Comments Off on Global Buyers Catch Welsh Crime Drama The One That Got Away From Banijay Rights
Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of content powerhouse Banijay Entertainment, today announces that UK public broadcaster the BBC has acquired new crime drama series The One That Got Away for BBC Wales, BBC Four and BBC iPlayer, as MIPCOM 2024 gets underway.
Produced by BlackLight TV (a Banijay UK company), the series has also been acquired by SVT in Sweden, RTÉ in Ireland and Warner Bros Discovery in New Zealand in deals negotiated by the Banijay Rights global sales team.
Written by Catherine Tregenna (Law & Order UK, Lewis, DCI Banks) and starring Elen Rhys (The Mallorca Files, Craith/Hidden), Richard Harrington (Y Gwyll/Hinterland) and Rhian Blythe (Y Golau / The Light in the Hall, Craith / Hidden), The One That Got Away is a psychologically driven thriller that sees DI Ffion Lloyd (Rhys) partnering up with her ex-lover DS Rick Walters (Harrington) to find out who is responsible for murdering a nurse in a Welsh coastal town. The series is the English language version of Welsh-language drama Cleddau, an original series for Welsh language broadcaster S4C.
Chris Stewart, SVP Sales, UK & Eire, Banijay Rights, who brokered the BBC deal, said:“The One That Got Away is a thrilling new crime drama that combines gripping murder mystery with an electrifying love story. Set against the coastal backdrops of beautiful West Wales and fronted by a stellar cast, the series reinforces the BBC’s reputation in showcasing the strength in Welsh storytelling and helping to bring the best in Welsh drama to a global stage.”
Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says: “The One That Got Away is a deliciously dark and atmospheric thriller – sure to keep BBC viewers gripped to the very end…”
Ben Bickerton and Phil Trethowan, Joint Managing Directors, BlackLight TV, said: “The One That Got Away is as interested in the personal as it is the professional, with high stakes and captivating characters. We’re delighted it’s found a home in the UK on the BBC and internationally in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and Sweden, where we are sure it will hook and thrill the audience.”
Filmed and set on location in Pembroke Dock, Wales, the shocking murder of a nurse opens old wounds in a small-town community, throwing a historic conviction into doubt, raising the horrifying prospect of a copycat killer and reuniting two former lovers tasked with finding the killer. With twists and turns leading to a heart-stopping finale, The One That Got Away is a forensic examination of a town, a killer and a relationship, past and present.
The series was produced by Blacklight TV for S4C and supported by Welsh Government via Creative Wales. The drama is one of several scripted highlights on Banijay Entertainment’s slate for MIPCOM 2024, which includes Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light and the re-imagining of iconic detective drama Bergerac. The company will exhibit at C.20 in Cannes.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Partners with Diagonal TV and Crescendo on Hard-Hitting Climate Justice Documentary
Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces a powerful new feature-length documentary shedding light on one of the most pressing issues facing the world, climate justice. Produced by Banijay Iberia label Diagonal TV with Crescendo Media Production, in association with Banijay Rights, this gripping exposé takes centre stage at MIPCOM 2024, bringing the undeniable human rights story to global buyers.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Eulogio Romero, The Silence of the Earth delves into the lives and deaths of three courageous environmental activists, Berta Cáceres, Paulo Paulino Guajajara and Aldo Zamora, who paid the ultimate price for defending the planet from corporate greed and environmental destruction. The documentary is not only an investigative thriller, but also a heart-wrenching drama, shining a light on the dark forces behind their deaths and connecting them to global climate change.
The Silence of the Earth offers exclusive access to the victims’ families and unprecendented insights, revealing the corporations and local power structures complicit in these crimes. The film underscores the far-reaching effects of environmental destruction, extending far beyond the borders of Latin America, with the depletion of natural resources and forests accelerating the threat of global climate change.
