest export success of all time until Taken 2 was released in 2012, which established a new record.

In 1997 Pierre-Ange Le Pogam became Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gaumont. In September 2000 Besson and Le Pogam founded Europacorp. This superseded Besson's earlier production company known as Films du Dauphin.

In July 2007 EuropaCorp successfully managed its IPO on Euronext Paris.

In May 2008, the CSA, French authority for media regulation, selected the EuropaCorp TV project in its invitation to apply for a mobile TV channel in France.

In 2013 Lisa Ellzey, hitherto producer for Lions Gate and 20th Century Fox, was appointed as executive vice president of U.S. Motion Picture Production of EuropaCorp.

Structure

Today EuropaCorp is owned at 62% by Luc Besson through his company Frontline and at 8.06% by Pierre-Ange Le Pogam; 23% is public.
Besson is the Chairman of EuropaCorp's Board of Directors.
Jean-Julien Baronnet was the Chief Executive Officer of EuropaCorp until November 2008. Christopher Lambert was appointed as CEO in 2010.

Digital Factory is related to EuropaCorp via Luc Besson. EuropaCorp films, post-production of sound for EuropaCorp films is performed chiefly at its Normandy site, while the image editing is done in Paris.

International dimension

EuropaCorp has notably produced the world box-office hits Taken ($224 million at world box-office), Arthur and the Invisibles ($107 million), Transporter 3 ($106 million) and Hitman ($100 million). Two EuropaCorp productions have been topping the US box-office: Transporter 2 by summer 2002 and Taken at spring 2009.

Many international film stars have appeared in EuropaCorp productions: Jim Carrey, Penélope Cruz, Robert De Niro, David Duchovny, Morgan Freeman, Salma Hayek, Tommy Lee Jones, Jet Li, John Malkovich, Jason Statham, Brittany Murphy, Liam Neeson, Madonna, Ewan McGregor, Lou Reed, and others. Consequently the films are usually shot in English.

EuropaCorp Japan, a subsidiary of EuropaCorp based in Tokyo, has for core business the distribution of feature films in Japan. It is a joint-venture with three Japanese companies: Asmik Ace, Sumitomo Corporation and Kadokawa.

In 2012 Europacorp struck a three-year output deal with Chinese film distributor Fundamental Films for 15 feature films. Fundamental Films agreed to co-produce three of these films.

In April 2013 the company announced its next film will be Lucy, which will be directed by Luc Besson and star American actress Scarlett Johansson.

"Cité du Cinéma", French movie studios

EuropaCorp relocated to the Cité du Cinéma in 2012. This movie studio complex, located in Saint-Denis in the close outskirts of Paris, at build out will have a total of 9 film stages, with another 12,000 square metres of space devoted to technical units and 2200 square metres for screening and reception rooms.

The cinema school « Ecole Nationale Supérieure Louis Lumière » is to be relocated to the complex.

EuropaCorp signed a lease with the Nef Lumière, owner of the tertiary complex, for space for its permanent staff and the film crews, with extra space for potential new activities. This tertiary complex is financed by both the Caisse des Dépôt and Vinci.

EuropaCorp is a minority shareholder in the company operating the studios, joining Euro Media Group, Quinta Communications and Frontline. The Euro Media Group, which owns several film studios throughout Europe, will provide management of daily operations of these studios of Paris.

Films

1997

• Nil by Mouth, directed by Gary Oldman

2000

• Taxi 2, by Gérard Krawczyk
• The Dancer, by Fred Garson
• Exit, by Olivier Megaton
• Bang Rajan, by Tanit Jitnukul

2001

• Yamakasi, by Ariel Zeitoun and Julien Seri
• 15 août, by Patrick Alessandrin
• Kiss of the Dragon, by Chris Nahon
• Wasabi, by Gérard Krawczyk

2002

• Blanche, by Bernie Bonvoisin
• Once Upon an Angel, by Vincent Perez
• The Transporter, by Louis Leterrier
• Chaos and Desire, by Manon Briand

2003

• Laughter and Punishment, by Isabelle Doval
• Taxi 3, by Gérard Krawczyk
• I, César, by Richard Berry
• Tristan, by Philippe Harel
• Fanfan la Tulipe, by Gérard Krawczyk
• Les Côtelettes, by Bertrand Blier
• High Tension, by Alexandre Aja
• La Felicità, non costa niente, by Mimmo Calopresti
• Michel Vaillant, by Louis-Pascal Couvelaire
• Together, by Chen Kaige
• Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, by Prachya Pinkaew

2004

• Crimson Rivers 2, by Olivier Dahan
• The Story of My Life (Mensonges et trahisons et plus si affinités) , by Laurent Tirard
• My Spitting Image, by Aruna Villiers
• District 13, by Pierre Morel

