Banijay Group is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay Group is present in 16 territories.
Banijay Group is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay Group is present in 16 territories.
Comments Off on Marie Antoinette’s Reign Extended with CANAL+
Content powerhouse Banijay and Newen today announce the landmark historical drama, Marie Antoinette, has been ordered for a second series by CANAL+, with filming expected to begin in autumn.
Created by Deborah Davis (The Favourite), the new series of Marie Antoinette will continue the extraordinary story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle (Ku’damm 56/ 63), with Louis Cunningham (Bridgerton) as the king of France, Louis XVI.
At the height of their power, while Marie-Antoinette and Louis face an unprecedented financial crisis. The incessant attacks of Provence and Chartres against the royal couple stir up the hatred of the nobles while disastrous consequences are looming with The Affair of the Necklace. From Versailles to the Palais-Royal, the revolt rumbles…
The season two writing team is led by Louise Ironside, joined by Charlotte Wolf, Francesca Forristal and Andrew Bampfield. Ed Bazalgette will direct the first four episodes.
The CANAL+ Creation Originale, produced by Capa Drama, Banijay Studios France, will once again be distributed globally by Banijay Rights. The first series has been sold to over 70 territories, including PBS Distribution in the US, BBC First in Australia and BBC Two and iPlayer in the UK, which reported consolidated viewing figures of 2.1 million for its premiere in 2022, and a raft of broadcasters across Europe and LatAm.
Cathy Payne, CEO of Banijay Rights says: “Without a doubt, Marie Antoinette has been a popular drama with our buyers worldwide, and this is testament to the world-class producers in France who have created a premium, returning series for the international market. The flawless, high-quality production is filled with glamourous talent and lavish locations, and we’re thrilled to offer a landmark new season of this unique interpretation of the fashionable French queen to global audiences.”
Marie Antoinette is produced by Claude Chelli and Margaux Balsan for Capa Drama, Stéphanie Chartreux for Banijay Studios France.
Comments Off on Banijay Spotlights Premium Portfolio for London TV Screenings
Content powerhouse, Banijay, today confirms the line-up for its bespoke London TV Screenings event on Wednesday 1 March at BAFTA. It marks the second physical participation in the wider annual distribution gathering, which runs from Monday 27 February to Friday 3 March.
Shining a light on scripted, Banijay Rights’ premium offering includes UK dramas Three Little Birds for ITV and BritBox International, This Town and The Sixth Commandment for the BBC, Domina for MGM+ and Sky, Safe Home for SBS, as well as feature documentary LARA (w/t).
This year’s stellar scripted offering will be complemented by Banijay’s unscripted formats fronted by its Creative Networks team. Included are fresh interior design competition, TheBig Interiors Battle; addictive dating and relationship shows, Love Triangle, Date My Mate, Save the Date; entertainment newcomers,Boomerissima and Cover Night; competition titles Blow Up and MasterChef Young Talent; and sneak peeks will be on offer for much-anticipated adventure reality, The Summit, and comedy entertainment, No Strings Attached.
As part of the exclusive, invite-only event, This Town creator, writer and executive producer, Steven Knight, stars of Three Little Birds Rochelle Neil, Yazmin Belo, and Saffron Coomber, will be interviewed live on the BAFTA stage, as well as The Sixth Commandment writer Sarah Phelps and director Saul Dibb; Safe Home star Aisha Dee, Domina creator Simon Burke and award-winning LARA (w/t) director Mags Gavan.
Cathy Payne, CEO at Banijay Rights says: “This year’s Banijay at BAFTA event is set to have the strongest line-up yet, and we’re proud to create a truly must-attend showcase for international buyers, with a high-calibre of talent supporting us on stage. With an extensive range of genres, bringing globally relevant themes to audiences, we expect our eclectic roster of content to be immensely popular.”
James Townley, Global Head of Content Development & Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay comment: “From Love Triangle to Blow Up and No Strings Attached, at Banijay, we have a strong pipeline of emerging IP that we’re proud to present. This is down to our creatives who we are delighted to support in super-charging their ambitious ideas and getting them on-screen and travelling the world.”
