Scythia Films
Canadian independent film and television production company founded by Daniel Bekerman.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Scythia Films Inc. is a Canadian independent entertainment company based in Toronto and founded in 2008 by producer Daniel Bekerman. The company operates primarily as a film and television producer, with a focus on independently financed and internationally oriented projects rather than on a large, vertically integrated studio system. Its work has included feature films spanning period horror, political thriller, literary adaptation, auteur drama, and documentary-related production activity. The company became associated with a number of internationally visible independent films during the 2010s and 2020s. It jointly produced Robert Eggers's period horror film The Witch, released in 2015, a project that received substantial attention within the independent and genre-film communities. Scythia Films also participated in the production of Backstabbing for Beginners, a political thriller released in 2018 and starring Theo James and Ben Kingsley. These projects illustrate the company's role in assembling and supporting international co-productions rather than concentrating exclusively on locally distributed Canadian features. In 2017, Scythia Films and Stellar Citizens announced plans for a development fund intended to support approximately five to seven film and television projects. The initiative was designed to create a pipeline of projects at an earlier development stage. One of the first projects associated with the fund was reported as an adaptation of Mark Vonnegut's memoir The Eden Express: A Memoir of Insanity. The announcement indicated an effort to expand beyond individual feature financing and to build a broader slate covering both film and television. Scythia Films was also a producer of Falling, the directorial debut of actor Viggo Mortensen. The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was selected for the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. Its planned presentation at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival was affected by the festival's delay during the COVID-19 pandemic in France. Falling reinforced the company's connection with filmmaker-led, prestige-oriented independent cinema and with festival-based release strategies. The company has described or been described as serving as a service producer and producer on more than 40 feature films since its establishment. In this capacity, its activities can include production management, financing participation, local production support, packaging, and collaboration with other production entities. Its portfolio reflects the cross-border nature of contemporary independent filmmaking, in which Canadian companies may work with American, European, and other international partners while using Canadian production expertise and infrastructure. In 2024, The Apprentice, a film produced by Scythia Films, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and subsequently screened at the Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. The project further positioned the company within the festival and awards-oriented independent-film ecosystem. Publicly available reference material identifies Scythia Films as an active private production company, but does not provide verified information about its current ownership structure, revenue, employee count, official website, or a complete current executive roster.
History
Scythia Films was established in Toronto in 2008 by Canadian producer Daniel Bekerman. It developed as an independent entertainment company working across feature-film production, co-production, development, and service production. Unlike a major studio with a broad distribution infrastructure, Scythia Films has operated through project-based partnerships, joining with other production companies and creative teams to bring independently financed films to completion and to international audiences. One of the company's early internationally prominent credits was Robert Eggers's The Witch, a period horror film jointly produced by Scythia Films and several partner companies. Released in 2015, the film helped connect the company with the festival, genre, and specialty-film sectors. Scythia Films later participated in Backstabbing for Beginners, a political thriller released in 2018 and featuring Theo James and Ben Kingsley. The project demonstrated the company's involvement in commercially accessible independent features with international casts and subject matter. In 2017, Scythia Films announced a development-fund initiative with Stellar Citizens. The partners planned to support a slate of approximately five to seven film and television projects, shifting part of the company's activity from individual productions toward structured project development. A reported early project connected with the initiative was a screen adaptation of Mark Vonnegut's memoir The Eden Express: A Memoir of Insanity. The available reference material does not establish that every proposed project entered production or was released. Scythia Films also produced Falling, the first feature directed by actor Viggo Mortensen. The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. It was expected to screen at Cannes that year, but the festival's plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting delay in France. Falling subsequently screened at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, maintaining the company's relationship with major North American festival platforms and filmmaker-centered independent cinema. The company has been associated with more than 40 feature films as a producer or service producer since 2008. Service production generally involves supporting a project operationally in a particular territory, while producer credits may involve creative development, financing, packaging, production oversight, and relationships with co-producers. The available material does not provide a complete list of these credits, but the stated volume indicates that Scythia Films has maintained a continuing production presence beyond the individually publicized titles. In 2024, The Apprentice, produced by Scythia Films, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. It later screened at the Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, adding another high-profile festival title to the company's portfolio. Across its publicly identified projects, Scythia Films has remained associated with independent features that use international financing, casts, creative talent, and festival distribution pathways. Public information is limited regarding its current corporate ownership, financial performance, staff, and current slate, so those aspects should not be inferred from its production credits.
