France’s Federation buys Calt Production owner Robin & Co

Around The World In 80 Days

Around The World In 80 Days producer Federation has taken a majority stake in French drama group Robin & Co.

The deal comes six months since Federation raised $60m to fuel its expansion and will see the Pascal Breton-led company acquiring Robin & Co’s array of production labels, including Kaamelott and Caméra Café outfit Calt Production and its subsidiaries.

Jean-Yves Robin

These include Calt Studio, headed by Xavier Matthieu, and Calt Story, headed by Hervé Bellech, while other groups include Hope Production, Marc Stanimirovic’s feature firm Monkey Pack Film, and Robin Production, led by Marion Gendron Durand.

Robin & Co was founded by Jean-Yves Robin in 1998, with Laetitia Recayte co-director since 2020.

Federation’s growing ambitions

The acquisition is the latest expansion for Federation in the rapidly consolidating French market, with a slate including The Bureau, Baby, Hostages and Marseille, as well as recently released BBC drama Around The World In 80 Days.

Breton founded the firm in 2013 and it now has more than 65 shows in the works for both French operators and international broadcasters and streamers, including the local remake of hit Israeli drama BeTipul, which is being produced as In Treatment for Arte.

It has found success with its Israeli drama Blackspace, which was recently picked up by Netflix around the world, and struck a deal with Swan Song and Mr Robot outfit Anonymous Content in 2021 to launch a joint venture scripted firm.

It has also been expanding its doc slate and joined forces with Fred Fougea’s firm Boreales last year to launch factual label, Boreales Federation.

Breton, president of Federation, said: “The exceptional relationship that Jean-Yves Robin has managed to build with many actors, writers and directors, especially in comedy, is unique in France.

“Our association can offer them even more outlets on channels, platforms, the international market and all the derivative markets born of the digital revolution that we are exploring.”

Robin, president of Robin & Co, added that the deal would provide his firm with “a new impetus” and offered “complementarities between our two groups, both artistically and in terms of business.”