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.

Tag Archive: IWC Media

  1. Banijay Italia Produces First-Ever Wild Things – kids edition

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    Banijay today announces Banijay Italia will produce Wild Things – kids edition exclusively for Boing (Channel 40 of the DTT), a joint venture between RTI Mediaset and Warner Bros Discovery. This adaptation will see children, aged eight to twelve, take the lead in the family entertainment game show. Further access and amazing extra content will also be available on the Boing App this autumn.

    Teamwork is essential on Wild Things as pairs of contestants, a child and an adult family member, head into the forest to complete obstacle courses and imaginative challenges. But this won’t be easy, as the adult will be dressed in a comical woodland creature costume and unable to see anything. To triumph and take home the prize, the children must have communication skills, patience and put trust in their partner, all whilst trying to be the fastest. Will the adult partner be left stumbling around, going in the wrong direction, or will the pair be in-sync and the first to complete the task? The series will be hosted by famous Italian comedians, Andrea Pisani and Luca Peracino, known as The PanPers.

    The original series, Wild Things was created by IWC Media (part of Banijay UK), Mad Monk, and GroupM Entertainment Ltd. This format has been adapted in eight territories including Sweden, Argentina, and China, and has won multiple awards such as a Rose d’Or for TV Game Show and a Broadcast Digital Award for Best Entertainment Programme.

     

    Fabrizio Ievolella, CEO of Banijay Italia says: “Wild Thing – kids edition is a funny physical game show with exciting competitive tasks and hilarious interactions between the pairs. Our adaptation will see, for the first time, children taking the lead and guiding their adult family member. These variations make the format perfect for children’s channel, Boing.”

    Lucas Green, Global Head of Content Operations at Banijay adds: “Wild Things showcases light-hearted competition with great costumes, and it’s fantastic to see its natural evolution for the younger audience. With Banijay Italia’s track record of producing great content, I know this new adaptation will be something the whole family will love.”

    Ana González, VP Kids Channels Southern Europe, Warner Bros. Discovery says: “We are thrilled to launch this funny and wacky original production on Boing featuring much-loved and popular duo, The PanPers.Wild Things – kids edition reaffirms our commitment to European production and to best in class kids and family content. It’s a perfect fit for Boing and we expect our fans to follow with passion and enthusiasm.”

    Banijay Italia has extensive experience working with a range of broadcasters and is home to a rich slate of titles including Celebrity Survivor (L’Isola dei Famosi), Peking Express, and Bake Off Italy. In addition, the company is behind original IP like Celebrity Chef, Dinner Club and The Ferragnez, the last two shows, as recently announced, will return for a second series on Amazon Prime Video.

  2. IWC to make Holiday Hire Makeover Format for Channel 4

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    IWC, a Banijay company, today announces it has been commissioned to make TX pilot, Hire My Home, afactual entertainment format for Channel 4.

     

    Featuring two skilled interior designers, Anna Campbell-Jones (Scotland’s Home of the Year) and Zeena Shah, this show takes bland rentals and turns them into unique holiday lets. The designers are each assigned a property in the same area of the UK and given a budget by the owner to transform it. It will be their job to give each property a stunning makeover, drawing inspiration from the character and culture of the surrounding area, and creating a stand-out style would-be holidaymakers can’t ignore. The rejuvenated rentals will then be judged by 100 Brits via a Hire My Home app, with photographs and price point uploaded. Swiping through the pictures, each of them will decide if they would book it or not, just as people do in the real world. But which designer will come out on top?

     

    The show is commissioned in a summer where many are opting out of foreign travel and holiday rentals in the UK can expect a boom in popularity. For the thousands of homeowners who advertise their properties online, there has never been a better time to make sure theirs stands out from the crowd. Whether it’s a first-timer who has never listed their place or someone who wants to refresh a rental that has seen better days, Hire My Home is ready to turn their property into a design dream.

     

     

    Gerard Costello, Executive Producer at IWC said: “Letting our designers loose on some of the UK’s holiday lets is a great way to see some exciting and characterful transformations. This format will not only give Channel 4 viewers great inspiration for their next staycation, it will be full of creative ideas for improvements they can make in their own homes.”

