With a lending history topping AUD $346 million and a slate ranging from Ron Howard to George Miller, Elevate Production Finance is teaming with Privata Capital to launch a new media finance fund — and significantly expand its global footprint.
The new fund will sharply increase EPF’s lending capacity at a moment when traditional banks have struggled to keep pace with what independent producers actually need. The company is positioning itself as a more flexible, production-focused alternative to conventional lenders.
“This partnership with Privata Capital makes us far more agile and responsive than traditional financial institutions,” EPF CEO Charles Auty said in a statement. “Today’s independent producers don’t just need capital — they need the right kind of capital. That’s exactly what this fund is built to deliver.”
Under the arrangement, Privata Capital managing director Victor Siciliano will focus specifically on Australian productions, while U.K.-based Auty oversees global operations. EPF maintains offices in both London and Melbourne. Craig McMahon, CEO of Forte Corp Holdings, serves as executive chair of the initiative.
Founded in 2017, EPF has extended loans totaling more than AUD $346 million to date, generating over AUD $600 million in total production spending — a track record that positions it as one of the more active players in independent film finance.
The company’s credits include Ron Howard’s “Eden,” starring Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney and Daniel Brühl; George Miller’s “Three Thousand Years of Longing,” with Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton; and Liam Neeson’s action thriller “Blacklight.”
Additional titles include “Mix Tape,” with Teresa Palmer and Jim Sturgess; Australian box office hit “Never Too Late”; Eva Longoria’s “At Last, War of the Worlds”; and sci-fi feature “2067.” On the television side, EPF has backed “Five Bedrooms” Series 3, “Barrumbi Kids” and “Savage River.”
The fund arrives as the independent production financing landscape continues to shift following the 2023 Hollywood strikes and widespread content budget cuts by major streamers. According to AMPAS data, independent productions across U.S. and Australian markets fell 18% in 2024, driven largely by a pullback from conventional lenders.
EPF’s new fund targets projects across the full spectrum — from boutique indie films to large-scale international co-productions. With a proven lending track record behind it, the partnership is well-placed to fill a measurable gap in the independent content ecosystem.
