The 2018 Export Awards were presented in Paris on Monday 26 March during the French Television Producer Awards gala ceremony organized by PROCIREP.
Since they were created in 2004, the Export Awards have been recognizing the key role played by exporters through their best-selling programs in animation, documentary and fiction.

IN THE ANIMATION CATEGORY
Millimages for Molang
Production : Millimages, Canal+, Piwi+,Teidees, Hayanori - (104 x 3’30)
« Molang is the Happiness series about friendship and empathy. It won the Export Award because it is also a successful series. It is getting incredible ratings in all of the 200 territories where it is aired. It presence on the social networks and new media is growing exponentially. Licensing and merchandising has got off to a very promising start worldwide. Molang is a producer’s dream come true!»
Roch Lener, CEO Millimages

IN THE DOCUMENTARY CATEGORY
About Premium Content for Dream the Future
Production : Update Productions, Bonne Pioche - (20 x 52’)
« We are delighted to receive the Export Awards from TV France International. It proves us right in trusting a young producer, Update Production, on this project. It is a recognition of the remarkable work of our sales team to promote and sell the series to some fifty channels covering over 80 territories in the world. And the story goes on! »
Emmanuelle Guilbart and Laurent Boissel, Joint CEO & Founders About Premium Content

IN THE FICTION CATEGORY
STUDIOCANAL for Midnight Sun
Production : Atlantique Productions, Nice Drama - (8 x 52’)

« It is a tremendous pleasure to receive the Award which
recognizes the international reach of Midnight Sun. We thank TV France International and we congratulate the Canal + Création Originale strand and the two producers, Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama for giving us an exceptional series. We also congratulate the whole team at STUDIOCANAL for successfully promoting French and European series worldwide. They have done a remarkable work of selling Midnight Sun in over 100 countries. »
Françoise Guyonnet, Executive Managing Director TV Series, STUDIOCANAL

« We congratulate the 2018 winnners of the Export Awards. They show that the French touch is getting stronger in every corner of the world, despite facing stiff competition. There is no better proof than the record 200m€ of internationals sales of French programs in 2016 (+15% on the previous
year). The marketing and sales strategy of French distributors is a natural extension of the work of
the creators, writers, producers and broadcasters who have brought these programs to life », said Hervé Michel, President TV France International.

For Mathieu Béjot, Executive Director TV France International, « The success of the 2018 winners owes to the diversity of French programs and to their pugnacious exporters who have found the best outlets for them internationally, from historical broadcasters (such as ZDF, Rai, Channel One Russia) to SVOD platforms (such as Hulu or Curiosity Stream) through to transnational channels such as Disney, in traditional key territories (Germany, UK, USA, Italy, Japan etc.) and in fast-growing markets such as India and China. TV France International is proud to help French
content owners to sell their programs worldwide all year long by attending trade shows, organizing Le Rendez-Vous, the French Screenings, and offering a B2B online screening platform, Screenopsis. »

The other nominees 2018

ANIMATION CATEGORY

• Mediatoon Distribution: Bobby and Bill
• PGS Entertainment: Zak Storm

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORY
• Lucky You: Mysterious Discoveries in the Great Pyramid
• ZED: The End of Memory

FICTION CATEGORY
• Federation Entertainment : The Bureau
• Lagardère Studios Distribution : Trepalium

Series creator Harlan Coben and lead actors Michael C.Hall and Audrey Fleurot will present SAFE produced by RED, a Studiocanal company, for C8 and Netflix in Cannes following the CANNESERIES^TM official awards ceremony on April 11, 2018.

Created by crime novel author and showrunner Harlan Coben and written by screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst ("Shameless"), the 8-part series SAFE stars Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award winner Michael C. Hall ("Dexter", "Six Feet Under"), Audrey Fleurot ("A French village", "Spiral"), Amanda Abbington ("Sherlock") and Emmet J. Scanlan ("The Fall").

Tom’s wife died a year ago and he’s bringing up his two daughters, living in a beautiful gated community, with close friends nearby and a new relationship starting.

