Tailormade distribution for every story in every medium worldwide.

We get to work when the good stories open up universes we never knew existed, when the story takes us through hell and back, when it walks rainbows with us, and we learn something about a complex and beautiful world. And when all emotions convey a statement, a political one, a human one, the filmmakers' very own one. When there is authenticity in the plot and fantasy in the images. And when we come back to find a world that will never look the same again.

Accessible & passionate one-offs, features, series, slots, theme nights, transmedia. More than 250 hand-picked titles from all over the world in a constantly renewed catalogue.

We work as international distributor / sales agent and executive producer, with access to talent, story architects, directors, producers, broadcasters and funding bodies. We find the partners and the finance and simply make things work. We deal with the entire production process as its 'foreign ministers' - and then we deliver. We handle commissioned programs, and facilitate co-productions anywhere, through First Hand Films or our new production outfit Kiss The Frog Films.

We work with ambitious and realistic projects worldwide, combining intelligence, practical knowledge and experience. We have sold hundreds of licenses, turned over more than ten million Euro, solved zillions of problems, and we remain autonomous.

Esther van Messel (owner and managing director), Gitte Hansen (deputy director), Ayse Poffet (finances) Christiane Dankbar (business department), Eliane Nater (materials & administration)

The hard facts Since 1998, Esther van Messel runs FHF in Zurich and Berlin for international distribution and production of documentaries, series, fiction films and transmedia. FHF acts as executive producer for selected projects and has worked with major broadcasters (like ABC, Arte, BBC, CH4, HBO, NHK, PBS, ZDF) and distributors (like Amazon, Salzgeber, Oscilloscope, Dogwoof, MUBI, iTunes) around the world. FHF is present at all major festivals around the year, with booths and stands at the main events such as the MIPs, La Rochelle, Sheffield, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires and Seoul. First Hand Films have competed in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Rotterdam, Locarno, Pusan, Sundance, Tribeca, Toronto and many others. FHF's very first pick-up went on to receive the OSCAR® for Best Documentary Feature. Since then, most First Hand Films have won awards: Cinema for Peace, Emmy, Prix Europa, many of all IDFA main awards, Biarritz, Banff, Grimme-Preis, Grierson, Grand Prix Nyon, many National Film Awards, European Film Awards, Silver Leopards, Golden Rose Montreux a.m.o.

In 2010 the second First Hand Film was Academy Award® nominated: BURMA VJ.
In 2011, all First Hand Films have been seen by many millions of people.

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