Company

Saxonia Media – A strong corporation

TV programmes are the core business of Saxonia Media. We produce more than 5,000 programme minutes a year. The production of successful series such as the ARD weekly “In aller Freundschaft” and “Tieräztin Dr. Mertens”, films for the series “Tatort” and “Polizeiruf 110” as well as a large number of TV films are the foundation of our wide production variety. Along with our clear commitment to children’s and animation formats, our company is also involved in cinema productions.

Think global – act local. In this sense we see ourselves as being a driving force in the local media industry. We use the opportunities offered by the expanding European market and embrace the ensuing challenges. Our collaboration with international and strong regional partners creates the necessary stability for innovation and helps to secure our productivity.

Since it was established in 1995, the company Saxonia Media has been growing continuously. Today it is a leading film and television producer in Germany. With an annual turnover of about 30 million Euros, Saxonia Media is the largest company of its kind in Central Germany. We currently engage 22 permanent employees and more than 600 freelancers per year for our production work. A strong company with strong partners: The shares of the business are held by Bavaria Film (51 per cent) and the DREFA Media Holding GmbH (49 per cent).

Saxonia Media International

Along with television films for the ARD such as the biography of the writer Brigitte Reiman, “Hunger auf Leben”, which was awarded the German Film Prize, and historic films such as “Tage des Sturms” about the workers’ revolt in the former GDR, traditionally international co-productions, especially with partners from Eastern Europe, play an important role in Saxonia Media’s work. Since the establishment of the production company, film projects have been carried out with partners from more than ten countries.

These include co-productions between Saxonia Media and SATEL Film for the ORF and the MDR: the TV films “Die Pferdefrau”, “Alpenglühen”, “Paradies in den Bergen” and the two-part film “Marie Bonaparte” staring Catherine Deneuve. Together with BESTA Film of Warsaw, Saxonia Media produced the televison films “Unser fremdes Kind” in 1997 and “Brücken der Liebe” in 2001. The film “Nach dem Ende der Welt” was produced together with the internationally famous author Angel Wagenstein. This film was shown at 75 festivals and in cinemas all over the world.

The German-Bulgarian co-production “Reise nach Jerusalem” was nominated for an Oscar in 2004 as the national contribution of Bulgaria. In 2006 the film “Schnauze voll” was produced together with partners from Estonia. The film was awarded several prizes and was nominated for the major Russian film prize “NIKA”.

Tatort Leipzig – Scene of the crime Leipzig

On the 29th of November in 1970 the first “Tatort” was televised. For more than 35 years it has been impossible to imagine this programme not being watched in German lounges. Every Sunday at 8.15 p.m. detective series fans will sit on their couches and follow the exciting cases. The Leipzig “Tatort” inspectors have been searching for clues since 1995. Saxonia Media produce three “Tatort” episodes a year.

The Saxon team is among the most popular of the series, and it has a very high success rate – their solving of almost 50 crimes has been met with great public interest. Between seven and nine million viewers watch “Tatort” from Leipzig regularly. Almost half a year after “Tatort”, the East German equivalent, “Polizeiruf 110”, was televised in the GDR for the first time. It was soon equally very popular among the viewing public. Following the closure of the DFF, Saxonia produced the last “Polizeiruf” with Andreas Schmidt-Schaller in 1996.

At the same time we were commissioned to establish a new team of inspectors. Jaecki Schwarz and Wolfgang Winkler have been successfully acting in this series to this very day. With a market share of more than 20 per cent, the “Polizeiruf” from Halle is the most successful detective programme on German television. Saxonia Media produces three films for the series every year.

Leinen Los ! – Saxonia Media; Cast off! – Saxonia Media

With the family series „Leinen Los für MS Königstein“, Saxonia Media made its maiden voyage into the series business in 1996. Today the flagship „In aller Freundschaft“ is produced for the ARD evening programme – it is a market leader on German television. Since it was first shown in 1998, the market share of the series has more than doubled. To date more more than 400 episodes have been produced with no end in sight. Up to seven million viewers watch the programme every week, making „In aller Freundschaft“ the most successful doctor series in Germany.

Equally successful was the start of the new weekly “Tierärztin Dr. Mertens” in 2006. It is mainly set in the Leipzig ZOO. The major evening series shows an entertaining panorama of life among people and animals filled with exciting, moving and amusing moments – approved attractive motifs and emotionalising elements. On average, six million viewers regularly watch the series.

By taking over the children’s series “Schloss Einstein”, Saxonia Media is continuing to embrace new challenges. The only series which is dedicated to everyday school life, is produced in the children’s media centre MAGZ in Erfurt, Thuringia.

Saxonia Media – Family with Children

With the movie “4 Freunde & 4 Pfoten” (300,000 viewers), Saxonia Media started its first activities in this programme segment in 2001. Numerous productions followed in the last years. By now children and family formats have developed into an independent programme area – today they constitute an essential element of the company’s profile.

Since 2002 the series “Der kleine König Macius“ has dominated the children’s channel KI.KA. The successful televising of the first episodes of the series (an average of 23.04% MA) was followed in 2007 by another season and the premiere debut of the cinema film of the cartoon hero. In 2006 a new children’s series “Endlich Samstag”, which the BR commissioned Saxonia Media to produce, also started. The adventure series “Magna Aura” was produced in Bulgaria and will be shown at the beginning of 2008 on German television. Magna Aura was awarded the Bulgarian prize „The Golden Chest“.

With the KI.KA detective series, a completely new children’s format has been successfully launched. In 2007 the episode “Bunte Bonbons” was honoured with the “Goldenen Spatz”, one of the major children film awards in Germany. Beginning in 2007, a new production will start in this programme segment. In Erfurt, the weekly “Schloss Einstein” is produced – another challenge with the objective to establish a good children’s and family programme!