But when his eldest daughter disappears in mysterious circumstances he realises that in fact he knows nothing about the people closest to him – dark secrets about the people he loves and the place where he lives.

Partners, children, lovers, parents, friends - does anyone REALLY know the people they love?

SAFEwill premiere exclusively on C8 in France and on Netflix for the rest of the world in 2018.

ABOUT CANNESERIES^TM

CANNESERIES – the Cannes International Series Festival – will unfold its first edition on April 4^th until 11^th, 2018 at the Palais des Festivals alongside the established MIPTV market. Initiated by Mayor of Cannes David Lisnard, the event aims to highlight series from all over the world and to give an international voice to this increasingly popular and fiercely creative art form. 

Open to a public audience and organized by an independent association presided by Fleur Pellerin, the project will celebrate excellence by bring together representatives from the trade, showcasing tomorrow's talent and creating an international competition that will be an essential part of the world of series.

Visit canneseries.com for more information and news!

Popular BBC One series Trust Me, created and written by Dan Sefton and produced by award-winning RED Production Company (a STUDIOCANAL company), has been commissioned for a second series by Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama and Gaynor Holmes, BBC Drama Commissioning Executive, Scotland.

The first series, which debuted on BBC One in August 2017 and starred Jodie Whittaker, achieved an average consolidated audience of 6 million viewers for the channel and a winning audience share across the series. The second series will feature a new cast and storyline. 

The 4x60’ thriller, set on the neurological unit of South Lothian Hospital, follows Captain James (Jamie) McKay, the sole survivor of a shock enemy attack on tour in Syria. Recovering from a spinal injury which has left him barely able to move and battling the psychological scars from losing his friends, he faces a new enemy as people on the ward die unexpectedly around him. But is the threat real, or imagined?

Trust Me will once again be set and filmed in Scotland with the drama revolving around a hospital department in Edinburgh.

Nicola Shindler, founder and executive producer of RED Production Company said: “Dan’s personal experience working in the medical profession combined with his exceptional writing, make the second series of ‘Trust Me’ every bit as compelling as the first. The complexity of his characters, on the surface every day medics and patients, combined with the darkly twisting storyline will keep viewers hooked.”

Screen writer and NHS doctor Dan Sefton (Delicious, Porters and The Good Karma Hospital) who draws on his experiences to create the contemporary drama said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be working on a new series of ‘Trust Me’ for the BBC. The support the project received from both BBC Drama and BBC Scotland made it a hugely enjoyable process. It’s also fantastic to be working with Red Production Company and Nicola Shindler again - a company that makes some of the best drama this country produces. This follow up series will bring the same tension and twists of the original show to a brand new medical arena.”  

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, said: “The first series of ‘Trust Me’ broke new ground for medical drama and I’m delighted to be welcoming it back for a second run with a completely fresh cast and a shocking new story, which is set to become as big a talking point as the first."

Trust Me is a RED Production Company production for BBC One. It is created, written and executive produced by Dan Sefton with Nicola Shindler as Executive Producer for RED Production Company and Gaynor Holmes for BBC Scotland.  Series producer is xxx. Casting will be announced in due course.

The drama commission continues the BBC’s commitment to boosting and invigorating drama in the Nations. The series will go into production later this year and will film in and around Scotland. Trust Me series two will be distributed internationally by STUDIOCANAL, a subsidiary of the Canal+ Group, one of Europe’s leading film and TV distribution and sales companies.

STUDIOCANAL, Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, has sold the Italian crime thriller with a supernatural twist LA PORTA ROSSA (12 x 1 hour) and the heart-warming BBC comedic TV movie DANNY AND THE HUMAN ZOO (1 x 2 hours) –created, written and starring UK comedian Lenny Henry - to AMC Networks Inc. for the Latin American region.

The deal, which is the first between the two companies, will see the premium scripted content available on Europa, Europa and Film & Arts respectively later this year.

“The innovative storyline and production of LA PORTA ROSSA bolsters Europa, Europa’s content offering and align perfectly with the network’s mission and positioning, while addressing universal issues with which Latin American audiences can identify,” said Pablo Corona, Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions at AMC Networks International – Latin America.

