Minerva Pictures is an independent production and distribution company based in Rome, active in the film, audiovisual and multimedia industries since 1953.
The company has produced more than 140 films and over 50 documentaries, many of which have received prestigious awards in Italy and abroad. In recent years, Minerva Pictures has also launched and consolidated its development and production activities in the television series sector.
With a library of more than 2,850 titles, 1,500 of which are available with worldwide rights, enriched by masterpieces and rare gems that have marked the history of cinema, Minerva Pictures has established itself as a solid point of reference in both the Italian and international film markets as a producer, distributor and multimedia publisher.
The company was founded in 1953, when Antonio Curti entered the world of cinema by acquiring the use of the historic Minerva brand. Gruppo Minerva International was established in the early 1970s, building on the experience of founding partner Ermanno Curti. In the second half of the 1980s, Gianluca Curti joined the management team, significantly accelerating the company’s international expansion through a strong commercial strategy, alongside the growth of its film production and library acquisition activities.
Through the Rarovideo brand, active in the Italian home video market since 1999 and launched in the United States in 2011 under the direction of Stefano Curti, Minerva distributes works of outstanding and internationally recognized artistic value. Its interdisciplinary approach combines product quality with meticulous editorial curation. In a very short time, Rarovideo earned a loyal following and strong critical acclaim in an extremely competitive market, with The New York Times describing it as “The finest European film boutique.”
In May 2019, Santo Versace joined the company as a shareholder alongside Chairman and CEO Gianluca Curti.
In 2024, Digital United Studios was established as the new company within the Minerva Group dedicated to the digital exploitation of audiovisual content, a segment in which the Group has held a leading global position for more than fifteen years. With a catalogue of more than 7,000 titles, including films, TV series and documentaries distributed across more than 200 territories worldwide, the company manages 14 SVOD channels on Amazon Prime Video in Italy and other key European markets through the brands Rarovideo Channel, Minerva Classic, Full Action, Temptation Channel, Scream Hub, The Film Club, Django Western, Movieitaly+ and LaF – Feltrinelli Media Collection, as well as the first and only independent Italian channel available on Apple TV+ in Italy.
On YouTube, the company operates one of the world’s most significant independent ecosystems, with more than 180 channels, over 13 million subscribers, more than 40 million unique users per month, billions of annual impressions and views, and content available in over 20 languages. Digital United Studios also operates in the FAST segment, with 11 active channels in Italy and abroad, and works with all major TVOD platforms, maintaining global partnerships with Google, Amazon and Apple. The company combines advanced proprietary technologies with strong in-house expertise and has also developed two proprietary platforms: The Film Club and Movieitaly+.
Minerva Pictures is also active in theatrical distribution through Filmclub Distribuzione, an independent film distribution and production company founded in Rome in 2024 as an operating division of the Group, primarily focused on the distribution of high-profile Italian and international titles. In its first years of activity, the company has developed a clear and recognizable editorial identity, bringing to cinemas films presented at major international festivals, independent Italian productions and emerging voices, while continuing to work on re-releases of cult films and restored classics. Through this activity, Filmclub Distribuzione also promotes the prestigious Minerva Pictures catalogue in cinemas and schools.
Minerva Pictures is also active in international acquisitions, with a presence at the world’s leading markets and industry events, including AFM, MIPCOM and MIPTV, the Cannes Marché du Film, the EFM in Berlin, TIFF Toronto, Hong Kong FILMART, MIA Market, the Venice International Film Festival, ACFM in Busan, TIFFCOM in Tokyo, ATF in Singapore, Busan, San Sebastián and many others.
The company is also one of the leading independent international rights sales agencies, operating across global markets for more than 35 years. In recent years, Minerva Pictures has further strengthened its international division and expanded the distribution of major Italian and international titles, continuing to grow its extensive catalogue.
Finally, since 2023 Minerva Pictures has published The Hot Corn, a film and entertainment media outlet dedicated to cinema, audiovisual content and music through a cross-media approach encompassing its website, social media, YouTube and podcasts, as well as a physical presence — including print editions — at major film festivals and industry events across Italy and Europe.