Banijay Rights’ footprint in the premium documentary space has expanded over the last year, and along with Banijay Benelux joint venture Scenery, it’s lining up LARA (w/t). Directed by the BAFTA and Emmy award-winning Mags Gavan, the film recounts an extraordinary reconciliation story between Jorge Lara and Juan Pablo Escobar – the son of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
On the scripted front, Banijay Rights is highlighting Three Little Birds, the six-part drama created by Sir Lenny Henry which depicts his mother’s stories of leaving Jamaica in the 1950s. The project is produced by Tiger Aspect Productions in association with Douglas Road Productions – both Banijay UK companies. Meanwhile, from Kudos, (a Banijay UK company) and Nebulastar, and co-produced with Mercury Studios, in association with Kudos North, Stigma Films, and Nick Angel for the BBC, This Town tells the story of an extended family and four young people who are drawn into the world of ska and two-tone music. This marks the first project of the Kudos-Knight creative partnership deal which supports the Birmingham film and TV industry.
The Sixth Commandment, from Wild Mercury Productions (a Banijay UK company) and True Vision Productions, is a true crime drama which explores the deaths of Peter Farquhar and Anne Moore-Martin in a small English village, while Domina returns for a second season, from Tiger Aspect Productions in association with MGM+ Studios, continuing the epic sweeping drama series that takes place during one of the most provocative periods in Roman history.
In addition, thriller Safe Home, the first commission for Imogen Banks’ new production company Kindling Pictures, which follows Phoebe, played by Aisha Dee, a 20-something professional who leaves her job at a prestigious law firm to work at a struggling family violence legal centre. As interconnecting stories unfold, relationships are tested and pressure mounts to save the centre.
Joining Banijay’s factual competition offering is brand-new interior design format, The
Big Interiors Battle from Banijay UK’s Remarkable Factual. Eight people with an eye for design receive the keys to an apartment where they are challenged to transform a different room each week. Will their key card work when they next try to enter or have, they been locked out the competition?
Love Triangle is a bold new relationship show created by the producers of Married at First Sight Australia, Endemol Shine Australia. It challenges a group of singles to relinquish their grasp on what they think their perfect partner should look like and instead choose, sight unseen. Following its successful first season on Stan, it has been recommissioned for a second series. Produced by Dragonfly in the UK, Date My Mate also explores modern dating. Based on the Endemol Shine Australia format Date Night, singles swipe through prospective suitors on the formats’ dedicated real-life app and then watch the subsequent dates unfold. In addition, in Save the Date single women tired of the dating world gain total control of their love life by setting a wedding date, before they have even begun to search for their partner. Will setting a love deadline help them find the one? Created by Endemol Shine Israel, Endemol Shine Finland produced the first series for Nelonen.
Boomerissima, created by Banijay Italia, is all about proving the superiority of your generation. Each episode sees celebrities from different eras pitted against each other highlighting TV shows, movies, music, famous names, adverts, etc to refute stereotypes and highlight whether things were better in the past or the present. The first series concluded on Rai 2 this month, outperforming the channels slot average across all demographics. Next up, how would Flowers by Miley Cyrus sound as rap or Beyonce’s Crazy in Love as a ballad? Cover Night is the singing contest from Shine Iberia that sees young talented singers (16+) go head-to-head as they transform hit songs into different genres and add their own twist to covers, accompanied by a live band.
Elsewhere, there are strong signs competition entertainment combos are here to stay with brand new formats from the Netherlands, and the Nordics. Amongst Banijay’s successful formats is Blow Up, created by EndemolShine Nederland and now commissioned in four territories. The first season which aired in the Netherlands last summer was the number one show in the slot on all commercial key demos with the slot average up 168% for 6-12-year-olds. Banijay also has the latest spin-off from MasterChef, the world’s most successful cookery television format which was created by Franc Roddam, starring a new generation of promising chefs, aged 13 to 18. Created by Danish company Metronome, and Nordisk Banijay in Norway, for Viaplay Group, this exciting and authentic new iteration aims to equip a future generation with the best tools within the industry, providing them with the platform and experience to one day, hopefully, fulfil their chef dreams.