     

    The series has been commissioned by Jo Street, Head of Daytime and Head of Hub, Glasgow for Channel 4, and is Executive Produced by Gerard Costello for IWC. Hire My Home will be distributed globally by Banijay Rights.

  3. IWC to Make New Location Shows for Channel 4

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    IWC, a Banijay Group company, today announces it has been commissioned to make 18×60’ episodes of Location, Location, Location: 20 Years in the Making (w/t) for Channel 4.

     

    In the 20th anniversary year of the hit show, Location, Location, Location: 20 Years in the Making (w/t) will bring together some of our most memorable stories from the past offering up the social history, from bust to boom and back, of house buying in Britain over a generation. Each episode will explore a theme, from the toughest markets over the years and the times people have questioned whether it’s a good time to buy a property, to million-pound homes and first-time buying.

     

    Punctuating some of our top home search stories, there will be new stats, giving rundowns on how buying property has changed over the years. Crucially though, each programme will be naturally filled with the energy and tone we’ve come to know and love from the series. Lots of lovely properties, lots of tricky searches and lots of fun from Kirstie and Phil.

     

    Mark Downie, Creative Director of IWC said:“Over the last twenty years, on Phil and Kirstie’s watch, property became a British national obsession. This new series offers their peerless perspective on how, over two decades, the dips and swoops of the property market have transformed Britain and by extension changed the lives of every one of us.

     

    At IWC, like our peers across the industry, we are using innovative and creative ways to continue to make programming for our buyers, whilst adhering to social distancing and lockdown measures.”.

     

    The filming of the next series of Location, Location, Locationhas been pushed back in light of government advice and in order to protect our presenters, contributors and crew. The production continues to safely run a core team and IWC is looking forward to taking on the challenges of new house-hunters as soon as conditions allow.

     

    The series has been commissioned by Deborah Dunnett, commissioning editor Channel 4, and is Executive Produced by Gerard Costello for IWC.  Location, Location, Location: 20 Years in the Making, will be distributed globally by Banijay Rights.

  4. IWC to Make Shelf Isolation Series for BBC Scotland

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    IWC, a Banijay Group company, today announces it has been commissioned to make an 3×30’ series, Shelf Isolation for BBC Scotland.

     

    At a time where we are being asked to stay indoors, some of us may now be able to read more books, watch that classic movie and finally catch up on one of those box-sets our friends have been raving about. In this brand-new series, Shelf Isolation, award-winning author and cultural guru, Damian Barr, will be remotely meeting with some famous Scottish names to get their tips on what to read, watch and listen to. The line-up includes actor, Mark Bonnar (Quiz, Shetland, Line of Duty, Guilt, Catastrophe), comedian, actor, writer and director, Greg Hemphill (Still Game, Chewin’ the Fat), and award-winning crime writer, playwright and graphic novelist, Denise Mina.

     

    Damian will be interviewing his guests from his home via an app to record the discussion and giving us a window into their homes. In these intimate talks, he will not only be finding out what cultural pleasures our guests would most recommend to help get us through these troubled times, but also the emotional impact they have and how they reveal something about their own lives.

     

    Pauline Law, Executive Producer and Head of Factual at IWC said:“Damian’s passion for literature and culture, and his skills as an intelligent and nuanced interviewer make him the perfect presenter to get recommendations out of some of Scotland’s best-loved celebrities. We are looking forward to finding creative and innovative ways to produce this show for BBC Scotland in these extraordinary times.”

     

    Damian Barr said: “The books, films and music we love say so much about us – every time we pick up a novel or sit down to another box set, we add another chapter to the story of ourselves.  And they give us the chance to forget about the world around us and disappear somewhere else, if only for a while.  Right now we can’t leave home but we can still travel and meet new people and have new experiences in books, tv and film “Shelf Isolation” gives us a unique glimpse into how some well-known folk are self-isolating as they reveal what’s getting them through –  the classics they’re returning to or their latest box-set binge.  I’m delighted to be presenting this show and hope it gives viewers (and me!) inspiring, distracting and comforting recommendations. Join us!”

