Overview
Coccinelle Film Sales is a Rome-based international sales agency founded in 2013 by Francesca Breccia. The company handles 4 to 6 films per year, specializing in arthouse and independent cinema from around the world with socially engaged themes. The company's catalog includes 25 fiction films and 14 documentaries, spanning drama, comedy, LGBTQ+ titles, family films, and thrillers from countries including Italy, Israel, South Korea, Morocco, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, the USA, Spain, Iran, Slovenia, Denmark, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.
Coccinelle Film Sales operates from Via degli Orti D'Alibert 4 in Rome, with a decentralized international network of collaborators across multiple continents. The company was founded as an online-first operation, which positioned it well for the pandemic-era market shift toward virtual screenings and digital marketplaces.
Business Model
Coccinelle Film Sales uses a non-standard business model that differentiates it from most international sales agencies. The company takes films from producers for 12 months from delivery, after which producers are free to continue the relationship or take their films elsewhere. This short-term, non-binding structure has built trust with filmmakers, who tend to return with subsequent projects.
The company keeps distribution costs low by operating as a small outfit with minimal indirect costs, using digital B2B tools to reduce market and festival expenses. Costs are recuperated almost immediately from the first sale, meaning producers see profits faster than under traditional sales agency structures. When a sale is made, the producer invoices the buyer directly, maintaining cashflow in the producer's hands. Coccinelle then invoices the producer for its commission.
Coccinelle does not typically offer minimum guarantees. In rare cases involving films with internationally relevant casts and directors, the company may adopt a standard sales policy model with MGs, though this has happened only once in the company's history. The company may contribute to production funding in some cases, but this is not its standard practice.
Current Catalog and Recent Titles
Coccinelle's 2025 catalog includes The Sea (Shai Carmeli-Pollak, Israel, 93 min), Summer's Camera (Divine Sung, South Korea, 84 min), Autusto (Jerome Cohen-Olivar, Morocco, 108 min), Outerlands (Elena Oxman, USA, 100 min), Secret Delivery (Jan Sebechlebsky, Czechia/Slovakia/Serbia, 96 min), and Diya (Achille Ronaimou, Chad/Germany/France). 2024 titles include Dreaming of Lions (Paolo Marinou-Blanco, Portugal/Brazil/Spain, 88 min) and Girl America (Viktor Taus, Czech Rep/Slovakia/Switzerland, 107 min).
The catalog also includes Sister Brother Manhole Cover (Milcho Manchevski, North Macedonia/Bulgaria), continuing the company's pattern of handling films from emerging and underrepresented production territories. Coccinelle's documentary catalog includes titles from Iran (Cafe, Navid Mihandoost, 2023), the Netherlands (Narcosis, Martijn de Jong, 2022), and Ukraine (How Is Katia?, Christina Tynkevych, 2022).
Example Titles They've Released
Coccinelle's catalog of 25 fiction films and 14 documentaries spans diverse territories and genres. Representative titles include:
- How Is Katia? (2022, Christina Tynkevych, Ukraine) - drama; 101 min; screened at Locarno and other festivals
- Girl America / Amerikanka (2024, Viktor Taus, Czech Republic) - drama; 108 min; won Czech Lion Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume, and Best Poster; nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Leading Actress; distributed by Bontonfilm in Czech Republic
- Dreaming of Lions / Sonhar com Leoes (2024, Paolo Marinou-Blanco, Portugal/Brazil/Spain) - comedy/drama; 88 min; stars Denise Fraga and Joao Nunes Monteiro; premiered at the 53rd Festival de Cinema de Gramado
- Narcosis (2022, Martijn de Jong, Netherlands) - documentary; from the Netherlands
- Cafe (2023, Navid Mihandoost, Iran) - documentary; from Iran
- Sister Brother Manhole Cover (Milcho Manchevski, North Macedonia/Bulgaria) - fiction; from underrepresented production territories
Box office figures for Coccinelle-handled titles are not widely reported, as most films in the catalog receive festival-driven theatrical releases rather than wide commercial distribution.
Deal Structure Reputation
Coccinelle Film Sales uses a non-standard business model that differentiates it from most international sales agencies. The company takes films from producers for 12 months from delivery, after which producers are free to continue the relationship or take their films elsewhere. This short-term, non-binding structure has built trust with filmmakers, who tend to return with subsequent projects.
The company keeps distribution costs low by operating as a small outfit with minimal indirect costs, using digital B2B tools to reduce market and festival expenses. Costs are recuperated almost immediately from the first sale, meaning producers see profits faster than under traditional sales agency structures. When a sale is made, the producer invoices the buyer directly, maintaining cashflow in the producer's hands. Coccinelle then invoices the producer for its commission.
