Tag Archive: Dance Brothers

1. Banijay Finland Expands its Film and TV Slate with Queen Heist and The Good Widow

   27th January 2026 9:54 am Comments Off on Banijay Finland Expands its Film and TV Slate with Queen Heist and The Good Widow

   Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today unveils Banijay Finland’s expanded scripted offering, led by drag-queen caper, Queen Heist, an 8 x 25-minute commission for Yle, alongside the forthcoming feature film The Good Widow. Together these titles underscore Banijay Finland’s ambition to deliver distinctive, creatively driven stories for both the Finnish and international markets.

   Queen Heist, is a fast-paced comedy written and created by Cristal Snow, directed by his sibling Viivi Huuska, and produced by Max Malka. The series follows brothers Aapo and Eetu who, after losing their jobs at a small-town sausage factory, accidentally stumble into a life of drag-fuelled criminal escapades. Joined by their childhood friends, they become amateur thieves in amateur drag, on a road to unexpected self-discovery. The project grew creatively as part of Banijay Bootcamp, a development and writer programme designed to accelerate new scripted ideas from labels across Banijay Entertainment.

   Alongside the series, Banijay Finland is unveiling the development of a romcom feature film, The Good Widow, a liberating, unconventional take on late-life love and desire. Written and directed by Josefina Rautiainen, whose critically acclaimed debut feature How to Shout picked up two industry nominations, The Good Widow will be produced by Minna Virkajärvi. Blending sharp humour and inter-generational chemistry, the film follows Mirja, a 72-year-old widow who defies family and community expectations by forming an unexpected relationship with a much younger man she meets online.

   Max Malka, Creative Director, Scripted at Banijay Finland says: “We are ambitiously building a scripted portfolio defined by boldly creative projects, and these two original stories highlight how distinctive Finland can be. With Queen Heist, Cristal has delivered a joyful romp that was bolstered creatively at Banijay Bootcamp, then commissioned by Yle. Meanwhile, Minna is shaping The Good Widow into a surprisingly funny comedy about choosing life, and romance, on your own terms. Both titles have the confidence and energy to cut through, with the potential to engage audiences in Finland and beyond.”

   Banijay Finland’s premium scripted slate spans series and feature films, including popular crime titles like Murder in Hanko and Detective Maria Kallio, comedies such as Supporting Actor, and the YA dance-drama Dance Brothers. The company’s mission is to tell entertaining and meaningful stories in a responsible and diverse way, for local and international audiences.

   Banijay Entertainment is Europe’s number one studio in scripted, with over 60 labels across the footprint, producing over 110 titles annually. Its global portfolio includes Peaky Blinders, The Buccaneers, Mrs Playbook, Motor Valley, Montmartre, Carême, A Remarkable Place to Die, The Gardener and the Culpa trilogy. The Nordic slate features Fallen, My Brother, Billionaire’s Island, Still Breathing, Wallander and The Diary of a Ditched Girl.

   Banijay Bootcamp, led by Steve Matthews, Head of Scripted, Creative, is a creative programme for scripted talent, facilitating collaborative storytelling by pairing in-house development staff with writers in a dynamic residency.

2. Samuel Kujala and Roderick Kabanga Star in Dance Brothers – The First Finnish Series Premiering Globally on Netflix

   3rd May 2022 4:04 pm Comments Off on Samuel Kujala and Roderick Kabanga Star in Dance Brothers – The First Finnish Series Premiering Globally on Netflix

   Today, Netflix announced that Samuel Kujala and Roderick Kabanga will play the leading roles in Dance Brothers, the first Finnish series premiering globally on Netflix. The young adult drama series is a co-production between Netflix and Yle, and is created and produced by Max Malka at Banijay’s Endemol Shine Finland.

   Dance Brothers centers around the two brothers Roni (Roderick Kabanga) and Sakari (Samuel Kujala), as they struggle to make a living as professional dancers. To help finance their dance dreams they decide to start their own club, which provides income, housing and a training space. Their unique club and impressive dance routines quickly bring them fame. Soon artistic ambitions and personal relationships collide with commercial demands, it’s business versus passion. The loyalty and love the brothers have for each other will be tested by the one thing that always united them – dance.

   Kai Finke, Director EMEA TV Licensing at Netflix: “I am thrilled to share that our Finnish language co-production Dance  Brothers is currently filming in Helsinki. In Yle and with Endemol Shine Finland we are happy to have two incredibly strong local partners. I can’t wait to see this story come to life, and I am convinced the show will appeal to both a local and a global audience. ”

   Max Malka, Head of Scripted at Endemol Shine Finland: “This is a special project, not only because it is a unique and ground-breaking take on the dance genre, but we have created a series that will showcase the very best of Finnish creativity on all levels. The combination of high-quality drama, exciting dance and a diverse group of talent makes this the dream project for us.”

   Other cast members include Jeanine Muyima, Fanni Noroila, Lauri Lohi, Eeva Eloranta and ​​Cristal Snow.

   Dance Brothers is a co-production between Netflix and Yle, and produced by Banijay’s Endemol Shine Finland. The series is directed by Taito Kawata, and created and produced by Max Malka, who also serves as writer together with Reeta Ruotsalainen.

   The Finnish language series will release globally on Netflix in 2023 and will later also be available on Yle. Premiere date is still to be announced.