On the first-look side, The Summit is a new and highly anticipated blockbuster adventure reality series created and developed exclusively with the 9Network by Endemol Shine Australia. Set in New Zealand’s rugged southern Alps, a group of strangers carrying an equal share of 1 million Australian dollars must reach the peak of a distant mountain in just 14 days to win the cash. All that stands in the way are a series of adrenaline-charged challenges and human nature. In a thrilling tale of endurance, survival, and greed; morals will be tested, physical limits pushed, and bonds broken. Will they work together or turn on each other as the going gets tough? And if they reach the summit in time…who will walk away with the money? Combining comedy with entertainment, RDF Television’s No Strings Attached invites a different celebrity in each episode to read an erotic piece of creative writing where they are the lead role. The adult fan fiction brought to life by puppet versions of the stars will encounter romance, scandal, mystery, intrigue, and farce.
More than 20 distributors join founder members Banijay Rights, Alll3Media International, Entertainment One, Fremantle and ITV Studios in showcasing their catalogues at this year’s London TV Screenings.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Takes Marie Antoinette Worldwide
Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of content powerhouse Banijay, today announces further landmark sales of historical drama Marie Antoinette.
Produced by Banijay Studios France, CAPA Drama and Les Gens, this CANAL+ Creation Originale eight-part series – created and written by Deborah Davis (The Favourite) – has been acquired by Antenna Plus (Ant1+) in Greece, Ceska Televize in the Czech Republic, DIRECTV in Latin America and Canada’s national public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada for CBC Gem (English) and ICI Télé and ICI Tou.tv (French).
Meanwhile, RTÉ in Ireland, Sky Italia, Radio & Television Slovakia – RTVS and Viaplay across all Nordic and Baltic countries and the Netherlands, have all acquired the drama.
These agreements follow previous sales of Marie Antoinette to BBC First in Australia, PBS Distribution in the US, and BBC Two and iPlayer in the UK, which reported consolidated viewing figures of 2.1 million for its premiere last month.
Claire Jago, EVP Sales and Acquisitions, EMEA, Banijay Rights, said: “Boasting tour-de-force performances, beautiful scenery and powerful writing from Deborah Davis, Marie Antoinette is an extraordinary drama that continues to appeal to broadcasters and streaming services worldwide. We’re extremely pleased that so many new buyers have acquired this series, which gives one of the most comprehensive accounts of this unique woman to date.”
Marie Antoinette tells the story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle (Ku’damm 56/ 63), with Louis Cunningham (Bridgerton) as the Dauphin of France, Louis XVI.
The series is produced by Claude Chelli and Margaux Balsan for CAPA Drama, Stéphanie Chartreux for Banijay Studios France, and Christophe Toulemonde for Les Gens. Filming took place in many prestigious historical places including the Châteaux of Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Lésigny, Champs, Voisins, and in the emblematic studios of Bry-sur-Marne.
Joining Davis in writing the ambitious drama is Louise Ironside (The Split), Avril E. Russell (All on a Summer’s Day) and Chloë Moss (Run Sister Run). The series is directed by Pete Travis (Bloodlands) and Geoffrey Enthoven (Children of Love).
Marie Antoinette was a young teenager when she left Austria to marry the Dauphin of France. Growing from a stubborn young princess navigating the rules of the French court under pressure to continue the Bourbon line, to a true fashion icon, she impressed with her natural charisma, and recreated life in Versailles in her image: free, independent and feminist ahead of time. Even with rumours undermining her reputation, the notorious figure would defeat the enemies of the Versailles court with courage and dignity.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Sends Rogue Heroes to China and the Middle East
Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay, today announces further landmark sales of Rogue Heroes, following the gripping World War Two drama’s renewal by the BBC last night.
In deals negotiated across the Banijay Rights global sales team, the first season of Rogue Heroes has been picked up by Wing Sight Culture & Media Co for streaming in China and STARZPLAY in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, TVNZ in New Zealand, Paramount+ in Germany, and DIRECTV in Latin America have all acquired the series.
These new agreements follow previous sales of the drama to premium network EPIX (soon to be known as MGM+) for the US, HBO Max in Europe, Prime Video in Canada, SBS in Australia and Canal+ in France.
Produced by Kudos (a Banijay UK company) and Nebulastar for the BBC – and entitled SAS Rogue Heroes in the UK market – the series is a dramatized account of how the world’s greatest Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two.
Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights, said: “These latest global deals cap off an exceptional couple of months for Rogue Heroes, with a recent BBC renewal a fantastic way to end the year. We’re excited to extend the reach of Steven Knight’s and Kudos’ epic drama to several new territories, including China and the Middle East for the very first time.”
Martin Haines, Joint MD, Kudos, said: “The series has been a huge global hit, with audiences captivated by the incredible world that Steven Knight has brought to life for our Rogue Heroes. We’re thrilled that even more people will now get the chance to watch.”
Based on Ben Macintyre’s best-selling book, Rogue Heroes centres on David Stirling, an eccentric young officer, who is hospitalized after a training exercise gone wrong. Convinced that traditional commando units don’t work, Stirling creates a radical plan that flies in the face of all accepted rules of modern warfare. He fights for permission to recruit the toughest, boldest, and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines. More rebels than soldiers, Stirling’s team is every bit as complicated, flawed, and reckless as it is brave and heroic.
Rogue Heroes was developed for television and written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Taboo, A Christmas Carol) and is directed by Tom Shankland (The Serpent, The Missing), with Stephen Smallwood (The Serpent, Patrick Melrose) as producer. Knight also executive produces the series alongside Karen Wilson, Martin Haines and Emma Kingsman-Lloyd for Kudos, and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC.
Connor Swindells (Sex Education, Vigil) plays David Stirling, with Jack O’Connell (Skins, The North Water) as Paddy Mayne, Alfie Allen (Jojo Rabbit, Game of Thrones) as Jock Lewes, Tom Glynn-Carney (Dunkirk, The King) as SAS Founding member Mike Sadler, and Sofia Boutella (Modern Love, Atomic Blonde) as Eve Mansour. Dominic West (The Wire, Appropriate Adult) plays Lieutenant Colonel Wrangel Clarke.
Commissioned by the BBC, SASRogue Heroes premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK in October 2022. Filming on season two will take place in 2023. Banijay Rights is also global distributor for This Town, a major upcoming six-part BBC drama from Steven Knight and Kudos which tells the story of a family and four young people who are drawn into the world of ska and two-tone music.
Banijay Rights today announcesBig Brother VIP will be adapted for the Republic of Kosovo. Co-produced byKlan Kosova and Artmotion, the new series will air on Klan Kosova from the 5th of December, bringing the Banijay format to 65 countries.
Originally created by EndemolShine Nederland, Big Brother recently returned to Telefe in Argentina after five years. The reboot was a huge success with a 70% share on its launch. This follows the recent news of the format’s return to the UK with ITV2 and ITVX, and Banijay UK-owned Initial lined up to produce. The global reality hit is going from strength to strength, with 32 productions airing across 25 markets this year, up from 2021. Big Brother’s celebrity spin-off was named K7 Media’s spin-off of the year in 2021 with 17 active markets.
Samia Moktar,VP CEE & Airlines, Banijay Rights, who negotiated the deal, said: “Big Brother VIP is a fantastic spin-off, a tried and tested hit which has attracted large audiences around the world, from Australia to Italy. We’re looking forward to building on this international success and bringing Big Brother to its 65thmarket, working with Klan Kosova and Artmotion to showcase iconic celebrity reality content for the Kosovan audience.”
Big Brother VIP is the all-seeing, all-powerful format that follows a group of celebrities living together in a house fitted with cameras recording their every move. With no contact from the outside world, celebrity participants must learn how to co-habit with their new housemates whilst competing against them every week in physical and mental challenges. Watching the celebrities 24/7 they must decide who should be evicted and who ultimately should be crowned the winner of Big Brother VIP.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Secures First Bali 2002 Deal
Banijay Rights today announces ITV in the UK has acquired Bali 2002, the new four-part drama that explores the everyday heroes directly impacted by the terrorist attacks on the Indonesian island 20 years ago. The drama will air on new streaming service ITVX next year.
Co-produced by Banijay labels Endemol Shine Australia and Screentime for Stan and 9Network in Australia, the deal marks the first international sale for this powerful drama series – struck ahead of the final day of MIPCOM in Cannes today.
Premiering last month on Stan, and featuring a stellar cast led by Rachel Griffiths (Total Control), Richard Roxburgh (Rake) and Claudia Jesse (Bridgerton), Bali 2002 recounts the tragic events of October 12, 2002 – when the island was shattered by a terrorist attack on two of Kuta Beach’s busiest nightclubs.