Beatriz Campos, Head of International Sales at STUDIOCANAL commented, “We’re delighted to see both titles find prestigious Latin American homes among the AMC suite of channels. The sale of an Italian language series to the region is once more indicative of a true shift in viewing habits where foreign language is concerned – high quality series really do have the potential to travel globally in this age where good story-telling is everything and the origin of content is far less important.”

LA PORTA ROSSA, a Velafilm production for Rai 2 Italy, created by Carlo Lucarelli and Giampiero Rigosi and directed by Carmine Elia (Il Sistema), is an intriguing crime thriller with a supernatural twist. In an industrial building on the outskirts of town, Police Commissioner Cagliostro (Lino Guanciale) takes in the scene before him: a man lies dead on the floor. In his ten-year career he’s seen nothing quite like this. For the dead man is him – he is staring at his own murder scene. A vision of the future stops Cagliostro from exiting this world – he must stay to find his killer, because it is the only way to save the life of his wife, Anna (Gabriella Pession). With the help of Vanessa (Valentina Romani), a seventeen-year-old who discovers she is clairvoyant, Cagliostro embarks on his unusual investigation – can he sort his friends from his enemies before his premonition comes true, and, at the same time, remedy the mistakes he made while alive?

DANNY AND THE HUMAN ZOO from RED Production Company for BBC One is a heart-warming, comic single drama, loosely based on actor and comedian Lenny Henry’s life as a working-class teenager in 1970s Dudley. The story centres around Danny Fearon (Kascion Franklin), a talented impressionist, and his working class Jamaican family. When Danny wins a talent competition at the local club he soon finds himself working the comedy circuit, eventually hitting the big time on TV, an unheard-of achievement for a young black boy. Danny has it all – fame, fortune, and the girl of his dreams.

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, right acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, the highly-anticipated Paddington 2 by Paul King, and Aardman Studios’ stop-motion movies Early Man by Nick Park and Shaun the Sheep 2.

STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting more than 9000 original titles from 60 countries.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK’s RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV (The Child in Time), the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

About AMC Networks International – Latin America

AMC Networks International - Latin America is a business unit of AMC Networks International (AMCNI) which delivers entertaining and acclaimed programming to more than 140 countries and territories, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. AMCNI consists of global brands AMC and Sundance TV, as well as popular, locally recognized channels in various programming genres.

AMCNI - Latin America is dedicated to producing and distributing high quality TV programming throughout Spanish and Portuguese speaking Latin America, the Caribbean and other territories. The Latin American portfolio of channels includes AMC, Sundance TV, El Gourmet, Más Chic, Film & Arts and Europa Europa. For more information, visit www.amcnetworkslatam.com.

Spain’s TELEFÓNICA has acquired the first two seasons of STUDIOCANAL’s new series - tense thriller Below The Surface and prestige drama Ride Upon The Storm - it was announced today by Anna Marsh, EVP International Distribution at STUDIOCANAL, Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films.  Both series will air on TELEFÓNICA’s premium series channels MOVISTAR SERIES and MOVISTAR SERIES XTRA in December 2017. MOVISTAR+ is the home of premium foreign language content in Spain, 100% owned by TELEFÓNICA.

TELEFÓNICA also recently acquired leading international titles Spotless, Section Zero and Harlan Coben’s The Five from STUDIOCANAL.

Beatriz Campos, Head of International Sales at STUDIOCANAL, who brokered the agreement, said, “We are delighted to confirm this significant deal with TELEFÓNICA.  They continue to be a great partner for us - knowing they can rely on our programming to deliver the high-end production values and strong narratives that are essential elements for the TELEFÓNICA platform.”

Alex Martínez Roig, MOVISTAR+ General Manager of Contents (TELEFÓNICA), added, “Both these dramas have just the right ingredients for our viewers – gripping storylines, intriguing characters and a powerful ‘look’.  We have been the home of all the seasons of Borgen, created by Adam Price, which has been extremely popular, and we are sure that these two series from Adam and the team at SAM Productions - while very different in setting and tone – will be equally successful.”

