EuropaCorp

EuropaCorp S.A. (stylised in opening logo as EUROPA CORP.) is a French motion picture company headquartered in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, and one of a few full service independent studios that both produces and distributes feature films. It specializes in production, distribution, home entertainment, VOD, sales, partnerships and licenses, recording, 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.

EuropaCorp S.A.
Public S.A.
Traded asEuronext: ECP
ISINFR0010490920 
IndustryMotion picture
Founded1992 (1992)
FounderLuc Besson 
HeadquartersSaint-Denis, Île-de-France, France
Number of locations
2 (2016)
Key people
Revenue €226.5 million (2018)
-€82.8 millions (2018)
OwnersFrontline (72.1%)
Fundamental Films (27.9%)[1]
Divisions
Websitewww.europacorp.com

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.[2] The company developed and produced the successful Taken trilogy and the Transporter series.[3] The company began producing TV series in 2010 through EuropaCorp Television which had already adapted EuropaCorp's popular Taxi film franchise.

Since 2018 the company has faced tumultuous times following rape and sexual assault accusations towards its chairman and majority owner Luc Besson. It has no films in production as of 2019.[4][5]

History

The company was created by Luc Besson in 1992 under the name Leeloo Productions, but it only fully began producing and co-producing feature films many years later, with the release of Taxi (film series) and The Dancer. The company was renamed EuropaCorp in 2000.[6] Luc Besson had also created a smaller production company called Les Films du Dauphin in 1990 that has existed outside of Leeloo Productions / EuropaCorp.[7] Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, old associate of Besson from Gaumont, the production company behind many earlier Besson's directed films, joined EuropaCorp in 2000. He had worked with Besson since 1985 first as a Distribution Director and from 1997 as a Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Gaumont. He became known as the right-hand man of Besson at EuropaCorp. He left the company in 2011 over disagreements with Besson.[4]

In July 2007 EuropaCorp successfully managed its IPO on Euronext Paris.[8] 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 Lionsgate and 20th Century Fox, was appointed as executive vice president of U.S. Motion Picture Production of EuropaCorp.[9]

In 2018, Besson was accused of rape by an actress who wishes to remain anonymous.[10] EuropaCorp stocks dropped 17% to just €2.31 ($2.70) after the rape allegation.[11] Later the same year, EuropaCorp sold its French television division to Mediawan and renamed into Storia Television. EuropaCorp also agreed to sell the Roissy Films library to Gaumont.[12] Five more women made similar statements against Besson.[13]

In May 2019 EuropaCorp was granted a six-month debt waiver from a French commercial court and placed under court protection.[14][5] A week later the studio filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States.[15] Its stock value had fallen to €0.67. It had no films in production.[5] In December 2019 the company was $182 million in debt and it had been in long bailout negotiations with Vine Alternative Investments.[16]

Structure

In 2007 EuropaCorp was owned at 62% by Luc Besson through his company Frontline and at 8.06% by Pierre-Ange Le Pogam; 23% was public.[8][17]

Besson was appointed the Chairman of EuropaCorp's Board of Directors. Jean-Julien Baronnet was the Chief Executive Officer of EuropaCorp until November 2008. Christophe Lambert was CEO from 2010 to 2016.[18] Marc Shmuger was appointed as CEO in 2016.[19]

Digital Factory is related to EuropaCorp via Luc Besson.[20] EuropaCorp films, post-production of sound for EuropaCorp films is performed chiefly at its Normandy site, while the image editing is done in Paris.

In September 2016 it was announced that Chinese film company Fundamental Films had acquired a stake of 27.9% in EuropaCorp, becoming the second-largest shareholder in the company.[21]

In June 2017, EuropaCorp signed a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing.[22] And later that month, the studio posted a loss of 120 million euros (US$135 million).[23]

International dimension

EuropaCorp has 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 2005 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, Freddie Highmore, Ewan McGregor, Lou Reed, and others. Consequently, the films are usually shot in English.[24]

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.[25][26]

In May 2015, the company announced an output deal with Polish film distributor Kino Swiat.[27]

"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,[2] with another 12,000 square metres of space devoted to technical units and 2200 square metres for screening and reception rooms.[2][28]