     

    “I’m looking forward to a new series of The Big Scottish Book Club later in the year but in the meantime,  “Shelf Isolation” will provide some much needed fun, humour but also insightful chat on what are the best books, movies and box sets to catch up on at this time” says Gareth Hydes, Commissioning Editor, BBC Scotland… “Damian Barr was a great host for the first series of Big Scottish Book Club and there couldn’t be anyone better to get some top names opening up about their favourite books and entertainment choices. ”

     

    The series has been commissioned by Gareth Hydes, commissioning editor BBC Scotland, and is Executive Produced by Pauline Law for IWC.  Shelf Isolation will be distributed globally by Banijay Rights.

  5. Pauline Law Appointed Head of Factual for IWC

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    IWC, a Banijay Group company, today announces  Pauline Law will be joining the business as Head of Factual, overseeing a slate of factual programming, and bolstering IWC’s production office in Glasgow.

    Law joins IWC from BBC Scotland, where from 2017 she was Head of Multiplatform Production, and responsible for 300 members of staff, including teams in Music, Entertainment, Events, Digital, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. During this time, she led a Development team that won over 80 new commissions, including Emeli Sande’s Street Symphony and Susan Calman’s Fringe Benefits for the new BBC Scotland channel, also Executive Producing Arts content such as Beginning, the channel launch film with Chvrches.

    From 2013 to 2017, Law was Executive Producer, BBC Scotland Factual/BBC Studios Pacific Quay Productions. Here she delivered a range of arts and music programmes, including award-winning films for BBC Two such as The Marvellous World of Roald Dahl, and Terry Pratchett: Back in Black, and for BBC Scotland, Billy Connolly: Portrait of a Lifetime and The Proclaimers: This is the Story. Other roles she has held include: Arts Lead, BBC Scotland, Channel Executive, BBC Two/BBC Four and Series Producer, BBC Scotland Arts.

    As Head of Factual, Law will report to Creative Director, Mark Downie, and work closely with him to build on IWC’s reputation as one of Scotland’s leading independent production companies, that produce much-loved series such as Location, Location, Location and Susan Calman’s Secret Scotland to critically acclaimed documentaries such as The Importance of Being Oscar and Lost Films of World War Two. Her appointment is part of IWC’s commitment to making quality programming out of Scotland by expanding its operations in Glasgow and driving the creation of ambitious new ideas in order to increase its Specialist Factual, Popular Factual and Fact Ent production.

    Mark Downie, Creative Director of IWC said: “Pauline is a hugely experienced and highly respected programme maker with an especially impressive track record in music and arts. The fantastic range of programmes she has created and made makes her an ideal hire for our Glasgow office, at a time where there are numerous, exciting opportunities for programme making outside of London. We look forward to welcoming her into our team.”

    Pauline Law added: “I’m delighted to be joining IWC at this exciting time for broadcasting in Scotland. IWC already have such a fantastic range of programmes from popular factual brands to arts and music documentaries. Mark immediately got my creative juices flowing when he approached me about joining the team.  I’m so looking forward to working with IWC on their current commissions and to creating new shows for audiences across the UK and beyond, made out of Glasgow. “

  6. IWC To Produce World’s Greatest War Ships For Channel 5

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    IWC, a Banijay Group company, today announces it has been commissioned to make a 3×60’ documentary series, World’s Greatest War Ships for Channel 5, scheduled to transmit later this year.

    The series will tell the story of the most iconic warships from 1900 to the present day, and will look at the engineering breakthroughs that allowed them to become genuine game-changers and play leading roles in the greatest naval battles of the past century.  Each episode will focus on a specific class of vessel: Dreadnoughts, Word War II Destroyers and Aircraft Carriers.

    Using archive, expert interviews and CGI, World’s Greatest War Ships will focus on iconic ships in all three classes, and tell the story of pivotal naval engagements such as Jutland, Iwo Jima, The Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam, Pearl Harbour, Korea, Desert Storm, and the Battle of the North Atlantic.

