Newen Studios takes majority stake in Rise Films
July 27, 2022
TF1 subsidiary Newen Studios, a European specialist in audiovisual production and distribution, has taken a majority stake in London-based production house, Rise Films, adding the business to its UK portfolio of Newen Studios production companies.
Founded in 2006 by Teddy Leifer, Rise Films’ award-winning productions include The Invisible War (Oscar nominee and Emmy winner), The Interrupters (Emmy winner), Icarus (Oscar winner), Knuckle (Sundance world premiere), Dreamcatcher (Sundance winner), We Are Together (Tribeca winner), Rough Aunties (Sundance winner), The Human Factor (Telluride world premiere), Mayor (Peabody winner) and The Art of Political Murder (executive produced by George Clooney).
Its latest feature, All That Breathes, is the only film ever to have won both the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the L’Œil d’or (Best Documentary) at the Cannes Film Festival – where the film premiered in 2022. It was acquired in a global deal by HBO.
The company is now breaking into factual drama with its first project, Thank You & Goodbye, about the phone-hacking scandal that rocked Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, a collaboration with the creative team behind BBC and Netflix hit, The Salisbury Poisonings.
Rise Comedy, a joint venture with Rise Films, which is run by Plebs creator Sam Leifer, will continue to be operated independently. It is currently in production with a feature length finale of the critically acclaimed and multi award-winning Plebs, following a five series run as the most watched ITV2 comedy in the channel’s history.
Philippe Levasseur, Director of International, Newen Studios Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Teddy Leifer and all the Rise Films team into the Newen Studios’ production’ family. The partnership with these very talented individuals adds another solid brick to the foundations our European Studio. The appetite for documentary is stronger than ever. Teddy is a passionate producer and a team player; his team is a perfect match with our network of premium doc producers : Oscar nominee and Emmy Winner Sigrid Djekjaer (Real Lava), Emmy and Peabody winner Tomas Ocana (Capa Spain), Natalie Humphreys (Storyboard), Aster Reinboud (Docs by Pupkin), the Paris-based Capa team and the feature docs producers of Flare Films (Germany). Rise is also growing in factual drama and we strongly believe in the power of this scripted genre. Furthermore, this partnership strengthens our presence in the UK, where Newen Studios has invested in nine production companies* over the past two years.”
“Joining the Newen Studios Group was an easy decision for us and we’re excited to be working with their talented team as we build together,” added Leifer. “I’m so grateful to my wonderful colleagues at Rise for their hard work and creativity. It’s a privilege to work alongside them.”