Fremantle acquires majority of Italian indie production company Lux Vide

Luca Bernabei (left) and Andrea Scrosati

European production and distribution group Fremantle has acquired 70% of Italian indie prodco Lux Vide.

Launched in 1992, Lux Vide has produced more than 1,300 hours of primetime original scripted content that has been viewed in 144 countries worldwide.

Lux Vide owns five studios, based outside Rome, making it the only independent Italian television production studio with over 6,000m² of set space.

Fremantle said today the acquisition forms part of its wider international growth strategy to invest in premium production companies, content creators, and talent.

Under the deal, financial terms of which were not disclosed, the Bernabei family will retain the remaining 30% of Lux Vide. Luca Bernabei will continue as CEO of the company, which was founded in 1992 by Ettore and Matilde Bernabei.

The acquisition was spearheaded by Andrea Scrosati, Fremantle Group chief operating officer and continental CEO.

Scrosati will assume the role of chairman of Lux Vide, while Matilde Bernabei will become honorary chairman and will also serve on the management board.

Lux Vide became the first Italian company to win an Emmy Award with the film Joseph from The Bible Collection, and has also received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for its coproduction Coco Chanel.

Other credits include Medici, starring Dustin Hoffman, Richard Madden and Sean Bean (Netflix); Leonardo, starring Aidan Turner and Matilda De Angelis (Amazon Prime); and Devils, the high-stakes financial thriller starring Patrick Dempsey and Alessandro Borghi (Sky).

Lux Vide is the latest acquisition for Fremantle and its growing global drama business. Previous investments include acquiring the 12 former Nent Studios production labels in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark (now rebranded This is Nice Group); Australian-American prodco Eureka Productions (Parental Guidance, Finding Magic Mike); Italian-based Wildside and The Apartment (My Brilliant Friend, The New Pope, The Hand of God); and UK-based Naked Entertainment (Ghislaine, Prince Andrew & the Paedophile, Planet Sex).