- 2024
The Apprentice premieres at Cannes
[1]The Apprentice premiered at Cannes and subsequently screened at Telluride and TIFF.
- 2020
Falling premieres at Sundance
[1]Falling, produced by Scythia Films, premiered at Sundance and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
- 2018
Backstabbing for Beginners released
[1]The company jointly produced the political thriller Backstabbing for Beginners.
- 2017
Development fund announced
[1]Scythia Films and Stellar Citizens announced a development fund for an anticipated slate of five to seven film and television projects.
- 2015
The Witch enters the company's filmography
[1]Scythia Films jointly produced Robert Eggers's period horror film The Witch.
- 2008
Company founded
[1]Daniel Bekerman founded Scythia Films in Toronto as a Canadian independent entertainment company.
Products and positioning
Independent, filmmaker-oriented film and television production with international co-production and festival-market reach.
Narrative feature film · 2015
The Witch
A period horror film directed by Robert Eggers and jointly produced by Scythia Films with several other production companies. Its 2015 release became one of the company's most visible early international credits and strengthened its association with distinctive independent genre filmmaking.
Political thriller · 2018
Backstabbing for Beginners
A political thriller jointly produced by Scythia Films and released in 2018. The film stars Theo James and Ben Kingsley and reflects the company's participation in internationally cast, English-language independent features.
Auteur drama · 2020
Falling
A drama produced by Scythia Films and directed by Viggo Mortensen in his feature directorial debut. It premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and screened at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival after the pandemic disrupted the planned Cannes presentation.
Narrative feature film · 2024
The Apprentice
A Scythia Films-produced feature that premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and later screened at the Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.
Brand decisions
2020
Adjust festival plans for Falling during the COVID-19 disruptionOtherBackground
Falling was intended to screen at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic in France.
Action taken
The film proceeded through other festival exposure, including its world premiere at Sundance and a subsequent screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Aftermath
The film retained a major festival route despite the disruption to the original Cannes plans.
2017
Create a development fund with Stellar CitizensStrategyBackground
Scythia Films sought to support a larger pipeline of film and television projects rather than rely only on separately packaged productions.
Action taken
The company partnered with Stellar Citizens on a fund intended to develop approximately five to seven projects. A reported early candidate was an adaptation of The Eden Express: A Memoir of Insanity.
Aftermath
The available reference material does not document the complete development or release outcome of the proposed slate.
Recent events
- 2024
The Apprentice premieres at Cannes[1]
Product launch
The Apprentice, produced by Scythia Films, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and later screened at Telluride and the Toronto International Film Festival.
- 2020
Falling premieres at Sundance[1]
Product launch
Falling, produced by Scythia Films and directed by Viggo Mortensen in his feature directorial debut, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and later screened at TIFF.
- 2018
Backstabbing for Beginners released[1]
Product launch
Scythia Films jointly produced the political thriller Backstabbing for Beginners, starring Theo James and Ben Kingsley.
- 2017
Scythia Films and Stellar Citizens announce development fund[1]
Product launch
Scythia Films and Stellar Citizens announced a fund intended to develop approximately five to seven film and television projects, including a reported adaptation of The Eden Express: A Memoir of Insanity.
- 2015
Scythia Films co-produces The Witch[1]
Product launch
The company jointly produced Robert Eggers's period horror film The Witch, expanding its profile in internationally visible independent cinema.
- 2008
Scythia Films founded in Toronto[1]
Other
Daniel Bekerman founded Scythia Films as a Canadian independent entertainment and production company.
Sources1 sources
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