    Dominic Bowles, Executive Producer at IWC said: “World’s Greatest War Ships will celebrate some of the most incredible naval engineering feats in history.  With Channel 5, we will not only showcase the design and engineering that made these craft so special, but also tell the story of modern naval warfare.”

    World’s Greatest Warships was commissioned by Guy Davies at Channel 5, and Executive Produced by IWC’s Dominic Bowles. World’s Greatest Warships is distributed globally by Banijay Rights.

  7. Relisted: Scotland’s Home Of The Year Recommissioned – Hunt Is On For Next Winner

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    Filming on series two of Scotland’s Home Of The Year begins in August and programme-makers IWC, a Banijay Group company, are looking for contenders. They want to hear from the owners of all kinds of properties, from urban studio flats to historic country piles. From Shetland to Stranraer and Orkney to Oban, prime properties from all over Scotland will be in the frame.

    Jo Street, Commissioner for BBC Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to announce a second series of Scotland’s Home of the Year. It isn’t just about showing off million-pound properties – it’s about truly celebrating what people have done to turn their house into a home, expressing their individuality through their design, flair and imagination. We saw some cracking houses over the course of series one and there are far more gems to uncover for series two.”

    The first series of Scotland’s Home of the Year became a hit with viewers after it was broadcast on the new BBC Scotland channel in April and May this year.

    The series has since seen its audience continue to grow on iPlayer with requests to view so far hitting more than a quarter of a million – 266,000.

    The format saw three judges – architect Michael Angus, interior designer Anna Campbell-Jones and lifestyle blogger Kate Spiers – travel the length and breadth of Scotland to discover architectural gems and unearth some stunning interiors. Both traditional and contemporary properties were put under the microscope and judges considered everything from a one-bedroom apartment to a centuries-old country castle … and everything in between.

    Each home was scored on functionality, distinctiveness and clever design and from seven finalists, one clear winner of series one was chosen – the White House in Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, created by proud owner Lesley Smith and her late husband Mike.

    Series two will have a slightly longer run than series one with nine 30-minute heats, each featuring three properties from a specific part of the country. The 27 houses featured will then be whittled down to a final nine which will go under the spotlight in an hour-long final episode.

    Gerard Costello, Executive Producer, IWC said: “We are thrilled that Scotland’s Home of the Year is returning to the BBC Scotland channel. The first series was a joy to make and we have only scratched the surface of the beautiful and distinctive homes Scotland has to offer. We can’t wait to get started.”

    If you’d like to be considered for the next series of Scotland’s Home of the Year, get in touch at scotlandshomes@IWCMedia.co.uk

    For more information, contact BBC Scotland Press Office on PressOfficeScotland@bbc.co.uk,
    or 0141 422 6381.

  8. The Big Scottish Book Club on BBC Scotland

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    The Big Scottish Book Club is to be hosted by award-winning author Damian Barr.

     

    Produced by IWC, a Banijay Group company, the new four x 60 series will air later this year on the BBC Scotland channel.

     

    Filmed in two different locations, each week Barr will meet a trio of acclaimed writers from the worlds of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Some may be from the place where the show is filmed, or their work reflects it; others will be famous writers with a less obvious connection, and some will be literature-loving celebrities who can talk passionately about the works that have played a role in their lives. Each episode will be filmed as live and performed in front of an audience.  This show celebrates books and authors from around the world and shines a spotlight on Scottish Writers.

     

    There will also be items with local book lovers in each episode, with details of the places and contributors to be featured to be announced at a later date.

     

    The format of the show is inspired by Damian Barr’s renowned Literary Salon, currently resident at London’s Savoy Hotel.

     

    As host of the salon, Newarthill-born Barr has interviewed a diverse range of established and emerging names from the literary world ranging from Bret Easton Ellis to Armistead Maupin, Susan Calman, Ian Rankin, Kirsty Wark, Aminatta Forna, Yaa Gasi, Juno Dawson, Caitlin Moran, Alan Cumming and Sathnam Sanghera.

