UFA GmbH

Several terms redirect here. For other uses, see Universum (disambiguation).

UFA GmbH is a German film and television production company from Brandenburg, Germany. The company was founded on December 18, 1917 originally in Berlin and under the name of Universum-Film Aktiengesellschaft or Universum Film AG. The studio later came under the control of the National Socialist government and continued to operate during World War II. After the war, the studio facilities remained in the Soviet occupation zone and were renamed DEFA, quickly resuming production and becoming the main film studio in East Germany, creating many acclaimed films until it closed in 1992. In West Germany, the film industry remained largely inactive.

In the 1950s, the company was resurrected from the ashes with being acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1964. In 1979, Universum Film began releasing home videos. The reunification of Germany led to the existence of loosely based companies UFA, formerly DEFA, and Universum Film with their UFA Video label, which gained the rights to distribute former DEFA-made movies on VHS and DVD. Today, the company currently has several divisions, focusing on fiction, documentaries, serial dramas, and more.

Universum Film AG (1917-1945)

Contents   Logo (December 9, 1921-January 30, 1945)

Universum Film AG (1950-1970s)

Contents   Logo (1955-1970s)

UFA GmbH

Contents   Logo (October 19, 2023)

Universum Film AG (1917-1945)

Logo (December 9, 1921-January 30, 1945)

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Visuals: On the screen, there is an outline of a diamond, with the diamond itself containing the letters "UFA". Additional information is determined by the specific movie it's featured in.

Variants:

• Earlier films from the company just have the UFA diamond in white on a black background.
• Several films from the company have the words "Der" on the top left side of the UFA diamond, and the word "zeight" on the bottom right.
• Several films from the company feature the logo on the film's opening background.
• Some films have the text "FILMKUNST" below the UFA diamond.
• Other films have the text "UFA-FILMVERLEIH" below the diamond, with the word "zeigt" appearing slightly smaller below it.
• On Münchhausen, the logo is placed on a blue background, resembling neon tubes, with the diamond in red and the letters "UFA" in blue. The word "Filmkunst" is also presented in white in a decorative font.
• On Kolberg, the logo is set against a blue fabric-like background and has a gold metallic look with a shadow behind it.

Technique: A still printed graphic.

Audio: None or the opening theme of the film.

Availability: This logo can be seen on many films distributed by UFA from the 1920s to the 1940s, with some examples being Tischlein deck dich, Eselein streck dich, Knüppel aus dem Sack, Der Blaue Engel, Münchhausen, and Kolberg.

Universum Film AG (1950-1970s)

Logo (1955-1970s)

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  "UFA COLOR" variant

Visuals: There is the UFA signature logo taken into a rhombus. Other details depend on the movie shown.

Variant: On color releases, the text "UFA COLOR" (with the "C" made of rainbow lines) was shown in the bottom with a registered trademark symbol in it.

Technique: A still graphic.

Audio: The opening theme of the movie.

UFA GmbH

Logo (October 19, 2023)

ImageVideo

Visuals: On a black background, three warm-cool gradient curvy geometric 3D shapes pan and rotate to a normal angle. They flip vertically and morph into the tall blue letters "UFA". "A Fremantle Company", with the company name in its trademark logo, fades in below afterward.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An idiophonic synthesized ambient fanfare with a reverb effect.

Availability

Edit Table

Media Title	Date of Release	Additional Notes
Ein Fest fürs Leben	October 19, 2023	Only known appearance

External Links

• Official Website
• UFA GmbH  on Wikipedia
• UFA GmbH filmography  on IMDb