Winner of the Coup de Coeur at the 2017 MIPTV Drama Screenings, Ride Upon The Storm is produced by Denmark’s DR Fiktion in co-production with ARTE France and SAM. BAFTA-winning creator Adam Price (Borgen) has turned his attention to the concept of faith and religion and how it affects our lives in this modern, character-led story produced by Camilla Hammerich (Borgen) and starring Lars Mikkelsen (House of Cards).  Inspired by epic biblical tales, the drama centers on the Krogh Family, a family of priests, that traces its roots more than 250 years back in time; Johannes (Lars Mikkelsen) and Elisabeth (Ann Eleonora Jørgensen, The Killing) and their two sons August and Christian. 

Prestigious drama Ride Upon The Storm explores good and evil and the spiritual journey of ‘finding one’s way’ and seeking a greater meaning in life.  Season one (10 x 1-hour) of Ride Upon The Storm launched on Denmark’s DR1 in September), with a second 10 x 1-hour season already commissioned to air in 2018.

Also from SAM Productions is Below The Surface, a nerve-racking, eight-part crime thriller for Denmark’s Kanal 5. In a subway train beneath Copenhagen, fifteen innocent people are taken hostage by three masked armed men. A terror taskforce is dispatched to rescue them, while reporter Naja Toft acts as go-between with the police as the captors bait the press with information about each hostage’s past. For eight days the tense stand-off grips Denmark, as those trapped underground lose all hope for survival...  Kasper Barfoed is creator, head writer and concept director of Below The Surface, alongside Morten Kjems Hytten Juhl who serves as producer, Søren Sveistrup (The Killing) and Adam Price (Borgen) as creative producers, and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair) as executive producer. A second season of Below The Surface is currently in development.

About TELEFÓNICA

TELEFÓNICA counts with more than 346 million clients in 21 countries and an average staff of 127,000 professionals. It is a leading telecom in fixed and mobile telephony accesses as well as broadband, fiber optic, television services and production.

TELEFÓNICA is a 100% listed company with more than 1.3 million shareholders, traded in several of the most important stock markets around the world.

MOVISTAR+ is its pay television service in Spain, premium and basic, including films, series, documentaries and formats, being the first operator in the country for pay television, telephony and broadband. MOVISTAR+ offers feature films and prominent series from major US studios as well as Showtime, HBO, Netflix, Amazon and European broadcasters from the UK, France, Scandinavia and Germany. MOVISTAR+ is also producing original series which have meant a quantum leap in the Spanish audiovisual environment.

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, right acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, the highly-anticipated Paddington 2 by Paul King, and Aardman Studios’ stop-motion movies Early Man by Nick Park and Shaun the Sheep 2.

STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting more than 9000 original titles from 60 countries.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK’s RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV (The Child in Time), the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

London, [x] November – STUDIOCANAL, Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, has announced its first licensing deal with Hulu. The new agreement will grant Hulu exclusive U.S. SVOD rights to 20 hours of premium drama content.

The deal includes three drama series, including SAM Productions’ thriller Below the Surface, a gripping eight-part crime drama following the chain of events that unfolds when 15 people are taken hostage on a subway train beneath Copenhagen. Starring Johannes Lassen, Sara Hjort Ditlevsen and Paprika Steen, and based on an idea by Adam Price (Borgen) and Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Below the Surface is written and created by Kasper Barfoed (Dicte, Those Who Kill).  

Landmark eight-part Swedish-French drama Midnight Sun, a CANAL+/SVT/Filmpool Nord coproduction from Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama, will also stream in the US on Hulu. Starring Leïla Bekhti and Gustaf Hammarsten, and created by Mårlind & Stein (Bron/Broen), the critically-acclaimed, ratings-winning Midnight Sun is a high concept thriller set in a small mining community in remote northern Sweden where a series of brutal murders conceal a secret conspiracy.

