Bavaria Film

Bavaria Film GmbH is a German film and television company based in Grünwald, near Munich, Bavaria. Its activities span film and television production, distribution, international sales, studio operations, and production services. The company is closely associated with the Bavaria Studios complex at Geiselgasteig, one of Germany’s best-known studio locations and a long-standing production center for German and international screen projects. Bavaria Film also operates through a broader group of subsidiaries and related businesses serving scripted television, feature films, factual programming, unscripted formats, and audiovisual production infrastructure. The company traces its origins to the Munich film business established by producer Peter Ostermayr. In 1919, Ostermayr converted Münchener Lichtspielkunst GmbH, a private film company founded in 1907, into Münchener Lichtspielkunst AG, commonly known as Emelka. The business acquired a large site at Geiselgasteig in Grünwald and developed it into a major studio base. Emelka was created in part as a southern German counterweight to Berlin’s increasingly dominant film industry and to UFA, which had begun operating in Berlin in 1917. During the early 1920s, the organization expanded its production infrastructure, including the acquisition of the Süddeutsche Filmwerke Geyer copying facility in 1921. The company’s history reflects the political and industrial upheavals of German cinema. It produced films and newsreel material during the interwar period, including a sound newsreel introduced in 1930. After financial difficulties and changes in control, a consortium led by investor Wilhelm Kraus acquired a majority stake in 1930. Full control followed in 1932, when the company was renamed Bavaria Film AG. In 1938, the Nazi regime nationalized Bavaria Film and made it part of the UFA production system. Following the Second World War, the studio operation was dormant for a period before being re-established as a private company in 1956. A major restructuring took place in 1959 with the creation of Bavaria Atelier GmbH, which organized the studio business. Geiselgasteig became one of the largest film-production locations in West Germany and supported both Bavaria’s own productions and projects from outside producers. In 1987, Bavaria Atelier was renamed Bavaria Film, consolidating the modern brand identity. The company subsequently developed a diversified production and distribution structure rather than relying solely on theatrical films. Its credits include major television productions such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Berlin Alexanderplatz and internationally recognized films including Wolfgang Petersen’s Das Boot. The Geiselgasteig facilities have also hosted productions by other companies, including The NeverEnding Story, Downfall, and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Bavaria Film has expanded its activities through partnerships and corporate transactions. In 2011, Bavaria Film International combined its worldwide sales operations with Telepool in a joint venture that became Global Screen, a Munich-based international distribution business. In 2012, Bavaria announced a partnership with Berlin-based Senator Entertainment. In 2021, the group broadened its factual and unscripted television capabilities through the acquisition of Story House Pictures and Story House Productions. In addition to its production and distribution businesses, Bavaria is associated with visitor-facing media infrastructure. Bavaria Filmstadt offers guided studio tours and displays sets, props, and production material connected with projects such as The NeverEnding Story, Das Boot, and the television series Marienhof. Bavaria Film’s present profile therefore combines a historic studio brand, a production group, distribution and sales activities, and physical production facilities serving the German and wider European audiovisual sector.

Bavaria Film’s corporate history reaches back to Munich’s early film industry. Producer Peter Ostermayr founded a private film company, Münchener Lichtspielkunst GmbH, in 1907. In 1919, he converted it into the public company Münchener Lichtspielkunst AG, generally known as Emelka. The new organization acquired approximately 356,000 square meters at Geiselgasteig in Grünwald, south of Munich, and developed the site into a major studio complex. Emelka was intended to strengthen Bavaria’s position in an industry increasingly concentrated in Berlin and to provide a regional competitor to UFA. During the early 1920s, the company expanded beyond film production. In 1921 it acquired the copying operation Süddeutsche Filmwerke Geyer, giving the group additional technical capacity. Emelka produced feature films and other screen material and, by 1930, had added the Sounding Emelka Newsreel, a newsreel format incorporating sound and music. Financial and ownership changes followed. Investor Wilhelm Kraus and a banking consortium acquired a majority interest in 1930, and the group took full control in September 1932. It was then renamed Bavaria Film AG. The company was absorbed into the state-controlled German film system under National Socialist rule. In 1938, the Nazi regime nationalized Bavaria Film and operated it as a production subsidiary of UFA. The studio’s activities were interrupted after the Second World War. In 1956, the business was re-established as a private company, beginning the postwar phase of its development as a major West German production organization. In 1959, Bavaria restructured its studio operations by establishing Bavaria Atelier GmbH. The Geiselgasteig site became a central production location for West German cinema and television and was, until German reunification, described as the largest film studio complex in West Germany. In 1987, Bavaria Atelier was renamed Bavaria Film, creating the name used by the modern group. Bavaria Filmkunst GmbH and other related businesses supported the company’s continuing production activities. The company became known for both television and theatrical work. Its credits include the television production Berlin Alexanderplatz, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and broadcast in 1980, and Wolfgang Petersen’s Das Boot, released in 1981 and subsequently recognized internationally. The Geiselgasteig facilities were also used by external production companies. Notable projects filmed there included The NeverEnding Story, Downfall, and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. The studios also hosted the Monty Python television specials known in German as Fliegender Zirkus, produced in 1971 and 1972. Bavaria later developed a more diversified corporate model combining production, distribution, international sales, and studio services. In 2011, Bavaria Film International and Telepool merged their worldwide sales activities into Global Screen, a Munich-based joint venture handling international distribution. In 2012, Bavaria announced a partnership with Senator Entertainment. In February 2021, the group acquired Story House Pictures and Story House Productions, extending its production activities into factual and unscripted television. The Bavaria brand also operates in visitor entertainment through Bavaria Filmstadt, a studio attraction offering tours of sets and displays of props and production material. This activity links the company’s production heritage with public-facing film tourism. Today, Bavaria Film remains associated with the Bavaria Studios complex and with a broad German audiovisual group serving scripted production, factual programming, distribution, and professional studio users.