Jordi Frades, Managing Director, Diagonal TV, says: “This documentary is not just a film, it’s a call to action. Climate change is the defining crisis of our time, affecting every person on the planet. Through Silence of the Earth, we bring to life the powerful and harrowing stories of the environmental activists who paid the ultimate price to protect the earth. Eulogio Romero masterfully blends investigative thriller with cinematic drama, delivering a deeply human narrative to engage audiences and inspire action.”
Cathy Payne, Chief Executive Officer, Banijay Rights, says: “The Silence of the Earth is an urgent and vital documentary. By revealing the real-life consequences of environmental destruction, we hope to spark conversations on the intersections between corporate power, human rights and the climate crisis. With our global reach, Banijay Rights is committed to ensuring this essential story reaches audiences worldwide, and we believe MIPCOM 2024 is the perfect stage for its international debut.”
The documentary will feature alongside Banijay Entertainment’s diverse factual line-up for MIPCOM 2024, including CNN Original travelogue series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain, feature-length documentary, Atomic People for the BBC, and docu-series 7/7: Three Weeks in July for the BBC and BBC iPlayer. Additionally, two feature-length premium documentaries from Scenery, a joint venture with Banijay Benelux, are available to buyers in Cannes: Front Row and LARA: The Man Who Took on Escobar.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Takes The Hardacres From Rags to Riches
Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay Entertainment, today announces landmark acquisitions of major new six-part period drama series The Hardacres ahead of MIPCOM 2024 in Cannes next week.
In deals negotiated across the Banijay Rights global sales team, The Hardacres has been acquired by BritBoxin Australia, TVNZ in New Zealand, TV4 Sweden, MTV in Finland, DR in Denmark, RTÉin Ireland, BBC Firstin Benelux and, as previously announced, Movistar Plus+ in Spain. Dazzler Media has acquired home entertainment rights for the series in UK.
Produced by Playground (Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, All Creatures Great and Small), in association with Screen Ireland, Red Berry Productions and Newgrange Pictures for Channel 5 in the UK, the 6 x 60’ series chronicles the lives, loves and fortunes of the working-class Hardacre family as they move from a grimy fish dock to a vast country estate in 1890s Yorkshire, England.
Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights and Executive Producer, said: “The Hardacres is a sprawling and captivating saga that follows an ordinary family on their rags to riches journey into an extraordinary new world. We’re delighted this series will form part of our exciting line-up of new scripted fare at MIPCOM 2024.
David Stern, Joint Managing Director, Playground, said: “Inspired by CL Skelton’s epic novels, audiences will undoubtedly fall in love with and root for the Hardacre family as they try to answer the age-old question: Can money truly buy happiness? At its core, The Hardacres is a bold, gutsy, funny and incredibly heartwarming story about a family trying to do their best and stay together in a world that doesn’t always seem to share their values, all enhanced by the remarkable talent in front of and behind the camera which we cannot wait for viewers to experience for themselves.”
The Hardacres was filmed on location in Dublin and Wicklow, Ireland, and was adapted for television by Amy Roberts and Loren McLaughlan (The Winter King, Call the Midwife) who serve as Lead Writers and Executive Producers. They are joined by Emma Reeves (The Worst Witch) who wrote episode three, and Liz Lake (Waterloo Road) who wrote episode four. Rachel Carey (Deadly Cuts) is Lead Director.
The Hardacre family consists of Claire Cooper (The Continental, The Peripheral) and Liam McMahon (Hunger, The Secret, Warrior Nun) as loving married couple Mary and Sam Hardacre, alongside Julie Graham (Time, Ridley, Penance), as Mary’s wily mother, Ma, and their three kids, Joe, Liza, and Harry, played by Adam Little (Ackley Bridge, Coronation Street), newcomer Shannon Lavelle and Zak Ford-Williams (Better, Bridgerton).
The series, commissioned by Deputy Chief Content Officer, Paramount UK,Sebastian Cardwell, alongside Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Drama, Channel 5 and Paramount+, is produced by Alex Jones (Witness Number 3, Penance) and co-produced by Jackie Larkin (Strike, Mrs Wilson); Executive Producers are Sir Colin Callender CBE (All Creatures Great and Small, The Undeclared War) and David Stern (Howards End, The Last Tycoon) for Playground, Lesley McKimm (My Name is Emily, Sunlight) for Red Berry Productions, Cathy Payne and Simon Cox for Banijay Rights and Nada Cirjanic and Andrew Byrne for Screen Ireland.