     

    Damian Barr said: “Book sales are higher than ever and book groups continue to flourish (ok, drinking wine and occasionally talking about books). From Wigtown to Aye Write and Edinburgh International, Scotland has some of the best and busiest book festivals in the world. And we’ve given the world some of its finest writers. I’m delighted to host the Big Scottish Book Club and invite everyone to join our conversation, readers and writers across the country and the world. Books are for everyone and so is this show.”

     

    Commissioning executive at BBC Scotland Gareth Hydes said: “In conjunction with Damian and IWC, we have worked to give his renowned salon sessions a Scottish twist for the new channel. There are a lot of great Scottish books and authors to discuss and invite onto the show, but it will also feature the international best sellers, which have got everyone talking.”

     

    Mark Downie, Creative Director of IWC said: “Ever since, as a fan, I first attended Damian’s legendary Literary Salon, I’ve wanted to find a way to bring his electrifying passion for books and beguiling skills as an interviewer to a TV audience. Thanks to the BBC Scotland channel we now can. As a Scottish producer, we are all thrilled to be making a world class series that celebrates Scottish literature for a channel that seeks to reflect the people of Scotland in all their diversity. Our mission with this series is to inspire the whole country to get reading and create a book group for the entire nation, which everyone is welcome to join.”

     

    Damian Barr’s Big Scottish Book Club was commissioned by Gareth Hydes, Commissioning Editor for BBC Scotland and is Executive Produced by Mark Downie for IWC. Damian Barr’s Big Scottish Book Club is distributed globally by Banijay Rights.

     

  9. IWC Sets Sail on Yacht Rock

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    IWC, a Banijay Group company, today announces it is producing I Can Go For That: The Smooth World of Yacht Rock, a 2×60’ documentary series for BBC Four. The shows, which are set to air this summer, will explore the smooth sounds of the 70s and 80s.

     

    In I Can Go For That: The Smooth World of Yacht Rock, Katie Puckrik will explore a period of time where Los Angeles studio-based artists like The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan and Hall & Oates produced smooth R&B and married it to adult themes about longing, aspiration and melancholy, to create a unique brand of soft rock. In its day, this music was never categorised as a genre, but now, in the 21st century, it has be known as Yacht Rock due to its finely crafted nature.

     

    Since Puckrik considers Yacht Rock the soundtrack to her teenage years in America, she argues this critically neglected genre of music is in need of a re-appraisal. The first of this two-part series will focus on the 70s and the second, the 80s, and will feature contributions from John Oats (Hall & Oates), producer Mark Ronson, the writer who popularised the term Yacht Rock JD Ryznar, and elite musician Jay Gradon, who played on tracks by Steely Dan and Hall & Oates. The second episode features members of the band Toto.

     

    Katie Puckrik said: “When I was growing up in the Virginia suburbs in the 70s and 80s, Yacht Rock was the music that sailed out of my girlfriends’ cassette players, the older boys’ muscle cars, and the grown-ups’ cocktail parties. I’ve never stopped loving Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald, and the rest of those smooth movers, because they twang my bittersweet spot of escapism and melancholy. The magic of Yacht Rock is that just listening to it makes us feel sexy, happy, and rich. I think of it as ‘millionaire’s make-out music’ – the sound of endless summers.”

     

    Executive Producer Franny Moyle said: “Katie Puckrik is perfectly placed to guide us though this underappreciated musical genre, and her knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject has helped us create this fantastic series. This music was written in a sun drenched past, but it feels timeless.”

     

    The series has been commissioned by Emma Cahusac, Commissioning editor BBC Arts and Music and is Executive Produced by Franny Moyle for IWC. Ben Whalley produces and directs. I Can Go For That: The Smooth World of Yacht Rock will be distributed globally by Banijay Rights.

  10. Susan Calman Continues to Explore Secret Scotland for Channel 5

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    Following the success of Secret Scotland earlier in the year, today Channel 5 announces the series has been recommissioned for a second series.

