Tarak Ben Ammar’s Eagle Pictures Expands Production in Italy With Startup 302 Original Content

Nick Vivarelli
·2 min read
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Franco-Tunisian film entrepreneur Tarak Ben Ammar’s Italian distribution and production outfit Eagle Pictures is beefing up its production side with the purchase of film and TV startup 302 Original Content.

The Milan-based 302 is headed by emerging producer Giuseppe Saccà who shepherded the 2020 Berlin-prizewinning drama “Bad Tales” by Italy’s Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo when he was working with his father, veteran producer and former RAI head of drama Agostino Sacca, under their Pepito Produzioni shingle.

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Saccà, who left Pepito and joined 302 Original Content in July 2021, will stay on board as its managing director.

302, which was founded by veteran TV exec Piero Crispino — who has since exited — got traction in Italy’s kids’ space by producing shows for Disney that have travelled internationally, such as “Alex & Co” and “Penny on M.A.R.S.,” but also various types of content for local broadcasters RAI, Mediaset, Sky, Viacom and Discovery.

Under Saccà’s guidance, the company broadened its scope into the film space.

302 Original Content’s credits to date include Calabria-set rom com comedy “My Brother And I,” directed by young adult pics specialist Luca Lucini, about a brother and sister fighting for the love of the same woman, whom the brother is about to marry. 302 partnered with Pepito on this title, indicating that Saccà still has a strong business rapport with his father.

Eagle Pictures was Italy’s top distributor in the second quarter of 2022 with a 22.5% share of the market, thanks to its long-standing deal with Paramount under which they handled the Italian release of “Top Gun: Maverick.”

They have also been active in production, but are now clearly looking to ramp up that side of their growing business.

“The acquisition of 302 further expands Eagle Pictures’ business in a constantly evolving audiovisual market,” Ammar, who is Eagle Pictures’ president and owner, said in a statement.

Ammar went on to add that the acquisition of 302 Original Content confirms the company’s unique place in Europe’s indie ecosystem “as a major that works with companies in the Mediterranean, in Europe and the world and which represents Paramount and MGM, two of the most important American production and distribution companies in Italy.”

Eagle acquired 302 from Paris-based Euro Media, a prominent provider of broadcast services for live sports, entertainment and events, which is active across Europe, including France, Germany, U.K. and Italy. Until now Italy was the only country where they are also involved in making content.

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