Local Balinese and Australian and British tourists scrambled to rescue the injured, whilst the Australian and Indonesian authorities mobilised to evacuate survivors, identify victims and investigate what really took place. Amidst this chaos, heroes arose from the most unlikely places and cultures united in the search for healing and meaning.
Chris Stewart, SVP Sales UK & Eire, Banijay Rights, who negotiated the deal with ITV, said: “It was exactly 20 years ago last week when these devastating terrorist attacks rocked the paradise island of Bali – the impact of which is still being felt by victims, survivors and their families today. Bali 2002 is a tribute to them – sensitively capturing those inspirational stories to emerge out of the darkest of days. It’s an honour to be able to take this landmark series to a wider audience through this deal with ITV and ITVX.”
Sasha Breslau, ITV’s Head of Content Acquisitions, said: “It’s a privilege to bring these personal stories of the brave people of Bali to UK viewers, and we look forward to premiering the series on ITVX in 2023.”
Peter Newman, CEO, Endemol Shine Australia, added: “Twenty years on from an event that shocked the world, Bali 2002 is a story of resilience and heroism born from the darkest tragedy. This is a gripping four-part series that is evocative, sensitive and reflective of the stories that have been told directly from those impacted by this event.”
The first original drama co-commission between 9Network and Stan, Bali 2002 was written by Justin Monjo (Storm Boy), Kris Wyld (Pulse), Marcia Gardner (Wentworth) and emerging screenwriter Michael Toisuta – with Balinese writer, actor and musician Ketut Yuliarsa (Janggan) on board as story editor.
Produced by Kerrie Mainwaring for Screentime, Tim Pye executive produces Bali 2002 alongside Sara Richardson for Endemol Shine Australia, Michael Healy and Andy Ryan for the 9Network and Amanda Duthie and Cailah Scobie for Stan. Peter Andrikidis and Katrina Irawati Graham direct the series.
The series received major production investment from Screen Australia, in association with Screen NSW. Banijay Rights is responsible for international distribution.
Comments Off on Banijay Unveils Eco-Friendly Stand for MIPCOM 2022
Leading producer-distributor Banijay today reveals its innovative, new eco-friendly stand ahead of MIPCOM 2022, where the company will have an expanded market presence following a three-year hiatus.
Located at C.20 in a prime location in front of Cannes’ famous Palais des Festivals, the two-floor structure – a responsibly built, re-usable and unique construction made of wood – comprises more than 500m2 of floor space complete with meeting rooms, reception area, multiple terraces and hospitality areas.
Created by Romain Larue from Orati and designed by architect Nicola Spinetto, the entire build uses Cross Laminated Timber – an innovative technology that stands out for its strength, versatility and sustainability.
The construction will completely optimise brightness throughout its central patio area and terraces and will be home to Banijay’s 250+ MIPCOM team; with the sales division on hand to offer stand-out titles to clients from a catalogue of more than 130,000 hours.
Cathy Payne, CEO of Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay, said: “It has been three years since Banijay has exhibited at MIPCOM and our first major market since the acquisition of Endemol Shine, so we felt it important to present ourselves in a very prominent way.
“This ground-breaking, eco-friendly project truly represents Banijay’s commitment to sustainability, re-enforcing our mission to reduce our carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment.
“It’s the perfect engine room for our supersized team who will arrive at MIPCOM 2022 as one of the world’s biggest producers and distributors of TV content.”
All panels have been flat-packed with a minimum of trucks required to transport the construction. To complement the eco-theme, the stand will feature many plants sourced from a local nursery, the programme catalogues and merchandise for clients are recyclable, and post-market, the stand will be stored less than 50km from Cannes.
At MIPCOM, Banijay will unveil an impressive range of titles for its autumn slate including format highlights Starstruck, Blow Up, Love Triangle, Le Plus Grand Karaoké de France and MasterChef: Young Talent and Banijay Rights-fronted premium scripted titles: Marie Antoinette, Rogue Heroes,Bali 2002, Serial Lover, and third-party dramas Stonehouse and Riches. These break-out autumn highlights complement the 130,000 hours of globally renowned, stand-out IP within Banijay’s expansive travelling catalogue.
