PROFILE

StudioCanal, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Canal+ Group, is a major player in France and Europe in the financing, acquisition and distribution of cinema films.

Supported by a very comprehensive catalogue which now comprises more than 5000 French, English and American films, StudioCanal has acquired a unique position in all lines of business: cinema distribution, video*, TV sales and international sales, generating annual revenues of 400 million euros.

StudioCanal is therefore an ideal partner for French film producers, as it is capable of maximising the revenues of films, both in France and across the world.

StudioCanal attempts to strike a balance between a passion for the cinema, growth and a rigorous management approach, by pursuing a strategy based on spreading risks, maximising distribution channels, enhancing its catalogue on an ongoing basis and ensuring its international expansion, thanks to the global distribution agreements that it has concluded for television and video with Universal and its own all rights sales activity.

In order to acquire the best films, StudioCanal has put in place production agreements with some of the best French film makers and production companies, including notably : Légende (Alain Goldman), Pan-Européenne (Philippe Godeau), Fidélité (Olivier Delbosc et Marc Missonnier), Chez Wam (Alain Chabat), Eskwad (Richard Grandpierre), F.E.W. (Dominique Farrugia) and Nord-Ouest (Christophe Rossignon).

In order to enlarge its supply of Anglo-Saxon films, StudioCanal is co-financing with Universal Pictures, the Working Title films (Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner) since 1999, one of the leading production companies in Europe.
StudioCanal thus ensures that the most talked-about English-language films receive the best possible exposure in France.

StudioCanal has also developed very close working relations with American production companies, by selling the remake and follow-up right of films in its catalogue, and by acquiring in 2005 the distribution rights for France of prestigious international films such as Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" and Robert de Niro's "The Good Shepherd".

*StudioCanal Vidéo operates a wide range of programmes in video and DVD format (500 DVD programmes already released, including 300 films), drawn from 4 separate sources:
1. Films recently produced or acquired by StudioCanal
2. StudioCanal's films catalogue
3. Programmes produced by the Canal+ TV channel, where humour and football figure prominently.
4. Other programmes from the Canal + Group world, such as documentaries or animated films.
StudioCanal Vidéo is organised on the principle of a label that handles in-house all the publishing, marketing and promotional aspects of its products, while their commercial and physical distribution is entrusted to Universal Music.

STUDIOCANAL in figures

Distribution in theaters :
- 25 to 30 releases a year,
- 1st or 2nd place in the annual ranking of distributors of French films,
- Almost 20 million cinema admissions in 2004.


HISTORY
CANAL+ created CANAL+ Production

1990: CANAL+ Production became LE STUDIO CANAL+ and went into partnership with CAROLCO in the United States.

1992: CANAL+ created CANAL+ DA in order to put in place a vast diversified catalogue. "Basic Instinct", produced by CAROLCO, caused a sensation at the Cannes Festival and launched the career of the film's lead actress Sharon Stone.

1994: CANAL+ DA expanded its catalogue by purchasing that of DEG, including such famous films as "The Graduate".

1995: A particularly eventful year, with the emergence of numerous new talents. "Hate", the second full length film of Mathieu Kassovitz caused a stir on the Croisette and launched definitively the career of the young producer.
Moreover, LE STUDIO CANAL+ participated actively in the revival of Asian films in France by helping the distribution in cinemas of two Japanese films: "Porco Rosso" of Hayao Miyazaki and "Sonatine" of Takeshi Kitano. Since then, those two film makers have established themselves as leading names in the international film world.
The year ended with a comedy which delighted almost 5 million cinema-goers: "Happiness is in the Meadow" of Etienne Chatiliez

1996: CANAL + acquired UGC DA, the largest catalogue of films in France and the second largest in Europe, which includes the Lumière catalogue in France and the EMI-WEINTRAUB library in the United Kingdom, while LE STUDIO CANAL+ purchased the CAROLCO catalogue ("Terminator 2", "Basic Instinct", etc.)

1999: LE STUDIO CANAL+ joined forces with UNIVERSAL PICTURES to co-finance and distribute the WORKING TITLE films, such as "Billy Elliot" of Stephen Daldry which was released in cinemas that year, marking the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership.

2000: LE STUDIO CANAL+ and CANAL+ DA merged to create STUDIOCANAL. "Brotherhood of the Wolf" of Christophe Gans brought in more than 25 million euros at the French box-office. It is the company's biggest blockbuster to date.

2001: "The Son's Room" of Nanni Moretti won 1st prize (the Palme d'Or) at Cannes, while "Mullohand Drive" of David Lynch, one of the film makers the most admired by film fans, won the prize for best production and was also was a box-office hit..
"Intimacy" the film of Patrice Chéreau won the Golden Bear Award in Berlin, as well as the award for best European film.

2002: "The Pianist" of Roman Polanski won three Oscars and the Palme d'Or in Cannes, among a long list of prestigious awards.

2003: A new management team was put in place, managed by Frédéric Sichler. StudioCanal decided to outsource production to concentrate on distribution.

2004: Thanks to the successes of "RRRrrrr!!!", "Podium", "Crimson Rivers 2" and "Mariages!", StudioCanal generated 50 million euros at the French box-office.
The jury at the Festival of Cannes awarded the Palme d'Or to Michael Moore's provocative documentary "Fahrenheit 911". Also in competition, Agnès Jaoui's "Look at Me" won the best screenplay award.
In September, at the 61st International Film Festival of Venice, the top award (the Golden Lion) and the Volpi Cup for best actress went to Mike Leigh's film "Vera Drake". Moreover, the film won 3 BAFTA awards.


MANAGEMENT

FREDERIC SICHLER
Chief Executive Officer

FABRICE FAUX
Executive Vice-President, Finance & Technique

RODOLPHE BUET
Executive Vice-President Sales & Marketing

NATHALIE BLOCH-LAINE
Senior Vice-President, production

SYLVIE ARNOULD
Executive Vice-President, business & legal affairs

EMMANUELLE GRETH
Human resources manager

PHILIPPE DESANDRÉ
Managing director, Mars Distribution

FRANCOISE GUYONNET
Executive Vice-President, home entertainment

DIANE REYNALD
Executive Vice-President, TV sales and new media

MURIEL SAUZAY
Executive Vice-President, international sales

RON HALPERN
Senior Vice President, US Production and Remake Development



FREDERIC SICHLER
Chief Executive Officer
Frédéric Sichler joined the CANAL+ Group in February 2003 as CEO of STUDIOCANAL.
A graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique, he also has a DEA postgraduate diploma in Economics. Before joining the CANAL + Group he was Chairman and CEO of EURIPIDE PRODUCTIONS, a production company specialising in televisual programmes and full-length films. He was also International Director of GAUMONT.
A music lover, Frédéric Sichler has devoted several years of his career to the world of music, where he has held various positions of responsibility, in particular that of Director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio-France. He spent more than ten years at Disques ERATO, where he was Chairman and CEO.
Born in 1952, he is married and has 4 children.