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: The Gulf

  1. UKTV Acquires High-End Drama Thriller, The Gulf, From Banijay Rights

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    Banijay Rights, the leading distribution arm of Banijay Group, has sold premium drama title, The Gulf to UKTV for its local audiences. The series will air on the broadcaster’s crime drama channel, Alibi.

    The deal, which will see the 3 x 90’ series launching on Alibi in early Spring 2020, was brokered by Chris Stewart, Commercial Director – Scripted at Banijay Rights, and Daniel Thomas, Acquisitions Manager at UKTV.

    Daniel Thomas, Acquisitions Manager at UKTV comments, “We are really pleased to have acquired this exciting new thriller for Alibi as we continue to include the very best of international crime drama in our schedule. Our viewers are extremely discerning and The Gulf, with its unique take on a crime story set against the incredible backdrop of New Zealand, will have wide appeal.”

    Chris Stewart, Commercial Director – Scripted, Banijay Rights adds, “We are delighted that UKTV will be bringing this absorbing and original antipodean series to a UK audience where I’m sure it will engage a new legion of drama fans looking for their next crime fix. The Gulf, co-produced by Banijay Group’s Screentime New Zealand, has launched in New Zealand and in Germany to much acclaim and is proving to be a very desirable drama property for us with further sales already in the pipeline.”

    Elsewhere in Europe The Gulf will also travel to Poland, after being acquired by Canal+ for its channel, Ale Kino+.

    This follows hot on the heels of the previously announced U.S. pick up of the drama, where AMC Networks’ streaming service Sundance Now will feature the exclusive U.S. premiere of The Gulf beginning Wednesday, 4th December 2019.

    Domestically, the series was a ratings winner for New Zealand broadcaster TV3 and is the top performing mini-series of 2019 to date. The drama pulled in a launch audience 40% above the channel average. Meanwhile, in Germany The Gulf consistently outperformed the slot average by more than 10%.

    Recently launched at MIPCOM, German-New Zealand thriller The Gulf, (6 x 60’) centres around the moral disintegration of Detective Jess Savage, who finds herself caught between upholding the legal justice system and morality, as she investigates crimes on her home patch of Waiheke Island, New Zealand. The Gulf is an international co-production from Banijay Group’s Screentime New Zealand, Lippy Pictures, German fiction specialist Letterbox Filmproduktion, a member company of the Studio Hamburg Production Group, and broadcasters ZDF and TV3.

  2. Banijay Rights Ties Up Scripted Package Deal with AMC Networks’ Sundance Now

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    Banijay Rights, the leading distribution arm of Banijay Group, and AMC Networks’ US streaming service Sundance Now announce a pan-territory deal for five major drama titles, including MIPCOM launch The Gulf and upscale Norwegian drama Wisting.

    Headlining the deal is brand new German-New Zealand thriller The Gulf, (6 x 60’). The drama centres around the moral disintegration of Detective Jess Savage, who finds herself caught between upholding the legal justice system, and morality, as she investigates crimes on her home patch of Waiheke Island, New Zealand. The Gulf is an international co-production from Screentime New Zealand, Lippy Pictures and Letterbox Filmproduktion.

    Sundance Now will also add the character driven crime thriller Wisting (10 x 45’) to its slate. Based on the best-selling novels written by Jørn Lier Horst, the series stars Sven Nordin (Lilyhammer, Valkyrien) and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix trilogy, Marvel’s Jessica Jones). The 10-part production follows homicide detective William Wisting as he wrestles with the most challenging and shocking case of his career: a wanted American serial killer living in Norway. Wisting is produced by Cinenord in co-production with Good Company Films, Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), Degeto Film and Ripple World Pictures.

    Sundance Now will feature the exclusive U.S. premieres of The Gulf beginning Wednesday, December 4 and Wisting beginning Wednesday, December 18, 2019.

    Other titles acquired by the US streaming service from the Banijay Rights catalogue include Scandinavian offerings Couple Trouble (8 x 45’) and both series one and two of romantic comedy, Idiomatic (19 x 30’). Zodiak Finland’s Idiomatic produced for Elisa Viihde follows the life and times of an urban, bilingual, environmentally conscious left-wing couple in their thirties. Meanwhile, Couple Trouble, produced by Mastiff Denmark for NENT Group, centres around a couple who aren’t prepared to give up on each other so together start seeing a counsellor. Will the counselling help them, and can they allow love to return to their relationship?

    The French ratings hit, The Red Shadows (6 x 60’), has also been snapped up by Sundance Now. From H2O Fictions and Gétévé Productions for C8, The Red Shadows tells the story of a young woman who uncovers her mysterious past and meets a family she never knew she had.

    The extensive scripted deal was brokered by Andreas Lemos and Jess Winchester for Banijay Rights; Shannon Cooper and Jess De Leo for Sundance Now.

    Andreas Lemos, VP of Sales – North America, Banijay Rights comments, “We are excited to work with Sundance Now and deliver a slate of diverse and gripping series for their audiences. These international dramas deliver exactly what viewers are looking for right now – strong universal themes placed in unique and intriguing settings with high-end production values and talent.”

    Shannon Cooper, VP of Programming, Sundance Now, said, “Sundance Now is thrilled to offer our subscribers several high-quality new dramas from our friends at Banijay. With their gripping scripts, breath-taking settings and stellar ensemble casts, Wisting, The Gulf and the other programmes are ideally suited for our streaming service specialising in addictive dramas from across the globe.”

    Streaming service Sundance Now offers a rich selection of original and exclusive series from engrossing true crime to heart-stopping dramas and fiercely intelligent thrillers from around the world, all streaming commercial-free.