The Match Factory Hires French Exec Agathe Valentin As Sales Director

French international sales veteran Agathe Valentin has joined The Match Factory in the newly created role of Sales Director with immediate effect.

She will report to the Germany-based film sales and production company’s long-time VP International Sales Thania Dimitrakopoulou.

Working out of Brussels, Valentin’s remit is to be a key driver in executing initiatives that expand the organization’s international footprint and meet its goals, the company said.

Valentin has racked up sales experience at a number of top sales companies over the course of her two-decade career, working on a host of award-winning films in the process.

She was Head of Sales at Les Films du Losange for eight years, selling titles such as Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or winners The White Ribbon and Amour, which also won the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year Oscar in 2013.

She headed to Pyramide in the same role in 2015, where she looked after films such as John Trengove’s The Wound and Hubert Charuel’s French breakout Blood Milk.

In 2018, she co-founded Paris-based sales and production company Totem Films, where highlights included Juho Kuosmanen’s Cannes Grand Prix winner Compartment N°6.

Most recently, Valentin served as Director of Sales at UK-based international sales company HanWay Films.

“Welcoming Agathe to our team marks an exciting step forward for our international sales efforts,” said Dimitrakopoulou. “Agathe’s industry expertise and love for cinema will be instrumental in driving growth. I look forward to collaborating closely as we continue to expand our footprint and bring exceptional work of cinema.”

The appointment comes as The Match Factory gears up for Sundance, where the company will premiere Magic Farm by Amalia Ulman and Cherien Dabis’ All That’s Left of You, followed by the Berlinale, where it will showcase several films.