MK2 Films Sets Major Slate Financing Deal With IPR.VC

European sales, production and finance company mk2 films has announced a multi-year slate financing deal with investment fund manager IPR.VC, which will provide “significant financial backing for a slate of future projects”.

 “We are thrilled to work with IPR.VC and its experienced management team, and to have found the perfect partners to allow us to scale our efforts while maintaining the artistic integrity that defines mk2 films and our commitment to bold, visionary filmmaking,” mk2 films CEO Nathanael Karmitz and Managing Director Fionnuala Jamison said in a joint statement.

The French firm did not divulge details of the value of the deal or how many projects it was projected to support, but said IPR.VC’s financial support would enable it to deliver a robust slate of projects and further strengthen “its status as a leading force in auteur-driven cinema. 

Recent mk2 films past successes include Justine Triet’s Oscar-winning Anatomy of a Fall, Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, and Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, while buzzed about upcoming titles include Andrew Haigh’s Belly of the Beast starring Ben Stiller and Colin Farrell, and The Zellner Brothers’ Alpha Gang starring Cate Blanchett.

Current films in production include Trier’s Sentimental Value, Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent, and Dylan Southern’s The Thing With Feathers starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

The announcement follows the recent key hire of Vanessa Saal, former managing director of Protagonist Pictures.  The experienced exec has joined mk2 films to lead the company’s U.K. presence and strengthen its focus on English-language projects.

The company said the hire, along with the IPR.VC strategic alliance, underscored mk2 films’ ongoing plans for growth and international expansion.

Helsinki and London-based investment fund manager IPR.VC has raised more than $200 million and backed more than 50 productions across film and television.

The fund said the new alliance with mk2 films reflected its continued commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in the industry. 

IPR.VC has established long-term alliances with acclaimed US and European film and television producers such as A24 (Civil War, Love Lies Bleeding, Maxxxine, Causeway), XYZ Films (Blackberry, Skywalkers: A Love Story, The Wasp), and animation studio Gigglebug Entertainment. 

“mk2 films is a European studio with an unrivalled heritage driven by a remarkably talented team,” said IPR.VC Partner and Investment Director Andrea Scarso.

 “This multi-year, multi-project collaboration aligns perfectly with IPR.VC’s strategy of investing in high-quality content with enduring value. Together, we aim to cultivate a truly international portfolio, with a particular emphasis on European stories that have the potential to reach and engage global audiences.”