2005

• Unleashed, by Louis Leterrier
• Ze Film, by Guy Jacques
• The Prompter, by Guillaume Pixie
• Pale Eyes, by Jérome Bonnell
• Imposture, by Patrick Bouchitey
• Next!, by Jeanne Biras
• Transporter 2, by Louis Leterrier
• Revolver, by Guy Ritchie
• The Black Box, by Richard Berry
• The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, by Tommy Lee Jones
• Angel-A, by Luc Besson

2006

• Colour Me Kubrick, by Brian W. Cook
• Bandidas, by Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg
• The Chinese Botanist's Daughters, by Dai Sijie
• Love and Other Disasters, by Alek Keshishian
• Dikkenek, by Olivier Van Hoofstadt
• Cheeky, by David Thewlis
• The Singer, by Xavier Giannoli
• Tell No One, by Guillaume Canet
• Arthur and the Invisibles, by Luc Besson
• Adam's Apples, by Anders Thomas Jensen

2007

• Taxi 4, by Gérard Krawczyk
• Michou d'Auber by Thomas Gilou
• The Dinner Guest, by Laurent Bouhnik
• The Secret by Vincent Perez
• Masked Mobsters, by Ariel Zeitoun
• Hitman, by Xavier Gens (Executive Producer)

2008

• Frontier(s), by Xavier Gens
• My Very Best Friend, by Isabelle Doval
• Taken, by Pierre Morel
• Behind the Walls, by Christian Faure
• Sagan, by Diane Kurys
• Go Fast, by Olivier Van Hoofstadt
• Being W., by Karl Zéro and Michel Royer
• Four Minutes, by Chris Kraus
• G.A.L., by Miguel Courtois
• Transporter 3, by Olivier Megaton
• Be Kind Rewind, by Michel Gondry

2009

• Special Correspondents, by Frédéric Auburtin
• District 13: Ultimatum, by Patrick Alessandrin
• Villa Amalia, by Benoît Jacquot
• Hallelujah!, by Roger Delattre
• Home, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
• Staten Island, by James DeMonaco
• Human zoo, by Rie Rasmussen
• Fashion Victim, by Gérard Jugnot
• Le Concert, by Radu Mihaileanu
• In the Beginning, by Xavier Giannoli
• Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard, by Luc Besson

2010

• The Whistler, by Philippe Lefebvre
• Paris Express, by Hervé Renoh
• 22 Bullets, by Richard Berry
• I Love You Phillip Morris, by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
• From Paris With Love, by Pierre Morel
• The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, by Luc Besson
• Little White Lies, by Guillaume Canet
• The Big Picture, by Eric Lartigau
• Arthur and the War of the Two Worlds, by Luc Besson
• La révélation, by Hans-Christian Schmid
• Un balcon sur la mer, by Nicole Garcia

2011

• Romance in the Dark, by Rie Rasmussen
• Halal police d'État, by Rachid Dhibou
• Au bistro du coin, by Charles Nemes
• The Source, by Radu Mihăileanu
• Un baiser papillon, by Karine Silla
• Colombiana, by Olivier Megaton
• A Monster in Paris, by Bibo Bergeron
• La planque, by Akim Isker
• The Lady, by Luc Besson
• L'amour dure trois ans, by Frédéric Beigbeder

2012

• Lock-Out, by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger
• À l'aveugle, by Xavier Palud, Blind Man (film) by Xavier Palud
• Taken 2, by Olivier Megaton
• The Man Who Laughs, by Jean-Pierre Améris

2013

• The Family by Luc Besson
• The Marchers by Nabil Ben Yadir
• Les boulistes, by Frédéric Berthe
• Pour une femme, by Diane Kurys
• Les Petits Princes, by Vianney Lebasque
• Möbius by Éric Rochant
• Intersection by David Marconi
• 20 ans d'écart by David Moreau
• The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart by Stéphane Berla & Mathias Malzieu
• Romance in the Dark by Rie Rasmussen
• Les invincibles by Frédéric Berthe
• 36 heures à tuer by Tristan Aurouet

2014

• 3 Days to Kill, by McG
• Never on the First Night by Melissa Drigeard
• Lucy by Luc Besson
• Brick Mansions by Camille Delamarre
• Fastlife by Thomas N'Gijol
• Cartoonists - Foot Soldiers of Democracy by Stéphanie Valloatto
• Le Jeu de la vérité by François Desagnat
• Angélique by Ariel Zeitoun
• Saint Laurent by Bertrand Bonello
• The Homesman by Tommy Lee Jones

2015

• Taken 3
• The Transporter Legacy
• Sea At War (working title), a under water fantasy epic.
• Valérian, based on the cult-science fiction comicbook

Television series

• No Limit (2012-)
• Transporter: The Series (2012-)
• Nom de code: Rose (2012)
• XIII: The Series (2011-2012)
• Flight of the Storks (2012)

Upcoming TV-projects

• Taxi Brooklyn South (2014) Spinn-off from the Taxi films.
• The Lost Patrol (La patrouille perdue) Fantasy series set during WWI for Canal+.
• Life after Life (La vie après la vie) created by Besson and writer-producer Naren Shankar (CSI and Grimm)
• Sous-doués passent le Bac mini-series by Claude Zidi
• Le Passager, a six-part thriller adapted from the novel of the same name by Jean-Christophe Grange

Upcoming projects

• The Transporter 4-6

Awards and nominations

• 2009: In the Beginning directed by Xavier Giannoli competed as France's Official Selection in the Cannes Film Festival.

