Eurociné

Eurociné, formerly Films BAP, is a French independent film production and distribution company owned by the Lesoeur family since 1957, and tracing its corporate lineage to 1937. It technically is France's third oldest film company after Gaumont and Pathé, although is has gone through several bouts of inactivity.

Operating under director Robert Péguy before and immediately after World War II, it specialized in family fare. Following a period of dormancy, it was acquired by Marius Lesoeur, who repurposed it as an outlet for some pioneering co-productions with Spain, many of which involved cult helmer Jesús Franco. In the 1970s, Lesoeur and his son Daniel became lead producers, abandoning all artistic pretense to churn out exploitation quickies, a number of which recycled existing footage under collective pseudonyms. In the late 80s, Eurociné returned to more respectable pictures headlined by mid-level Anglo-Saxon stars, but they did not generate the expected revenue, and it has focused on sales ever since.