     

    The 6×60 travel series from IWC Media, a Banijay Group company, and Motion Content Group sees presenter, Susan Calman discover the big stories and the untold tales behind Scotland’s beloved spots, with privileged access to some of Scotland’s most famous locations. In a warm, light-hearted but always informative journey, Secret Scotland looks in-depth at the history, characters and treasures hidden in these stunning spots.

     

    This series is set to feature six new areas in Scotland and will air later this year on Channel 5.

     

    Susan Calman said:

    “I was delighted with the response to the first series and I am so excited to get back on the road to show Channel 5 viewers what else this beautiful country has to offer”

     

    Guy Davies, Factual Commissioning Editor Factual said:

    “Susan was a great success with our viewers in the first series earlier this year and we can’t wait for her to bring back her wit, insight, enthusiasm and sense of fun in a second run of this lively travelogue”

     

    Executive Producer at IWC Media, Gerard Costello, said:

    “We are thrilled that Susan is continuing with her wonderful journeys around Scotland, where there are many more places, and their secrets, left to explore. Susan is full of curiosity about her homeland and we know her natural humour and enthusiasm will be a joy to watch once again. ”

     

    Executive Producer at Motion Content Group, Melanie Darlaston commented:

    “What a fun way to discover the best of Scotland. With her infectious enthusiasm and sense of humour, Susan really is the perfect host.”

  11. IWC Secures Double Commission from Sky Arts

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    IWC, a Banijay Group company, today announces it is set to produce two new unscripted series for Sky Arts’ 2019 transmission slate – Boswell & Johnson’s Scottish Road Trip with Frank Skinner & Denise Mina, and Van Gogh: An Exclusive View – from Tate Britain.

     

    In Boswell & Johnson’s Scottish Road Trip, comedian Frank Skinner and best-selling novelist Denise Mina will be recreating the famous Grand Tour of Scotland, which was completed in 1773 by English writer, and creator of the first great English dictionary, Samuel Johnson, and his young Scottish friend, James Boswell. For Skinner, this will be the culmination of a lifetime obsession with Samuel Johnson, and for Denise, an opportunity to explore her fascination with Boswell. Throughout the three one-hour episodes, like the 18th century pair, they will travel around the coast of Scotland taking to carriages, horses and boats to visit extraordinary sites and enjoy the majestic beauty of the Lowlands, Highlands and islands of Scotland. They will discover what has changed, and what has remained the same, since the great 18th century journey.

     

    Van Gogh: An Exclusive View – from Tate Britain is a one-off, 60-minute special, which sees IWC collaborating with the Tate and Sky Arts once again following the success of 2018’s Picasso Live from Tate Modern.  Presented by curator and broadcaster Kate Bryan, it will be an access-all-areas look at the Tate’s upcoming Van Gogh exhibition, which will showcase the Dutch artist’s time in Britain.  Throughout the episode, artists and cultural figures will get up close to Van Gogh’s world-renowned masterpieces like Sunflowers and At Eternity’s Gate.

     

    Executive Producer Franny Moyle said: “Since I joined IWC less than five years ago, with a brief to build a slate of high-end specialist factual work, we have worked consistently with Sky Arts on a range of bold arts programmes.  These recent commissions are testimony to the channel’s dedication to thoughtful, granular, entertaining, and original approaches to cultural topics and we’re just so pleased to be part of the channel’s journey.”

     

    Director of Sky Arts Phil Edgar-Jones said: “When Frank came to us with an idea to recreate the footsteps of Boswell and Johnson I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Exploring Scotland’s cultural heritage is something I have long been obsessed by, and with the tremendous skills of IWC added to the mix this is a beautiful start. That, plus bringing us exclusive access to Tate Britain’s blockbuster Van Gogh show is a glorious double eye and earful for the Sky Arts fan.”

     

    Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, commissioned both Boswell & Johnson and Van Gogh: An Exclusive View – from Tate Britain. Barbara Lee is the Commissioning Executive for Boswell & Johnson and Benedetta Pinelli for Van Gogh: An Exclusive View – from Tate Britain. Both will be Executive Produced by Franny Moyle for IWC and distributed globally by Banijay Rights.