The four-part character-led drama Trust Me, from the UK’s RED Production Company for BBC One will also debut in the US on Hulu through the deal. Set in Edinburgh and written by Dan Sefton (Mr Selfridge, The Five), Trust Me stars Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who, Broadchurch) as a hardworking nurse forced to take drastic measures when she loses her job.

Beatriz Campos, Head of International Sales at STUDIOCANAL commented,

“We’re extremely pleased to partner with Hulu in our first deal together. With the expanding popularity of foreign languages series in this key market, we are thrilled to close such a substantial package of premium dramas with an exciting blend of European languages which will be showcased exclusively to US audiences for the first time. Renowned for delivering the best in international drama, Hulu is the perfect home for these contemporary series, which all deliver acclaimed creative talent both on and off screen, intriguing globally-relevant storylines and compelling characters.”

Francoise Guyonnet, Executive Managing Director TV Series STUDIOCANAL, added, “This agreement affirms our strategy of building a strong and diverse drama portfolio through our growing production partnerships. Our commitment to the creation of international, high-end content means we are able to offer our clients prestige series which have wide appeal for viewers around the world across multiple platforms.”

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, right acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, the highly-anticipated Paddington 2 by Paul King, and Aardman Studios’ stop-motion movies Early Man by Nick Park and Shaun the Sheep 2.

STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting more than 9000 original titles from 60 countries.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK’s RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV (The Child in Time), the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Groundbreaking Studio Co-Production Structure from
TANDEM Productions/STUDIOCANAL and ABC Studios

Los Angeles/Munich/Paris/Cologne – “Take Two,” a witty detective series from the creators of the hit ABC series “Castle,” co-produced by TANDEM Productions (a STUDIOCANAL Company) and ABC Studios has been green lit by leading broadcasters in the U.S. and in Europe. The series will air on ABC in the US, RTL/VOX in Germany and France Television in France.

Terri Edda Miller and Andrew W. Marlowe, creators and executive producers of “Castle,” will executive produce under their MILMAR PICTURES banner, along with STUDIOCANAL TV’s Rola Bauer and TANDEM Productions’ Tim Halkin.  

Rachel Bilson (Hart of Dixie, Nashville) and Eddie Cibrian (CSI:Miami, Rosewood) are confirmed to star.  STUDIOCANAL will act as the lead studio. ABC Studios’ affiliate, Disney Media Distribution, will handle international sales.

Terri Miller and Andrew Marlowe commented, “Rola Bauer, Tim Halkin and the team at TANDEM Productions have been stellar partners in this groundbreaking venture. And we are thrilled to be back working with our good friends at ABC and our new friends at France 2 and RTL/VOX.”

Rola Bauer, Managing Director at STUDIOCANAL TV, added, “Terri and Andrew have created wonderful characters and a light-hearted, yet strong drama that has excited leading networks on both sides of the Pond. This is a new paradigm for network co-productions with the anchor networks being in the US and Europe. To be here now with ABC, RTL/VOX and France 2 is a testament to Terri and Andrew's creative vision. We are all thrilled that Rachel and Eddie will join this journey.”

“Take Two” is an entertaining, upbeat procedural. Ella (Rachel Bilson), the former star of a hit cop series is fresh-out-of-rehab following a bender of epic proportion. Desperate to restart her career, she talks her way into shadowing rough-and-tumble private investigator Eddie (Eddie Cibrian) as research for a potential comeback role. Though lonewolf Eddie resents the babysitting gig, high-spirited Ella proves herself to be surprisingly valuable, drawing on her acting skills and 200 episodes of playing a detective. When the press touts Ella’s role in solving a high-profile case, Eddie finds his phone ringing off the hook with new clients looking to hire the pair.

Tim Halkin, Managing Director at TANDEM Productions, said, “We are thrilled to be working with Terri and Andrew on this playful crime series. The programming of ABC, France 2 and RTL/VOX is a natural fit and will allow us to protect our creative vision and our ability to produce a top quality network series.”.

“Andrew and Terri are wonderful storytellers and this is the perfect project for their return to ABC,” said Channing Dungey, President, ABC Entertainment. “We’re excited to see Rachel and Eddie bring these characters to life.”

