Distrib Films

Overview

Distrib Films is a Paris-based film distribution company founded in 2010 and registered as a SAS (societe par actions simplifiee) with 15,000 EUR in capital. The company operates from 38 Rue de Berri, 75008 Paris. Its primary business is acquiring and releasing French and European independent films theatrically in France, and through its US arm, Distrib Films US (based at 32 Court Street, Suite 2107, Brooklyn, NY), releasing those same films to American audiences. President and CEO Francois Scippa-Kohn runs acquisitions, development, and overall strategy for both operations.

Distrib Films US has released more than 100 films in the American market as of 2025. The UniFrance directory lists 39 films in the company's filmography, split between French domestic distribution (10 titles) and international distribution (30 titles). The company occupies a specific niche: bringing French-language independent cinema to theatrical audiences in both France and the US, with a focus on first and second features by emerging directors.

Acquisition Behavior and Deal Structures

Distrib Films acquires finished films from international sales agents rather than pre-buying or developing projects. Recent acquisitions include Block Pass (La Pampa), Antoine Chevrollier's debut feature that premiered at Cannes Critics' Week, acquired from Pulsar Content. The film had sold approximately 154,000 tickets (grossing roughly 1.1 million EUR) in France through local distributor Tandem before the US acquisition. Distrib Films also acquired US rights to Spare Keys and Amore Mio, both first features, from Paris-based sales agent Urban Sales in January 2024.

Scippa-Kohn described both Spare Keys and Amore Mio as showing "French indie cinema at its best" with "strong stories, bold directing and amazing acting." The company typically acquires films in the low five-figure to mid six-figure range for US rights, depending on festival profile and cast. Deals are negotiated directly with sales agents at markets including the Marche du Film (Cannes), the European Film Market (Berlinale), and TIFF industry events.

Release Strategy

Distrib Films US plans theatrical releases for acquired titles through partnerships with independent theatrical bookers in major US markets. For Block Pass, the company announced a strategy of launching at springtime international and LGBTQ+ festivals in the US before "securing venues in main US markets keen for foreign language movies." This festival-to-theatrical pipeline is standard for foreign-language arthouse distribution in the US, where platform releases begin in New York and Los Angeles before expanding to secondary markets.

The company works with VOD aggregators to place films on streaming platforms after the theatrical window. Scippa-Kohn has built relationships with producers, sales agents, theatrical bookers, and VOD aggregators across both the French and American markets, allowing each release to be handled with what he describes as a "tailored and passionate approach."

Catalog and Notable Releases

The Distrib Films US catalog spans French arthouse cinema across multiple genres. Recent and notable titles include:

• The Most Precious of Cargoes (animated feature, Cannes 2024)
• The Mohican (drama)
• Niki (biographical drama about artist Niki de Saint Phalle)
• No Chains No Masters (Sans Lui)
• Marguerite's Theorem (mathematics-themed drama)
• Block Pass (La Pampa, Cannes Critics Week)
• Spare Keys (first feature, acquired from Urban Sales)
• Amore Mio (first feature, acquired from Urban Sales)
• Papicha (Algerian drama, Cannes 2019)
• Josep (animated biographical film, Cannes 2020)

The catalog also includes Lourdes, Perfumes, The Girl with a Bracelet, In Safe Hands, and The Freshmen. The company has distributed films from directors including Francois Ozon, Arnaud Desplechin, and emerging filmmakers making their debut or second features.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Distrib Films is a realistic distribution target for French and European filmmakers whose work fits the arthouse festival circuit. The company's interest in first and second features makes it accessible to emerging directors who have secured a significant festival premiere (Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, or their parallel sections) but may not yet have the track record to attract larger sales companies or US distributors.

For French filmmakers, Distrib Films provides domestic French theatrical distribution. For European filmmakers more broadly, the company's US arm provides a pathway to American theatrical release that many European arthouse films lack. The company's Paris base and relationships with European sales agents mean it is most relevant for filmmakers whose work has natural appeal in French, German, Scandinavian, and Benelux arthouse markets.

Filmmakers should understand that Distrib Films acquires from sales agents, not directly from filmmakers. A filmmaker seeking Distrib Films as a US distributor needs their film to be represented by an international sales agent who can pitch the title to Scippa-Kohn at a market. The company does not operate an open submission portal.

Market Presence

Distrib Films attends the Marche du Film at Cannes (the world's largest film market), the European Film Market at Berlinale, and TIFF industry events. The company does not typically attend AFM (the American Film Market), as its acquisition model is oriented toward European festival premieres rather than the AFM market calendar.

See Also

For how international sales agent representation works in practice, see Distribution Deals Explained. For how emerging directors can position their films to attract distributor attention, see Film Festival Strategy for Distributors. To model the revenue from a US theatrical release of a foreign-language arthouse film, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.