The Hardacres is one of several scripted highlights on Banijay Entertainment’s slate for MIPCOM 2024, which includes Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light and the re-imagining of iconic detective drama Bergerac. The company will exhibit at C.20 at MIPCOM 2024.
Comments Off on Banijay Entertainment Showcases Must-See Slate for MIPCOM 2024
Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces this year’s standout titles across all genres for MIPCOM 2024, bolstering its position as the number one European studio.
Leading the charge is the re-imagining of iconic detective drama Bergerac; original new competition format, Three Are The Champions; Dutch reboot By Land, Air and Sea; and high-end travelogue series, Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain. Additionally, the powerhouse will celebrate its latest travelling formats launched last MIPCOM, including The Summit and Deal or No Deal Island.
This year’s premium UK scripted offering includes the revival of Bergerac for UKTV’s U&DRAMA and free streaming service, U; the much-awaited Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light for the BBC and Masterpiece PBS; Welsh crime drama The One that Got Away for S4C; We Go Again (w/t), a comedy drama for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer; and The Feud, a domestic thriller for Channel 5. From New Zealand is new returnable crime procedural A Remarkable Place to Die for TVNZ, ZDF, and Acorn TV, and crossing over to Europe, is Italy’s pop band drama Accidentally Famous for Sky Italia; Dutch thriller Elixir for NPO and New8, and French crime drama The Family Detective for TF1. Anticipated returners Marie Antoinette for Canal+, PBS, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer and SASRogue Heroes for BBC iPlayer and MGM+ will also be highlighted.
New formats making their international debut include the Dutch reboot of iconic entertainment programme By Land, Air and Sea, and Germany’s ratings success Three Are The Champions for RTL. Australia brings competitive renovation show Dream Home, insightful comedy travelogue Origin Odyssey, and music themed social experiment Headliners; the US launches new dating series The Never Ever Mets, and from the UK is strategic reality format, The Fortune Hotel. Building the next generation of superbrands, Banijay Entertainment will also highlight its successful travelling formats, including blockbuster adventure reality series The Summit; latest MasterChef iteration, Dessert Masters; and spin-off Deal or No Deal Island.
On the factual front, CNN Original travelogue series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain will headline, alongside feature-length documentary, Atomic People for the BBC, as well as docu-series 7/7: Three Weeks in July for the BBC and BBC iPlayer. In addition, two feature-length premium documentaries from Scenery, a joint venture with Banijay Benelux, are available to buyers in Cannes: Front Row and LARA: The Man Who Tried to Save Colombia.
Cathy Payne, CEO Banijay Rights, says: “Our dynamic line-up for this year’s MIPCOM truly highlights the continued growth and global appeal of our catalogue. From riveting dramas such as Bergerac and Wolf Hall, to high-end factual series like Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain, we are eager to present a diverse and competitive slate that celebrates the power of storymaking and the outstanding talent behind our IP.”
James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Development and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations at Banijay, add: “Our offering of distinctive and fresh formats coming from the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, UK, and the US, underscores our commitment to creating popular IP like Three Are The Champions, and evolving classic favourites like By Land, Air and Sea. The success of our new travelling hits, The Summitand Deal or No Deal Island, speaks to the creativity of our talented teams across the footprint, and illustrates our expertise in building the next generation of superbrands.”
The UK continues to offer strong premium scripted content, including the modern re-imagining of Bergerac, based on the original series created by Robert Banks Stewart and starring Damien Molony (The Split, Brassic),produced by Blacklight TV, a Banijay UK company. Blacklight TV also brings The One That Got Away, a thriller about a nurse’s murder that questions a historic conviction. Additionally, The Forge, recently acquired by Banijay UK, presents We Go Again (w/t), a new comedy drama from Janice Okoh about three stubbornly optimistic siblings with a dark secret.
