Financier Anton invests another $56m in Newen Studios distribution rights

European producer and financier Anton has invested €50m (US$56m) in TF1-backed Newen Studios’ audiovisual projects.

Romain Bessi

Under the agreement, Anton will co-invest in the distribution rights to the French firm’s content, which includes an upcoming documentary about fashion designer John Galliano from Scottish director Kevin MacDonald (One Day in September).

Anton first partnered with Newen in 2019 to co-invest in distribution rights to the company’s productions and third-party programmes across all genres.

Anton, founded by Sébastien Raybaud in 2011, has co-financed international features such as the Paddington franchise, Non-Stop and Shaun the Sheep. It currently co-finances an ongoing high-end drama fund with UK pubcaster the BBC that has been used for productions such as McMafia, Gentleman Jack and The Pursuit of Love.

In 2021, it also acquired a minority stake in Benedict Cumberbatch’s scripted production company SunnyMarch, which is behind 2021 film The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, starring Cumberbatch, Claire Foy and Olivia Colman.

Romain Bessi, MD of Newen Studios, said: “The extension of the agreement with Anton testifies to the successful dynamic achieved by Newen Studios. Numerous projects have been co-financed with Anton over the past two years. With this new partnership, our scope will now include cinema, a genre the group has been supporting even more since the integration of TF1.”