1. 2021Acquisition of Story House companies

   Bavaria Film acquired Story House Pictures and Story House Productions to expand into factual and unscripted television.

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2. 2012Partnership with Senator Entertainment

   Bavaria Film announced a partnership with Berlin-based Senator Entertainment.

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3. 2011Global Screen joint venture is created

   Bavaria Film International and Telepool combined their international sales operations in the Global Screen joint venture.

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4. 1987Bavaria Atelier adopts the Bavaria Film name

   Bavaria Atelier GmbH was renamed Bavaria Film, consolidating the modern corporate identity.

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5. 1959Bavaria Atelier GmbH is founded

   The studio business was reorganized through the creation of Bavaria Atelier GmbH.

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6. 1956Postwar private re-establishment

   Following a period of inactivity after the Second World War, Bavaria Film was re-established as a private company.

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7. 1938Bavaria Film is nationalized under the Nazi regime

   The company was nationalized and operated as a production subsidiary within the UFA system.

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8. 1932Company renamed Bavaria Film AG

   After a banking consortium led by Wilhelm Kraus took control, the group adopted the Bavaria Film AG name.

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9. 1930Emelka launches a sound newsreel

   The company produced the Sounding Emelka Newsreel, adding newsreel production to its film activities.

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10. 1921Acquisition of Süddeutsche Filmwerke Geyer

    Emelka acquired its own copying facility, broadening the group’s technical and post-production infrastructure.

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11. 1919Münchener Lichtspielkunst becomes Emelka

    Ostermayr converted the private company into Münchener Lichtspielkunst AG, commonly called Emelka, and established the Geiselgasteig studio base.

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12. 1907Peter Ostermayr establishes a private Munich film company

    Peter Ostermayr founded Münchener Lichtspielkunst GmbH, the private film business from which the later Bavaria Film organization developed.

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A long-established German film and television group built around the Geiselgasteig studio complex, combining production, distribution, international sales, studio services, and screen-tourism activities.

• Bavaria StudiosFilm and television studios

  The Geiselgasteig-based Bavaria Studios complex is the group’s best-known physical asset and production platform. It provides sound stages and related facilities for film and television production and has hosted both Bavaria projects and productions made by external companies. Its history includes major German productions as well as internationally recognized projects such as The NeverEnding Story, Downfall, and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

• Film and television productionScreen production

  Bavaria Film develops and produces feature films, television films, scripted series, and other audiovisual programming. Its historic credits include Berlin Alexanderplatz and Das Boot, while its broader production network supports German-language television and cinema projects.

• Factual and unscripted televisionTelevision production2021

  Through the acquisition of Story House Pictures and Story House Productions in 2021, Bavaria Film expanded its production portfolio beyond scripted work into factual and unscripted television programming.

• Global ScreenInternational distribution2011

  Global Screen was formed as a joint venture between Bavaria Film International and Telepool to combine their worldwide sales operations. It provides an international distribution and sales platform for German and European film and television content.

• Bavaria FilmstadtFilm tourism and visitor attraction

  Bavaria Filmstadt is a visitor attraction associated with the studio site. It offers studio tours and presents sets, props, and production-related material from works including The NeverEnding Story, Das Boot, and Marienhof.

• 2021Acquisition of Story House Pictures and Story House ProductionsM&A

  Bavaria Film aimed to expand beyond scripted production and increase its presence in factual and unscripted television.

  What changed. The group acquired the domestic production companies Story House Pictures and Story House Productions.

  Aftermath. The transaction broadened Bavaria Film’s production capabilities in factual and unscripted programming.

  Source
• 2012Partnership with Senator EntertainmentStrategy

  Bavaria Film pursued cooperation with other German screen-industry companies as part of its production and distribution strategy.

  What changed. The company announced a partnership with Berlin-based Senator Entertainment.

  Source
• 2011Creation of Global Screen with TelepoolM&A

  Bavaria Film International and Telepool sought to consolidate their worldwide sales activities and strengthen international distribution from Germany.

  What changed. The companies merged their world-sales operations into the Global Screen joint venture based in Munich.

  Aftermath. Global Screen became the combined international distribution platform for the participating businesses.

  Source

• 2021Bavaria Film expands into factual and unscripted television

  Bavaria Film acquired Story House Pictures and Story House Productions, expanding its domestic production portfolio into factual and unscripted programming.

  M&A
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• 2012Bavaria Film announces partnership with Senator Entertainment

  Bavaria Film announced a partnership with Berlin-based Senator Entertainment as part of its broader cooperation and market strategy.

  Other
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• 2011Bavaria Film International and Telepool combine worldwide sales operations in Global Screen

  Bavaria Film International and German distributor Telepool created Global Screen, a Munich-based joint venture for international distribution and worldwide sales.

  M&A
  Source

1. Bavaria Film