Hauke Bartel, Head of Fiction at VOX (an RTL Group company) commented “VOX is constantly looking for big-scale, entertaining and lighthearted crime shows for a mainstream audience and TAKE TWO got us excited from the start. With the incredibly talented Terri Edda Miller and Andrew Marlowe as our creators and showrunners, the commitment and experience of our production partners at Tandem and ABC and France Television as international network partners, we are proud to be part of this unique co-production setup. We also believe to have found an exceptional cast and can’t wait to see Rachel Bilson and Eddie Cibrian bring this show to life. “

Nathalie Biancolli, Head of Acquisitions at France Television, added, “We are thrilled to be involved in this ground-breaking series with such talented showrunners, Terri and Andrew – as well as working with the experienced production partner TANDEM.”

Miller and Marlowe are represented by Ted Miller from Creative Artists Agency (CAA), who helped broker the deal, Guymon Casady from Management 360 and Linda Lichter and Jonathan E. Shikora from Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman. TANDEM Productions and STUDIOCANAL are represented by Craig Emanuel, Roger Arar and Scott Edel from Loeb & Loeb as well as Adam Berkowitz and Ted Miller from CAA.

London, Paris  - STUDIOCANAL, Europe's leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, has appointed Beatriz Campos to the role of Head of International Sales, it was announced today by Anna Marsh, EVP International Distribution. 

Based in London, Campos will lead the international sales activities for all STUDIOCANAL's TV series including the company's portfolio of highly-regarded Création Originale CANAL+ series, as well as third party acquisitions. With a remit to develop and drive sales strategy for the company's growing roster of high-end productions, Campos will continue to develop and maintain strong relationships with STUDIOCANAL's global client base.

Previously VP Sales for lberia, ltaly, Latin America and Scandinavia at STUDIOCANAL, Campos will now report directly to Anna Marsh who commented, "/ am delighted to have Beatriz leading our global sales team. Her wide experience wiff enable us to maximize our revenue potential through the development of new windowing strategies and multi-territory deals to deliver continuous growth to our business. I am sure her enthusiasm, coupled with strong strategic skiffs, wiff lift our television distribution team to the next level."

Francoise Guyonnet, Executive Managing Director TV Series at STUDIOCANAL, added, "As our raster of European production entities continues to grow, alongside the delivery of a wealth of hot/y anticipated co-productions, a strong distribution arm is more vital thon ever. Beatriz's skiffs and experience wiff be invaluable as we ensure our sales activities fuffy maximise the incredible global potential of the outstanding drama content we have now and in the pipeline."

Prior to joining STUDIOCANAL, Beatriz Campos was Sales Director at Endemol Shine International following earlier roles at ITV Global Entertainment and TVF International. 

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Ride Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV (The Child in Time), the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 6,500 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Antoine Banet-Rivet antoine.banetrivet@canal-plus.com + 33 l 71 35 00 26

Gabrielle Tensorer gabrielle.tensorer@studiocanal.com + 33 l 71 35 10 81 

London – STUDIOCANAL has secured two brand new deals in Germany for THE FIVE, the global hit original drama created exclusively for television by bestselling author Harlan Coben. 

Pay TV rights have been picked up by ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland GmbH, while Free TV rights go to ZDF. Ten-part thriller THE FIVE, from RED Production Company originally for the UK’s Sky 1, will debut to viewers across Germany later this year. These latest acquisitions add to a roster of European deals already confirmed for THE FIVE, including Italy’s TIMvision, France’s CANAL+, Netherlands’ NPO, Israel’s Yes DBS and Spain’s Telefonica.

The drama debuted in Latin America on March 27^th on exclusive entertainment channel OnDIRECTV, following the recently-announced deal with DIRECTV, and has also showcased in Japan on Wowow Prime, in French-speaking Canada with Radio-Canada, on New Zealand’s SKY and Australia’s SBS 1.

