The Paris-based digital aggregator Under The Milky Way (UMW) is ramping up efforts to support producers and independent filmmakers with the launch of B2B digital distribution service Claudia.
The platform combines technical savvy with a professional, infrastructure-level interface designed for independent producers, to provide a streamlined legal, commercial and financial gateway through UMW’s established aggregation relationships with global video- on- demand (VoD) platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon and Google/YouTube.
“Rights holders work through us to ensure their films are delivered, managed and reported on transparently,” explains Muriel Joly, managing director at UMW. “Claudia automates that entire process, making it efficient and accessible to producers and independent filmmakers.”
Films signed up to Claudia include Pat Collins’ That They May Face The Rising Sun, an adaptation of Irish novelist John McGahern’s book of the same name. that premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2023.
“For an independent producer without a sales agent, UMW’s Claudia proved seamless and easy to navigate,” notes Rising Sun producer Tina O’Reilly. “The team provided support at every step, and we’re excited to follow the film’s international rollout through live reporting.”
Documentary titles include Frédéric Guelaff ‘s Yannick Alléno – The Crossing, a portrait of four years in the life of Paris-based Michelin-starred chef Alléno at the Pavillon Ledoyen restaurant.
“I chose Claudia because it gives independent producers greater control over their releases,” says the film’s producer Vincent Attelé. “The model is valuable for independent films, offering a smart alternative to traditional routes. I would recommend Claudia to other filmmakers looking for a simple, transparent, and effective way to distribute their films internationally.”
Further documentaries deploying Claudia include Liberia-set We The Surfers and Tuki Jencquel’s French film Jackie The Wolf. Wolf follows the story of 74-year-old mother, grandmother and right-to-die activist Jacqueline Jencquel, who details her plans to have an assisted suicide to her filmmaker son Tuki.
“I distributed Jackie The Wolf for VoD with Claudia, because it was the only distribution channel I found for a single film and [for a film] without a sales agent attached,” says producer Tuki. “I was very happy to find a simple, streamlined process that allowed me to distribute a single film instead of a catalogue. I have recommended it to several of my filmmaker friends.”
Experience and insights
Claudia builds on UMW’s 15 years of experience in international VoD distribution, managing one of the largest digital catalogues of feature films in the market.
France’s Ministry of Culture is supporting Claudia by providing policy and innovation support aimed at strengthening access and visibility for European films. Rather than focusing on marketing, Claudia’s approach to discoverability is structural: ensuring films are permanently available, correctly indexed and visible within platform ecosystems.
The service costs a flat fee of €2,800 per film; UMW retains a 25% commission on royalties. The flat fee reflects the cost of guaranteed multi-territory access, technical delivery, reporting and long-term availability, rather than a pay-per-upload model. Claudia is primarily for TVOD rights, including Amazon’s paid-per-minute streaming model and YouTube’s paid-per-minute advertising and/or subscription structures. All other exploitation rights remain with the producer.
Producers can easily access metadata and monitor performance through real-time sales data, while managing their film’s availability across VoD platforms.
UMW handles technical delivery, reporting and payments.
“Claudia reflects UMW’s response to the global shift toward the creator economy, giving independent producers greater autonomy in accessing global digital distribution, clearer visibility on revenues, and stronger control over how their films circulate,” says Pierre-Alexandre Labelle, UMW president and co-founder.
“As producers are increasingly expected to be autonomous and self-reliant in reaching audiences and activating their films, Claudia provides the distribution infrastructure that translates those efforts into durable, international availability,” Joly adds.
“The support of the French Ministry of Culture has been a key driver in the development of Claudia, enabling us to strengthen the platform’s technical foundations. Through our partnership with [European producer training, project development and networking organisation] EAVE, we are also able to offer fee discounts to producers, helping to lower barriers to international digital distribution.”
UMW launched in 2010 to globally exploit catalogue titles from European studios such as Gaumont, Pathe and Studiocanal via VoD. It also works with local distributors and producers on individual productions. It partners with more than 70 VoD platforms, including Amazon, YouTube and Google and has been an Apple- preferred aggregator since 2011. UMW operates in over 110 territories with regional offices across the world including in Montreal, London and Los Angeles and has distributed more than 8,000 feature films for more than 700 rights holders.
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