• 2009: I Love You Phillip Morris, in which Glenn Ficarra and John Requa edJim Carrey and Ewan McGregor, competed for the Camera d’Or during the Director’s Fortnight.

• 2009: Taken, directed by Pierre Morel, was nominated at the Teen Choice Award for the Action Adventure Movie Award. The movie and its soundtrack composer Nathaniel Mechaly in particular, won the BMI Film Music Award.

• 2009: Human Zoo, directed by Rie Rasmussen, competed at the 59th Berlin Film Festival in the Panorama section, as well as at the film festivals in Copenhagen and Rio de Janeiro.

• 2007: Hitman, directed by Xavier Gens, won the Golden Trailer Award 2008 for Best Motion/Title Graphics.

• 2007: Arthur and the Invisibles, directed by Luc Besson, won the NRJ Ciné Award 2007 for Best Dubbing; the film was also nominated at the Young Artist Award for Best International Family Feature Film and Best Performance in an International Feature Film - Leading Young Actor with Freddie Highmore.

• 2006: The Chinese Botanist's Daughters, directed by Dai Sijie, won in 2006 the Best Artistic Contribution and People’s Choice Awards at the Montreal World Film Festival, and was nominated for the «Grand Prix des Amériques». The film won the Best Canadian Film or Video Award at the 2007 Toronto Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival.

• 2005: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, by Tommy Lee Jones, was nominated for the Palme d'Or, and Tommy Lee Jones won the Best Actor Award while Guillermo Arriaga won the Best Script Award. The movie was given a place of honor at the Satellite Awards 2005 and the Independent Spirit Awards 2005. It also won the “Grand Prix” at the Flanders International Film Festival and the Bronze Wrangler at the Western Heritage Awards.

References

1. ^ "EuropaCorp’s Full-Year Results: Revenue Rise 14%, Net Profit Fall 19.4%". Variety. Retrieved 5 October 2014. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "EuropaCorp, French film in the American manner". INA Global. Retrieved October 11, 2010. 
3. ^ Richford, Rhonda (2 February 2013). "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Reports Strong Growth in Third Quarter Results". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 April 2013. 
4. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085426/?ref_=nm_flmg_wr_54
5. ^ ^{a b} "EuropaCorp, Besson Film Company, Raises EU70 Million". Bloomberg. July 6, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2007. 
6. ^ "EuropaCorp Names Lisa Ellzey To Spearhead U.S. Motion Picture Production Surge". Retrieved March 7, 2013. 
7. ^ Corporate website Shareholders section
8. ^ [1]
9. ^ Digital Factory website (fr)
10. ^ Pfanner, Eric (November 4, 2012). "France Tries to Lure Filmmakers". The New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2012. 
11. ^ Leffler, Rebecca (July 23, 2012). "Distribution Deal in China". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 23, 2012. 
12. ^ "Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp Enters Chinese Co-Production & Distribution Pact". Retrieved July 23, 2012. 
13. ^ Hollywood Reporter Daily Edition - April 26 2013
14. ^ "The Cité du Cinéma consists of 9 sound sets designed to meet professionals’ every need, 12,000 sq. metres of dedicated technical units (dressing rooms, editing suites, paint and carpentry workshops, camera and lighting shops, etc.) and 2,200 sq. metres of screening and reception rooms". Retrieved March 20, 2013. 
15. ^ Variety http://variety.com/2013/film/news/cannes-luc-besson-dives-into-sea-of-war-1200481304/ . 
16. ^ Variety http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/europacorp-posts-record-net-profit-1200502757/ . 
17. ^ http://www.lexpress.fr/culture/cinema/taxi-luc-besson-en-fait-une-serie-pour-tf1_1193248.html
18. ^ "Three New Transporter Films", Hollywood Reporter

External links

• (English) Europacorp at Uni France
• (English) EuropaCorp at the Internet Movie Database
• (English) EuropaCorp Official Website
• (English) Europacorp at Cineuropa
• (English) Euronext Website
• (English) Digital Factory website
• (English) Roissy Film website
• (English) Dog Productions website
• (English) Editions Intervista website
• (French) Edition Septième Choc website
• (English) EuropaCorp Japan website