Sipur Studios Opens London Office and Boards Olivier Dahan's 'Nana'

The entertainment landscape is constantly shifting, and few recent developments have been as intriguing as the evolution of Sipur Studios. After Shari Redstone sold Paramount Global to David Ellison's Skydance in 2024, industry observers wondered what her next move would be. Rather than retiring or stepping away from media entirely, Redstone chose to throw her weight behind Sipur, a growing film and television studio based out of Israel. When she joined as chair, it instantly supercharged the company's profile and capabilities, transforming how the independent studio approaches the global marketplace.

The connection between Redstone and Sipur began a couple of years prior when Paramount acquired the rights to Sipur's October 7 documentary 'We Will Dance Again.' What started as a professional acquisition blossomed into a close business partnership and friendship. Co-founder Emilio Schenker has noted that bringing Redstone on board was a definitive game-changer for the company. Building upon this momentum, Sipur has officially opened a new office in London, marking a crucial milestone in its journey to becoming a fully realized global entertainment powerhouse.

London has long served as a vital media and financial hub, making it a logical choice for Sipur's international expansion. While the company spent its first seven years establishing its roots and operational base in Israel, the leadership team always harbored global ambitions. To help steer this expansion, Schenker successfully recruited Ludovic Attal as president, convincing him to leave a comfortable and prestigious role at Amazon MGM Studios. Attal's arrival, alongside the London office launch, signals a fresh chapter for the studio as it looks to forge new partnerships across Europe and beyond.

Sipur's core unique selling proposition has always been its ability to deliver high-end international co-productions on relatively modest budgets. This strategy allows the studio to take creative risks and support diverse, compelling stories that might otherwise struggle to find traditional studio backing. Their upcoming slate reflects this eclectic approach. Among the announced projects is Casper Kelly's feature 'Buddy', local hits like 'Mirame Asi, El Camino de Noa' starring Noa Kirel, and high-end dramas such as 'Heart of a Killer' featuring Niv Sultan.

Additionally, the studio is collaborating on Yariv Mozer's documentary 'Blood Brothers,' which explores the unlikely friendship between rival Iranian and Israeli Olympic judo players, produced alongside Fox Entertainment Studio and Fulwell. Adding further prestige to their slate, Sipur has boarded Olivier Dahan's upcoming project 'Nana', which is being co-produced with Marvelous Productions and ARP Sélection handling French distribution. These ambitious projects highlight the studio's growing capability to attract top-tier talent and bridge different cultural narratives.

As Sipur heads into major international markets and industry events like Mipcom, the leadership duo of Schenker and Attal are focused on cementing the studio's international footprint. By combining Redstone's industry clout, Attal's studio experience, and Schenker's entrepreneurial vision, Sipur is well-positioned to navigate the complexities of modern content distribution. The expansion into London is merely the beginning of what promises to be an ambitious era for the studio as it continues to deliver distinctive global storytelling.