Launching this year, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, a Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures co-production, continues the Tudor saga of Thomas Cromwell’s complex journey. Additionally, The Feud, a Lonesome Pine Productions title in association with Banijay Rights and Northeast Screen, uncovers dark secrets through a family’s contentious home renovation, leading to a spiral of paranoia and fear.
Screentime New Zealand’s A Remarkable Place to Die, features a detective facing a series of intriguing local homicides, and from Groenlandia, a Banijay Italia company, and Sky Studios, comes Accidentally Famous, depicting the rise of Italian pop band 883. Elixir, a thriller from Banijay Benelux label Topkapi Films, along with NTR and BNNVARRA, revolves around a pharmaceutical scandal, while The Family Detective, from Banijay France’s Shine Fiction, brings a new crime drama about a family immersed in solving police cases. Finally, the group celebrates eagerly awaited second seasons of Marie Antoinette, The CANAL+ Creation Originale, produced by Capa Drama, Banijay Studios France and Beside Production; and SAS Rogue Heroes produced by Kudos (a Banijay UK company) and created, written and executive produced by Steven Knight.
Banijay Entertainment will showcase an array of formats available for adaptation globally. Three Are The Champions from EndemolShine Germany and Potatohead Pictures (part of Banijay Germany), has a second season greenlit, and spotlights three celebrities as they compete in challenges against top champions. Adrenaline-fuelled reboot By Land, Air and Sea from EndemolShine Nederland (part of Banijay Benelux) features contestants navigating creative obstacle courses using custom-built vehicles. Dream Home from Endemol Shine Australia for Channel 7 sees six teams face-off in an epic renovation showdown, while Origin Odyssey for SBS explores cultural roots in a new comedy travelogue, and Headliners for SBS, is a celebration of music and inclusion. Elsewhere, the US brings The Never Ever Mets from Bunim/Murray Productions (part of Banijay Americas), a returning series for OWN, where online dating comes to life. And from Tuesday’s Child, the producer behind hit competition reality series, LEGO Masters, is strategy gameshow The Fortune Hotel for ITV.
Banijay Entertainment’s travelling formats will be celebrated with the 9Network and Endemol Shine Australia original series, The Summit, which has travelled to three territories, including the US, with more to be announced; spin-off Deal Or No Deal Island by Endemol Shine North America, which has been renewed for by NBC; and Endemol Shine Australia’s MasterChef spinoff, Dessert Masters, which has recently launched in Brazil, showcasing top pastry chefs competing in high-stakes challenges.
Crossing over to factual with Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain from Hyphenate Media Group, takes viewers on a delectable culinary journey in Spain. Minnow Films’ Atomic People explores the human fallout from atomic bombs, while Slate Work’s 7/7: Three Weeks in July, explores the 2005 UK terrorist attacks in a compelling docu-series. Meanwhile, Front Row, from Scenery and Pretty Matches and Executive Produced by award-winning actor and producer Sarah Jessica Parker, highlights the resilience of Ukrainian ballet dancers during wartime where an unlikely friendship forms between a dancer and a front-line soldier, while LARA: The Man Who Tried to Save Colombia recounts the extraordinary reconciliation story behind Pablo Escobar’s most famous assassination.
These MIPCOM highlights complement Banijay Entertainment’s globally renowned catalogue, which includes superbrands like Big Brother and Peaky Blinders, new travelling hits such as The Fifty and Good Luck Guys,and its highly-anticipated streamer launches Bear Hunt, co-produced by Banijay UK’s Workerbee, The Natural Studios and Talkback for Netflix; Last One Laughing UK from Zeppotron and Initial for Prime Video, created byHitoshi Matsumotoand produced by Banijay Entertainment labels in 11 markets; Culte from Banijay France’s label Screenline Productions and 27 Tribe for Prime Video; Billionaire Island from Banijay Nordics’ label Rubicon;and the second series of The Rig, from Banijay UK’s Wild Mercury for Prime Video. The company will exhibit at C.20 at MIPCOM 2024.