Coccinelle does not typically offer minimum guarantees. In rare cases involving films with internationally relevant casts and directors, the company may adopt a standard sales policy model with MGs, though this has happened only once in the company's history. The company may contribute to production funding in some cases, but this is not its standard practice.
The commission-based model means Coccinelle earns only when sales are made. This aligns the company's incentives with the producer's: no upfront payment, but also no long-term rights lockup. Producers retain the ability to reclaim rights after 12 months and continue festival circulation independently.
Typical Acquisition Profile
Coccinelle acquires films that fit the following profile:
- Genre: Arthouse drama, documentary, LGBTQ+ cinema, comedy, family films, and thrillers with socially engaged themes. All titles share a commitment to socially relevant content.
- Festival premiere status: Films with festival traction at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno, or regional festivals are preferred. Festival visibility is the primary sales driver for the company's catalog.
- Director track record: Both established directors (Milcho Manchevski) and emerging filmmakers from underrepresented territories are accepted. First and second features with clear social relevance are strong candidates.
- Budget tier: Low to mid-budget independent films. The company's commission-based model works best for films that have already secured some financing and need international sales representation rather than production funding.
- Territory focus: Films from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia, and Latin America are particularly relevant, as Coccinelle has demonstrated access to buyers and festivals in these regions. The catalog spans Italy, Israel, South Korea, Morocco, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, the USA, Spain, Iran, Slovenia, Denmark, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.
- Submission process: Filmmakers should contact Francesca Breccia directly through the Coccinelle Film Sales website or via the company's Cineuropa listing. The company reviews submissions year-round and typically takes on 4 to 6 new titles annually.
Recent Slate / Acquisition Activity
Coccinelle's 2024-2025 catalog represents continued focus on socially engaged cinema from diverse territories:
2025 catalog:
- The Sea (Israel, 93 min) - Shai Carmeli-Pollak
- Summer's Camera (South Korea, 84 min) - Divine Sung
- Autusto (Morocco, 108 min) - Jerome Cohen-Olivar
- Outerlands (USA, 100 min) - Elena Oxman
- Secret Delivery (Czechia/Slovakia/Serbia, 96 min) - Jan Sebechlebsky
- Diya (Chad/Germany/France) - Achille Ronaimou
2024 catalog:
- Dreaming of Lions (Portugal/Brazil/Spain, 88 min) - Paolo Marinou-Blanco; premiered at Festival de Cinema de Gramado 2025
- Girl America (Czech Rep/Slovakia/Switzerland, 107 min) - Viktor Taus; Czech Lion Award winner
No MG figures apply to Coccinelle's standard acquisitions, as the company operates on a commission-based model. The company attends Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and AFM to present its catalog to buyers.
Festival Strategy and Market Presence
Coccinelle treats festivals as the primary theatrical distribution option for independent films. The company maintains relationships with festival programmers and buyers across every continent, attending major markets including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and AFM. Films in the Coccinelle catalog are brought to every market and continued through festivals for two to two and a half years, even though the formal sales agreement lasts only 12 months.
The company's festival strategy focuses on sustained visibility over time rather than concentrated release windows. This approach aligns with the post-pandemic reality where theatrical distribution for independent arthouse films has contracted and festivals have become the primary exhibition pathway for many titles.
What Filmmakers Should Know
Coccinelle Film Sales is a realistic sales partner for independent filmmakers with arthouse or socially engaged films seeking international distribution. The company's non-binding 12-month model means filmmakers retain flexibility and do not lose control of their rights for years. The low-cost structure means producers see revenue from the first sale rather than waiting for the sales agent to recoup large overhead expenses.
Filmmakers should understand that Coccinelle does not offer MGs in its standard model. The company operates on commission, which means no upfront payment but also no long-term rights lockup. This model works best for films that have already secured some festival traction or have clear international arthouse appeal but lack the cast or director profile needed to attract MG-based sales agents.
The company's catalog spans diverse genres and territories, but all titles share a commitment to socially relevant content. Drama, LGBTQ+ cinema, documentary, and films from underrepresented production territories are the strongest fit. Filmmakers from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Asia whose work has social relevance will find Coccinelle's network particularly relevant, as the company has demonstrated access to buyers and festivals in these regions.
To submit, filmmakers should contact Francesca Breccia directly through the Coccinelle Film Sales website or via the company's Cineuropa listing. The company reviews submissions year-round and typically takes on 4 to 6 new titles annually.
Watch: Trailers and Interviews
See Also
For how international sales agency deals are structured, including commission rates and rights terms, see Distribution Deals Explained. To compare the financial outcomes of different sales agent models, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For other international sales agencies in this directory, see Autlook Filmsales and Deckert Distribution.