The cinema school Louis-Lumière National Higher School 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
Year Film Director Language Reception
Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
1997 Nil by Mouth Gary Oldman English 65%
2000 Taxi 2 Gérard Krawczyk French
The Dancer Fred Garson English
Exit Olivier Megaton French
Bang Rajan Tanit Jitnukul Thai
2001 Yamakasi
French
15 août Patrick Alessandrin French
Kiss of the Dragon Chris Nahon English
Wasabi Gérard Krawczyk French 43% 53
2002 Blanche Bernie Bonvoisin French
Once Upon an Angel Vincent Perez French
The Transporter Louis Leterrier English 53%
Chaos and Desire Manon Briand French
2003 Laughter and Punishment Isabelle Doval French
Taxi 3 Gérard Krawczyk French
I, Cesar Richard Berry French
Tristan Philippe Harel French
Fanfan la Tulipe Gérard Krawczyk French
Les Côtelettes Bertrand Blier French
High Tension Alexandre Aja French 41% 42
Happiness Costs Nothing Mimmo Calopresti Italian
Michel Vaillant Louis-Pascal Couvelaire French
Together Chen Kaige Chinese
(Mandarin)
Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior Prachya Pinkaew Thai 86%
2004 Crimson Rivers 2 Olivier Dahan French
The Story of My Life Laurent Tirard French
My Spitting Image Aruna Villiers French
Taxi Tim Story English 10%
District 13 Pierre Morel French 80%
2005 Unleashed Louis Leterrier English 65% 58
Ze Film Guy Jacques French
The Prompter Guillaume Pixie French
Pale Eyes Jérome Bonnell French
Imposture Patrick Bouchitey French
Next! Jeanne Biras French
Transporter 2 Louis Leterrier English
Revolver Guy Ritchie English
The Black Box Richard Berry French
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada Tommy Lee Jones English,
Spanish		 87%
Angel-A Luc Besson French 44%
2006 Colour Me Kubrick Brian W. Cook English 50% 57
Bandidas
  • Joachim Roenning
  • Espen Sandberg
 English,
Spanish		 62%
The Chinese Botanist's Daughters Dai Sijie Chinese
(Mandarin)
Love and Other Disasters Alek Keshishian English
Dikkenek Olivier Van Hoofstadt French
Cheeky David Thewlis English
When I Was a Singer Xavier Giannoli French
Tell No One Guillaume Canet French 94% 82
Arthur and the Invisibles Luc Besson English
Adam's Apples Anders Thomas Jensen Danish 69% 51
2007 Taxi 4 Gérard Krawczyk French
Michou d'Auber Thomas Gilou French
The Dinner Guest Laurent Bouhnik French
The Secret Vincent Perez English
Masked Mobsters Ariel Zeitoun French
Hitman Xavier Gens English 14% 35
2008 Frontier(s) French 55% 44
My Very Best Friend Isabelle Doval French
Taken Pierre Morel English 58% 50
Behind the Walls Christian Faure French
Sagan Diane Kurys French
Go Fast Olivier Van Hoofstadt French
Being W.
French
Four Minutes Chris Kraus German
GAL Miguel Courtois Spanish
Transporter 3 Olivier Megaton English 37% 51
Be Kind Rewind Michel Gondry English 66% 52
2009 Special Correspondents Frédéric Auburtin French
District 13: Ultimatum Patrick Alessandrin French 74% 64
Villa Amalia Benoît Jacquot French
Hallelujah! Roger Delattre French
Home Yann Arthus-Bertrand French
Staten Island James DeMonaco English
Human Zoo Rie Rasmussen English
Fashion Victim Gérard Jugnot French
Le Concert Radu Mihaileanu Russian,
French
In the Beginning Xavier Giannoli French
Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard Luc Besson English
2010 The Whistler Phillppe Lefebvre French
Paris Express Hervé Renoh French
22 Bullets Richard Berry French
I Love You Phillip Morris Glenn Ficara

John Requa

 English 72%
From Paris With Love Pierre Morel English 37%
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec Luc Besson French 83%
Little White Lies Guillaume Canet French 41%
The Big Picture Eric Lartigau French 88%
Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds Luc Besson English 20%
Storm Hans-Christian Schmid English
A View of Love Nicole Garcia French
2011 Halal police d'État Rachid Dhibou French
Au bistro du coin Charles Nemes French
The Source Radu Mihăileanu Arabic
Un baiser papillon Karine Silla French
Colombiana Olivier Megaton English,
Spanish		 27%
A Monster in Paris Bibo Bergeron French 85%
La Planque Akim Isker French
The Lady Luc Besson English 34%
Love Lasts Three Years Frédéric Beigbeder French
2012 Lockout
  • James Mather,
  • Stephen St. Leger
 English 38% 48
Blind Man Xavier Palud French
Taken 2 Olivier Megaton English 21% 45
The Man Who Laughs Jean-Pierre Améris French
2013 The Family Luc Besson English 29% 42
The Marchers Nabil Ben Yadir French
For a Woman Diane Kurys French 89% 59
The Dream Kids Vianney Lebasque French
Möbius Éric Rochant French
Collision David Marconi English
It Boy David Moreau French
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
French
Les Invincibles Frédéric Berthe French
36 heures à tuer Tristan Aurouet
2014 3 Days to Kill McG English 28% 40
Never on the First Night Melissa Drigeard French
Lucy Luc Besson English 67% 61
Brick Mansions Camille Delamarre English 26% 40
Fastlife Thomas N'Gijol French
Cartoonists - Foot Soldiers of Democracy Stéphanie Valloatto French
Le Jeu de la vérité François Desagnat French
Angélique Ariel Zeitoun French
Saint Laurent Bertrand Bonello French 52% 52
The Homesman Tommy Lee Jones English 82% 68
2015 Taken 3 Olivier Mégaton English 11% 26
Bis Dominique Farrugia French
The Transporter Refueled Camille Delamarre English 16% 32
Big Game Jalmari Helander English 76% 53
2016 Nine Lives Barry Sonnenfeld English 11% 11
Shut In Farren Blackburn English 3% 22
Miss Sloane John Madden English 74% 64
The Warriors Gate Matthias Hoene English
2017 Their Finest Lone Scherfig English
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Luc Besson English 49%
The Circle James Ponsoldt English 16%
Ethel & Ernest Roger Mainwood English 94%
2018 Taxi 5 Franck Gastambide French
Kursk Thomas Vinterberg English
Renegades Steven Quale English
2019 Anna Luc Besson English
TBA The Transporter 5[29]
The Transporter 6[29]
Sea at War[30][31]