Visit us at C.20 in front of the steps of the Palais des Festivals.
Comments Off on Banijay’s Unveils Format and Scripted Highlights Ahead of MIPCOM
Leading producer/distributor, Banijay, proudly announces its all-new, stand-out titles for MIPCOM. Taking up residency with an expanded presence since its last visit, the global player is set to make a noisy return to the market, as it prepares to raise the curtain on its latest creations.
Love Triangle, Blow Up, Le Plus Grand Karaoké de France, and MasterChef: Young Talent, will all make their Cannes debuts in Banijay’s format line-up, along with Starstruck, and Banijay Rights’ premium scripted titles Rogue Heroes, Marie Antoinette, Bali 2002, and Serial Lover, and third-party titles Stonehouse and Riches.
James Townley, Global Head of Content Development at Banijay, says: “At Banijay we promote collaboration, innovation, and creative autonomy, and this is unmistakable with our extensive MIPCOM slate, with distinctive and fresh formats coming from Australia, UK, France, and the Netherlands. We’re very much looking forward to heading to Cannes in person, offering broadcasters new premium entertainment, bold dating shows and showcasing the modern evolution of our super brands – all of which, have travelling potential at their core.”
Cathy Payne, CEO at Banijay Rights, says: “Our portfolio is further evidence of how we are tapping into the international audience’s desire for high-end content with nuanced narratives, and visually powerful series. Our line-up for MIPCOM epitomises this with fascinating, compelling stories from across the Banijay footprint and beyond. We can’t wait to showcase our new eco-friendly stand and spend some time face-to-face with all our clients from across the globe.”
Love Triangle, from Endemol Shine Australia for Stan, is an unpredictable and explosive relationship journey filled with love, heartbreak and a mind-blowing twist, that will rock the couples to their core, while Dutch format Blow Up from EndemolShine Nederlands for RTL4 sees talented balloon artists battle it out in a colourful and creative competition with high stakes. French label DMLS TV’s Le Plus Grand Karaoké de France was the number one show in its slot for adults 25-49 and sees experts select the best singers from 1,000 mic’d up participants who are belting out songs.
Building on the world’s most successful cookery television format (Guinness World Records), MasterChef has developed a new iteration that welcomes 13 – 18 year-olds into the kitchen. MasterChef: Young Talent will equip a future generation of chefs with the best tools and experience. Viaplay Group has commissioned the first series from Banijay labels, Metronome (Denmark) and Nordisk Banijay (Norway).
Meanwhile, Starstruck, created by Remarkable Entertainment for ITV is a high-end entertainment show with a second series underway in the UK. Teaming up as trios, the public transform into some of the world’s biggest music icons.
On the scripted front, Banijay Rights is highlighting new historical drama, Marie Antoinette. Created and written by Deborah Davis (The Favourite), the eight-part series was produced by Banijay Studios France, CAPA Drama and Les Gens, and tells the story of the avant-garde young queen. From Kudos and Nebulastar, Rogue Heroes, written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) is a dramatised account of how the SAS, the world’s greatest Special Forces unit formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two. It stars Connor Swindells, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Allen, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sofia Boutella and Dominic West.
Alongside these period dramas is Shine Fiction’s Serial Lover, a co-production with Sibaro Films. Written by Alice Der Broek, this story centres around a shrewd man who lives many lives, manipulating those around him, especially women who he targets and steals from. Meanwhile, Bali 2002 explores the everyday heroes directly impacted by the terrorist attacks in Bali twenty years ago. Written by Justin Monjo (Storm Boy), Kris Wyld (Pulse), Marcia Gardner (Wentworth) emerging screenwriter Michael Toisuta and Balinese writer, actor and musician Ketut Yuliarsa (Janggan) as story editor, this powerful drama is produced by Endemol Shine Australia and Screentime.
Banijay Rights builds on its slate of dramas based on true events with Stonehouse. From acclaimed writer John Preston, the third-party offering from Clearwood Films and Snowed-In Productions is directed by BAFTA-nominated Jon S.Baird (Stan & Ollie) and depicts the story of disgraced Labour minister John Stonehouse. In addition, Banijay Rights includes Greenacre Films’ production, Riches, in its slate. Written and created by Abby Ajayi, it follows the exploits of the brash, super-successful, and wealthy Richards family – the stellar cast includes Deborah Ayorinde (Them), Hugh Quarshie (Absentia) and Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso) amongst others.
