Buyer Database · Sales Agent · Updated

Charades

Charades is a Paris-based international sales agent specializing in director-driven, multi-genre cinema, with a particularly strong track record in prestige feature animation.

Current mandate

Charades operates as a multi-genre, director-driven international sales company with a distinctive specialization in prestige feature animation. The company has built one of the more credible animation sales track records in the independent market, having handled international rights on Oscar-nominated features Mirai and I Lost My Body. That pedigree earned Charades recognition as Distributor of the Year at Cartoon Movie in 2022, a market-facing signal of its standing among buyers and producers working in the animation space. Beyond animation, the company pursues a broad slate shaped by authorial voice rather than strict genre parameters.

Charades' most prominently documented recent activity centers on Memoir of a Snail, the Adam Elliot feature produced in association with Anton, with major production investment from Screen Australia and additional support from VicScreen and the Melbourne International Film Festival Premiere Fund. Charades and Anton are partnering on worldwide sales of the title, and Charades co-head Carole Baraton has noted the company's involvement from the project's earliest stages, a pattern consistent with the company's approach to auteur-driven work. The Anton partnership is notable given Anton's broader production and financing history across more than 400 titles, including franchises such as Paddington and Shaun the Sheep. Separately, Charades is in active discussions with buyers across several European territories for We Are Aliens, indicating a live and ongoing sales effort at the time of the latest tracked signal.

Material reaches Charades primarily through producer-direct relationships and co-production or co-financing structures, as evidenced by the company's documented early-stage involvement in projects like Memoir of a Snail. Every tracked deal in the ScriptMatch pipeline reflects engagement through established producer relationships or sales-market channels rather than any open public submission route. Filmmakers seeking representation would most plausibly approach the company through a producer attachment, a festival placement, or an introduction via a co-production partner already in Charades' network.

Signature peaks

  • 2 titles Oscar-Nominated Animation Sales — Charades handled international sales on both Mirai and I Lost My Body, each receiving Academy Award nominations.
  • Memoir of a Snail Co-Financing Role — Charades joined Anton and Screen Australia in the financing structure of Adam Elliot's latest feature, not just its sales.
  • We Are Aliens Active European Territory Discussions — Charades is currently in live discussions with buyers across several European territories for this title.

Mandate dimensions

Genre focus
Not disclosed
Territory focus
Not disclosed
Budget tier (observed)
Not disclosed
Access pattern
Every deal tracked by ScriptMatch for Charades has come through established producer relationships, co-production partnerships, or sales-market introductions; the company's documented early-stage involvement in Memoir of a Snail illustrates a route via co-financing structures with partners such as Anton and Screen Australia. No unsolicited pathway is documented.
Deal structure
Charades structures deals as international territory rights sales negotiated at film markets, representing finished or near-finished films to regional distributors; on select auteur-driven projects, the company also participates in co-financing arrangements alongside production partners, as documented on Memoir of a Snail.

Market context

With Oscar-nominated animation titles on its resume and a co-financing role on Memoir of a Snail, Charades has positioned itself as a rare sales agent that enters projects at the earliest creative stages.

Charades operates as a multi-genre, director-driven international sales company with a distinctive specialization in prestige feature animation. The company has built one of the more credible animation sales track records in the independent market, having handled international rights on Oscar-nominated features Mirai and I Lost My Body. That pedigree earned Charades recognition as Distributor of the Year at Cartoon Movie in 2022, a market-facing signal of its standing among buyers and producers working in the animation space. Beyond animation, the company pursues a broad slate shaped by authorial voice rather than strict genre parameters.

Common questions about Charades

What kind of films does Charades represent?

Charades represents a multi-genre, director-driven slate with a particularly strong specialization in prestige feature animation. The company has handled international sales on Oscar-nominated animated features Mirai and I Lost My Body, and is currently partnering on worldwide sales of Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot's latest film. Beyond animation, the company's slate is shaped by authorial voice and emotional storytelling rather than a single genre focus.

Does Charades handle pre-sales for film financing?

Yes. Charades' documented involvement in Memoir of a Snail goes beyond pure sales representation. The company participated in the film's financing structure alongside Anton and Screen Australia, with Charades co-head Carole Baraton noting involvement from the project's earliest stages. This suggests the company is open to pre-sale and co-financing arrangements on select director-driven projects, particularly in the animation space where it has established buyer relationships.

What film markets does Charades work at?

Charades is active across major international film markets. Its animation specialization makes Cartoon Movie a key venue, where it was recognized as Distributor of the Year in 2022. The company's broader slate activity points to engagement at markets such as Cannes Marche du Film, the European Film Market in Berlin, and AFM, where international territory deals for titles like We Are Aliens and Memoir of a Snail would be negotiated with regional distributors.

How do I get my film in front of Charades?

No open public submission pathway is documented in tracked data. Every deal observed in the ScriptMatch pipeline reflects engagement through established producer relationships, co-production structures, or sales-market introductions. Charades' documented early-stage involvement in projects like Memoir of a Snail suggests the most viable route is a producer attachment or a co-production partner already within the company's network, combined with a strong directorial track record or festival profile.

What are Charades' strongest territories?

The most directly evidenced territory activity is in Europe: Charades is currently in active discussions with buyers across several European territories for We Are Aliens, according to a recent public statement. The company's broader international sales mandate and its partnership with Anton, a producer with a global distribution footprint across franchises like Paddington and Shaun the Sheep, suggests meaningful reach across both European and English-language markets.

Is Charades currently active in the market?

Yes. ScriptMatch's latest tracked signal for Charades dates to September 2026, with 40 total records logged over the prior 12 months and 32 decision makers tracked. The company is publicly confirmed to be in active European territory discussions for We Are Aliens, and its worldwide sales partnership on Memoir of a Snail with Anton represents an ongoing slate commitment. The activity profile indicates a company that is consistently present at market rather than episodically active.

Adjacent buyers in this lane

  • Fox Entertainment Global — Fox Entertainment Global is a recently launched international sales and licensing arm positioning it
  • The Match Factory — The Match Factory is a leading international arthouse sales agent representing auteur-driven cinema
  • Keshet International — Keshet International is the global distribution and format-licensing arm of Israel's Keshet Broadcas
  • Films Boutique — Films Boutique is a Berlin-based international sales agency representing theatrical, festival-circui

Related reading

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