Television series

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.
gollark: VERY.
gollark: Oh, for digit systems.
gollark: What do you mean "most expressive"? You can trivially convert logarithms between bases using the formula.
gollark: I am *also* dissatisfied with every programming language ever. It's quite annoying.
gollark: I "would" use APL if it could be typed and also if there was a good FOSS implementation.

References
  1. https://variety.com/2016/film/global/chinas-fundamental-films-europacorp-1201873778/
  2. Ragot, Sophie (11 October 2010). "EuropaCorp, French film in the American manner". INA Global. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  3. Richford, Rhonda (February 2, 2013). "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Reports Strong Growth in Third Quarter Results". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  4. Leffler, Rebecca (27 January 2011). "EuropaCorp Co-Founder Pierre-Ange le Pogam Bids Farewell to Luc Besson". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  5. Richford, Rhonda (14 May 2019). "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Placed Under Court Protection in France". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  6. "EuropaCorp Registration Document" (PDF). EuropaCorp. 26 July 2018. p. 29. Retrieved 5 February 2020. 5.1.5 Company history and major events in the development of the company and Group
    Created by Luc Besson in 1992 under the name Leeloo Productions, the Company really began producing and co-producing feature films in 1999, with the release the following year of Taxi 2 and The Dancer.
  7. "Luc Besson". Gala. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  8. Serafino, Phil (July 6, 2007). "EuropaCorp, Besson Film Company, Raises EU70 Million (Update3)". Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on September 17, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2007.
  9. Fleming Jr, Mike (March 7, 2013). "EuropaCorp Names Lisa Ellzey To Spearhead U.S. Motion Picture Production Surge". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  10. "Luc Besson: French film director accused of rape". BBC News. May 19, 2018.
  11. Keslassy, Elsa (May 23, 2018). "EuropaCorp Stock Drops in Wake of Rape Allegation Against Luc Besson". Variety. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  12. Keslassy, Elsa (20 September 2018). "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp to Sell Roissy Films' Library to Gaumont". Variety.
  13. "Five more women make sex-offence allegations against Luc Besson". The Guardian. November 28, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  14. Keslassy, Elsa (May 14, 2019). "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Gets Six-Month Debt Waiver From French Court". Variety. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  15. Keslassy, Elsa (May 20, 2019). "Movie Studio That Made 'Taken' Seeks U.S. Bankruptcy". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  16. Richford, Rhonda (13 December 2019). "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Posts $25M Loss as Bailout Talks Continue". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  17. "|| EUROPACORP ||". EuropaCorp. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  18. Hopewell, John; Keslassy, Elsa (July 7, 2010). "Lambert to EuropaCorp CEO". Variety. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  19. Fleming Jr, Mike; Jaafar, Ali (February 10, 2016). "EuropaCorp Shocker: CEO Christophe Lambert Leaves, Marc Shmuger Replacing Him". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  20. "Digital Factory | Cité du cinéma". Digital Factory (in French). Retrieved 15 January 2010.
  21. Lodderhose, Diana (September 29, 2016). "China's Fundamental Films Takes 28% Stake In EuropaCorp". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  22. Keslassy, Elsa (27 June 2017). "EuropaCorp Sells Music Library to Sony/ATV for $16.3 Million". variety.com.
  23. Keslassy, Elsa (28 June 2017). "With 'Valerian' Looming, EuropaCorp Posts Record Losses of $135 Million". variety.com.
  24. Pfanner, Eric (November 4, 2012). "France Tries to Lure Filmmakers". The New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  25. Leffler, Rebecca (July 23, 2012). "Distribution Deal in China". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  26. Tartaglione, Nancy (July 23, 2012). "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Enters Chinese Co-Production & Distribution Pact". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  27. Roxborough, Scott (18 May 2015). "Cannes: Kino Swiat Gets EuropaCorp Output for Poland". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  28. "The Cité du cinéma". Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2013.
  29. THR Staff (May 19, 2013). "Cannes: Three New 'Transporter' Films in the Works". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  30. Abrams, Rachel; Keslassy, Elsa (May 15, 2013). "Cannes: Luc Besson Dives into 'Sea at War' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  31. Sea at War on IMDb
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