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL, commented, “We’re delighted to see the success of THE FIVE continue with these acquisitions in Germany. Harlan’s first television project has proved to be such a stand-out success around the world, with international broadcasters quick to recognise THE FIVE’s potential to appeal to a wide audience demographic and its proven ability to keep viewers hooked across the entire series.”

Kalle Friz, CEO STUDIOCANAL Germany, added, “Harlan Coben is an absolute expert in creating complex, intelligent and captivating thrillers and I’m very pleased to see THE FIVE making its debut in Germany on both Pay TV and Free TV services. I’d like to thank Barbara Knabe, EVP Television & Digital Distribution, and Sebastian Miska, Senior Sales Manager TV/Digital Series Acquisition, for their great work with both ProSiebenSat.1 and ZDF in bringing this excellent drama to German viewers.”

Harlan Coben’s THE FIVE stars Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), O-T Fagbenle (The Interceptor), Lee Ingleby (The A Word), and Sarah Solemani (The Wrong Mans). The screenplay is by BAFTA and Emmy Award^®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst and director is Mark Tonderai. When they were twelve years old, Mark (Cullen), Pru (Solemani), Danny (Fagbenle) and Slade (Ingleby) were out together in the park. Mark’s five-year-old brother, Jesse, was annoying them. They were mean – told him to get lost. Jesse ran away. He was gone. Never seen again. Twenty years later, Danny – now a detective – learns some shocking news. Jesse’s DNA has been found at a murder scene. He is alive and out there. Somewhere.

ABOUT PROSIEBENSAT.1 TV DEUTSCHLAND GMBH

ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland GmbH is a 100-percent subsidiary of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE. Since 2009, the German free TV stations SAT.1, ProSieben and kabel eins have worked together under one roof. In May 2010 they received reinforcement from the women’s channel sixx; since January and September 2013 respectively, the portfolio has been augmented by SAT.1 Gold, for women between 40 and 64, and ProSieben MAXX, a station aimed at men. In September 2016, the portfolio was extended with kabel eins Doku. Alongside the traditional free TV business, the complementary station portfolio also includes the basic pay TV channels SAT.1 emotions, ProSieben FUN and kabel eins classics. The station family offers strong station brands that enjoy high recognition value, focused profiles and a colorful mix of popular, well-known, and innovative programs – most of which in HD quality. As a result of the optimal coordination of the brands, strategies and programming schedules, the broadcasting group guarantees viewers the best entertainment on German television in the future, as well.

ABOUT RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway.

RED’s most recent credits include Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning and critically acclaimed Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax, Harlan Coben’s first original TV drama The Five, Lenny Henry’s first screenplay Danny and the Human Zoo, Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-winning dramas Ordinary Lies and The Driver and Russell T Davies ambitious and acclaimed trilogy Cucumber, Banana and Tofu. Bill Gallagher’s Paranoid has recently aired in the UK on ITV as has the second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s Ordinary Lies on BBC One, both to critical acclaim as was a two-part Christmas special of Last Tango in Halifax on BBC One.

RED is currently in production with Trust Me, a gripping, psychological thriller from Dan Sefton.

RED recently set up a US production company, Final Twist, with international bestselling author Harlan Coben after working together on Sky1 drama The Five. Following a partnership deal at the end of 2013, RED Production Company is now part of STUDIOCANAL’s international production network, which includes TANDEM Productions in Germany and SAM in Scandinavia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Ride Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 6,500 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, STUDIOCANAL, has secured a further sale for its dynamic political thriller, BARON NOIR.

The 8 x 1 hour critically acclaimed drama, will be available in the US on new SVoD platform Walter Presents which showcases the very best foreign-language drama from around the world. The service is a joint venture between Channel 4 and Global Series Network, founded by Jason Thorp, Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino.

BARON NOIR is a suspenseful drama from leading creators and writers Eric Benzekri and Jean-Baptiste Delafon (Maison Close), directed by Ziad Doueiri (L’Attentat) and produced by Kwaï with the participation of CANAL+. Launching to extensive critical acclaim in France, with a second season now in development, the CANAL+ Creation Originale series has recently been acquired by SONY CHANNEL for Germany where it will launch on 6 April, as well as SBS Australia and Amazon Prime in the UK.