These MIPCOM highlights compliment the 130,000+ hours of globally renowned, stand-out IP within Banijay’s catalogue. They will sit alongside super brands such as Big Brother, Survivor, LEGO® Masters, Hunted, The Bridge, Peaky Blinders, and The Truth Will Out.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Sends Marie Antoinette Down Under
Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay, today announces the sale of new eight-part historical drama Marie Antoinette to BBC First in Australia.
Produced by Banijay Studios France, CAPA Drama and Les Gens, the acquisition marks the latest international deal for this CANAL+ Creation Originale and follows last year’s pre-sale to UK public broadcaster BBC2. The BBC First agreement was negotiated by Kell Hoddinott, VP Australia and New Zealand, Banijay Rights.
Created and written by Deborah Davis (The Favourite), Marie Antoinette tells the story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle (Ku’damm 56/ 63). Joining Deborah Davis in writing the ambitious drama is Louise Ironside (The Split), Avril E. Russell (All on a Summer’s Day) and Chloë Moss (Run Sister Run). The series is directed by Pete Travis (Bloodlands) and Geoffrey Enthoven (Children of Love).
Marie Antoinette is produced by Claude Chelli and Margaux Balsan for Capa Drama, Alban Étienne and Stéphanie Chartreux for Banijay Studios France, and Christophe Toulemonde for Les Gens. Filming took place in many prestigious historical places including the Châteaux of Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Lésigny, Champs, Voisins, and in the emblematic studios of Bry-sur-Marne.
Kell Hoddinott, VP Sales, Australia and New Zealand, Banijay Rights said: “Boasting outstanding scenery and performances, Marie Antoinette is continuing to gain strong traction worldwide. It’s an absolute delight to secure this deal with BBC First and we are in no doubt Australian audiences will fall in love with this series, which so wonderfully chronicles the life of a unique young queen as she navigates the often dark and manipulative world of Versailles.”
Chrissie Carras, Head of Branded Services, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, said:“We’re delighted to bring this epic drama to Australian audiences. It’s a fascinating story which will keep audiences enthralled from beginning to end.”
Marie Antoinette was barely 14 years old when she left Austria to marry the Dauphin of France. Growing from a stubborn young princess navigating the rules of the French court under pressure to continue the Bourbon line, to a true fashion icon, she impressed with her natural charisma, and recreated life in Versailles in her image: free, independent and feminist ahead of time. Even with rumours undermining her reputation, the notorious figure would defeat the enemies of the Versailles court with courage and dignity.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Gets Greek Format Deals
Banijay Rights today announces new adaptations for two of its leading entertainment programmes with broadcasters in Greece, as NATPE Budapest International gets under way.
Commercial network Alpha TV has commissioned Barking Well Media to produce a first season of entertainment hit All Together Now to premiere later this year.
The deal follows the launch of hit Australian format The Hundred, which recently had its first international adaptation on Star Channel in Greece, capturing a first-episode audience share of 16%. The series is produced locally by Green Pixel.
Both agreements were negotiated by Robin Pollok, VP Sales, Africa, Middle East, Greece & Israel, Banijay Rights, who said: “Greece has long been fertile ground for entertainment programming so it’s thrilling to secure these landmark deals with the nation’s leading broadcasters ahead of NATPE Budapest International. From a fresh take on a traditional talent competition to an innovative entertainment show, we’re looking forward to working closely with our partners in Greece in the coming months.”
Originally created by Banijay UK-owned Remarkable TV for BBC1 in the UK and now selling to over 18 markets, All Together Now sees a range of talented vocalists – solos and groups – perform in front of ‘The 100’, an audience of great singers with big voices and even bigger opinions.
If any of ‘The 100’ like what they hear, they can stand up, join in and sing along. The greater the number that participate, the higher the act’s score. At the end of the series, one act will walk away with a major cash prize. The question is, who can get ‘The 100’ on their feet and singing along?
