Umedia

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Umedia
IndustryFilm production, VFX
Founded2004; 20 years ago (2004) (as Motion Investment Group)
2010; 14 years ago (2010) (as Umedia)
Founders
Headquarters,
Belgium
Key people
  • Bastien Sirodot (co-CEO)
  • Laurent Jacobs (co-CEO)
Number of employees
200
Websitewww.umedia.eu Edit this at Wikidata

Umedia (formerly stylized uMedia) is an international film group based in Brussels, with offices in London, Paris, Los Angeles, and Vancouver.[1]

History[edit]

Nadia Khamlichi, Adrian Politowski and Jeremy Burdek created the Motion Investment Group in 2004 in Brussels. They set up the offices in the basement rooms of one of their friends' grandmothers. Their plan was to set up a fund using Belgium's tax shelter provisions for visiting productions.[2] In 2010, the group rebranded as uMedia, with business divisions of "uFund (fundraising), uFilm (production and investment), uDream (distribution) and uFX (visual effects)." In 2011, its website reported it had staffed 75 employees, co-produced and financed 120 films, raised and invested 156 million euros.[3] One of the film group's most notable financing at that time was for the 2011 film The Artist.[2]

In 2013, Umedia expanded its operations to Los Angeles.[2] In 2014, Burdek resigned.[4] In 2016, Umedia set up an office in Vancouver.[5]

In 2019, Khamlichi and Politowski co-founded and launched the production company Align Pictures, where Politowski plans to focus on producing fewer films but have more involvement in them. Politowski resigned from his position as co-CEO of the uMedia, leaving Khamlichi to remain as CEO.[6] In 2020, Politowski sold his remaining stake in uMedia.[7] and Khamlichi resigned as co-CEO. Bastien Sirodot, who had served as chief operating officer, became CEO.[8][4] Laurent Jacobs, who joined Umedia as the chief financial officer in 2019, became co-CEO with Sirodot.[8]

Filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Grater2016-09-28T11:17:00+01:00, Tom. "Umedia launches Vancouver VFX house". Screen. Retrieved 2024-04-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Roxborough, Scott (April 29, 2013). "uMedia Sets Up L.A., Offices, Expands in London, Paris". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ "Key Figures". uMedia. Archived from the original on 2011-05-04. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b "UMEDIA ENTERTAINMENT LTD. – Company Profile – Brokers Navigator". brokersnavigator.com.
  5. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (27 September 2016). "Belgium's Umedia Launches Canada's VFX Studio". Variety. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (June 24, 2019). "Adrian Politowski Exits Umedia To Form Align; LA-Based Production & Finance Venture Has $150M Fund".
  7. ^ "Align – Team". Align Group. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "About umedia – Our team". Umedia official website. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  9. ^ "'A Girl from Mogadishu' Starring Aja Naomi King to Hit Cinemas April 3". 9 March 2020.
  10. ^ Roxborough, Scott (May 9, 2014). "Cannes: Belgium's Umedia Boards Nicholas Hoult-Starrer 'Sand Castle'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  11. ^ Vinyan (PDF) (press kit).
  12. ^ Linden, Sheri (August 9, 2017). "'What Happened to Monday': Film Review | Locarno 2017". The Hollywood Reporter.
  13. ^ Hoeij, Boyd van (January 7, 2014). "Yves Saint Laurent: Berlin Review". The Hollywood Reporter.

External links[edit]