Tania Reichert-Facilides, Managing Director of Universum Film (left), and the German pop star Sasha at the rooftop party

Founded in 1979, Universum Film initially concentrated on video distribution. In 1984, Bertelsmann AG bought up the remaining shares from Universum’s co-owner Büscher Film, and the new subsidiary moved from Dusseldorf to Munich. From this point on, films were distributed under the ‘Ufa-Video’ label. In 1987, the company was renamed BMG/Video Universum Film. Its portfolio at that time already included the classics of German cinema, such as Der blaue Engel and Münchhausen. In the 1990s, various cooperations, e.g. with Tobis Film and Telepool ensured a steady supply of high-quality cinematic productions like The Fifth Element and Apocalypse Now. Add to that an exclusive contract with ZDF which continues to this day. The company had one of its biggest successes to date with Michael ‘Bully’ Herbig’s Karl May parody, Der Schuh des Manitu, which sold four million DVDs and video cassettes, generating revenue of over 37 million EUR and pushing the company’s turnover past the 50-million-EUR mark for the first time in 2001.

In 2003, the ‘UFA Kids’ (now ‘Universum Kids’) label was launched, under which the company commercialises all the children’s programmes it holds the rights to. Universum Film has led the market in the ‘Kids Non Feature’ segment since 2007, with a market share of 16 per cent.

Scene from Mondbär

The fact that Universum Film commands the entire commercialisation chain, from cinema to video-on-demand, and that RTL Television often simultaneously acquires the TV rights, facilitates negotiations regarding new projects, as do the company’s partnerships in the Home Entertainment sector, some of which have been ongoing for many years. Universum’s enormous marketing expertise is evidenced by films such as Around the World in 80 Days, which were much more successful in Germany than in the U.S. market. These days, Universum Film itself is behind several high-quality productions, such as Mondbär and Prinzessin Lillifee, where the company contributed its family-entertainment expertise. Each year, it co-produces around three new films.

Since October 2008, Universum has offered content on iTunes as well: TV series first, followed by blockbusters like Pan’s Labyrinth. Just a few weeks after their digital release, the titles generated steep revenue, without much advertising. In 2009, viewers can look forward to titles including an updated of the Oscar-winning classic Fame, the action thriller Gamer, the documentary Serengeti and the new German film Summertime Blues.

All in all, Universum Film is well equipped for the future and looks forward with confidence and excitement to the next 30 years.