The Hundred, which aired its second season on Nine Network in Australia in February, was originally created by Screentime Australia/Endemol Shine Australia and aims to find out who Australians really are. Featuring 100 everyday Australians from all over the country who are handpicked to represent their nation, ‘The Hundred’ is standing by to be polled live and give us the stories behind the stat. Each week, comedians and celebrities battle it out to prove who really knows Australia best, challenging ‘The Hundred’ and unpacking the facts along the way.
Comments Off on Premium content meets cutting-edge technology – Banijay Rights collaborates with Amagi to go FAST
Amagi, a global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV, today announces its partnership with Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of world-leading independent TV producer Banijay, to drive its Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (FAST) strategy worldwide.
Amagi has facilitated channel creation, distribution and monetization for Banijay Rights on key FAST platforms such as Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Freevee, LG Channels and more.
Banijay is one of the largest content producers and distributors of TV content in the world and has a multi-genre catalogue of 130,000 hours of original standout programming that includes hit shows such as Survivor, Black Mirror, MasterChef and more.
Meanwhile, Amagi is the torchbearer of the global FAST ecosystem having established early leadership in the domain with 50+ FAST platform partnerships and 100 other OTT platform partnerships.
“As a key member of the content marketplace, connecting premium content providers with the most sought-after OTT platforms, we were ecstatic to collaborate with Banijay Rights,” said Srinivasan KA, co-founder, Amagi. “FAST is increasingly becoming synonymous with quality programming. It’s exactly where a media powerhouse like Banijay Rights should be, and we’re thrilled to have facilitated that.”
Banijay Rights has also sought to leverage the benefits of Amagi’s cutting-edge cloud-led innovations to amplify their reach and revenue in the FAST space. Amagi CLOUDPORT – one of the key solutions that Banijay Rights has availed – is a versatile cloud-built channel playout and distribution solution, with its ability to centrally manage multi-country feeds and improve the efficiency of large broadcast operations. Other solutions such as Amagi THUNDERSTORM and Amagi PLANNER have been utilised by Banijay Rights for dynamic ad insertion and automated content scheduling, delivering a seamless ad and program experience to their viewers.
“At Banijay Rights we are uncompromising in our commitment to quality, and we’ve always associated ourselves with content projects that are powerful and transformative. Our choice of technology partners is no different – and we look forward to accomplishing great things with Amagi.” said Shaun Keeble, VP Digital, Banijay Rights.
Amagi provides a complete suite of solutions for channel creation, distribution, and monetization. The company also has a state-of-the-art cloud broadcast operations center that can support 1000+ live linear channels. Amagi clients include ABS-CBN, A+E Networks UK, beIN Sports, Curiosity Stream, Discovery Networks, Fox Networks, Fremantle, Gusto TV, NBCUniversal, Tastemade, Tegna, USA Today, Vice Media and Warner Media, among others.
For more information about Amagi and its streaming TV solutions, visit www.amagi.com.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Scores First Starstruck Deal
Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay, today announces the first international adaptation of hit UK format Starstruck – with a landmark deal confirmed in South America.
Following its successful launch to a consolidated 4.7 million viewers on ITV in the UK this year and a confirmed re-commission for a second series, Canal 13 in Chile will produce and broadcast a local version of the primetime extravaganza.
The Chilean version will broadcast three days a week this month, with the deal brokered by Michelle Wasserman, SVP Latam, USH & Brazil, Banijay Rights.
Created by Remarkable Entertainment (a Banijay UK company), Starstruck sees ordinary members of the public team up for the ultimate ‘superstar experience’, shedding their normal personas to become global icons, all courtesy of an elite team of glam and stylists overseeing an extraordinary on-screen transformation.
Michelle Wasserman, SVP Latam, USH & Brazil, Banijay Rights, said: “Starstruck is one of the most ambitious and exciting formats to grace Banijay Rights’ 130,000+ hour catalogue, and evidently demand from broadcasters worldwide isn’t disappointing. With contestants transforming into megastars including Ariana Grande, Lionel Richie and more, we’re in no doubt this show will resonate strongly with viewers in Chile.”
Launching #1 launch in its timeslot – and a hit with younger viewers (16-34) +61% above the slot average – Starstruck in the UK is hosted by Olly Murs with presiding judges Sheridan Smith, Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight and Jason Manford.