Walter Iuzzolino the curator for Walter Presents says, “We are proud to have acquired our first series from CANAL+ prestigious slate. BARON NOIR is a gripping, gritty, down and dirty rollercoaster thriller. Scheming, back-stabbing and deceitful, Philippe will stop at nothing to wreak his revenge. Quite simply when it comes to political dramas, the French do it best.”

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing STUDIOCANAL added, “The diverse CANAL+ Creation Originale brand continues to deliver hard-hitting and authentic drama that has strong appeal throughout the world.  Politics is a global hot topic right now and BARON NOIR delves deep into the dark side of power and ambition with an engaging storyline that is addictive for viewers.”

BARON NOIR follows French politician Philippe Rickwaert’s (Kad Merad) thirst for revenge against his political enemies.  Philippe’s political career is in shambles after he is sacrificed by the presidential candidate from the Left, Francis Laugier (Niels Arestrup), in order to save his election. Step by step, Philippe plots against him and forges an alliance with his closest advisor, Amélie Dorendeu (Anna Mouglalis).

As deceitful as he is sincere, Philippe cultivates friendships across social stratas, from the police to the criminal underworld. His life is a fascinating, organised chaos, as he is continuously up against his enemies and his own demons.

ABOUT WALTER PRESENTS

WALTER PRESENTS is a FREE video-on-demand service in the UK showcasing the very best foreign-language drama from around the world. Launched in January 2016 it’s a joint venture between Channel 4 and Global Series Network (GSN). The service achieved 18 million streams in its first year and it’s launch show, Deutschland 83 became the highest rating foreign language drama in UK TV history. Walter Presents launched two weeks ago in the US as a SVoD channel and is available ad-free for $6.99 a month on a variety of platforms including walterpresents.com, Amazon Channels, the Roku platform, Android devices, Apple TV and mobile apps for iPhone. The US is the first stage in a series of planned global rollouts.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Ride Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 6,500 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Paris, Sydney – STUDIOCANAL, Europe’s leading studio in the production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series, announces the appointment of Louisa Bayles as Head of TV and Digital Sales for Australia and New Zealand.

Previously, Louisa was VP Pacific Rim sales at ITV Studios and Head of Digital and DVD Sales BBC Worldwide.

After successfully expanding in Europe, particularly UK and Germany, STUDIOCANAL, an affiliate of Paris-based media Group CANAL+, is accelerating its growth in Australia and New Zealand, where the company set up operations nearly four years ago by purchasing Hoyts Distribution.

Louisa Bayles will report to Elizabeth Trotman, CEO STUDIOCANAL Australia & New Zealand.

Elizabeth Trotman said: "The appointment of Louisa Bayles as our Head of TV and Digital Sales is reflective of the growth in our television arm with recent successful TV series such as Midnight Sun.  Louisa’s depth of experience across not just traditional media but all digital platforms will be instrumental in expanding our distribution reach for our broad range of film and television content. I’m thrilled she is joining our team.”

London based Katrina Neylon, EVP International Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL added: "I would like to welcome Louisa to the STUDIOCANAL television team – she will take our sales efforts to the next level in Australia and New Zealand. With its unique dynamic and appetite for high-quality European content, the region is strategically important for STUDIOCANAL’s growth.” 

Louisa Bayles started her career in sales at BBC Worldwide in London, before moving to Australia, where she held a variety of  positions across Television, Digital and Home Entertainment working with a vast range of clients throughout Australia and New Zealand.

London – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films STUDIOCANAL arrives at MIPTV 2017 with a diverse wealth of primetime drama content for global broadcasters and platforms.

Selected to be featured at the exclusive MIP Drama Screenings is RIDE UPON THE STORM, the much-anticipated new series from Borgen creator and BAFTA winner Adam Price, produced by Denmark’s DR Drama in co-production with ARTE France and SAM le Français. Adam Price has turned his attention to the concept of faith and religion and how it affects our lives in this modern, character-led story produced by Camilla Hammerich (Borgen) and starring Lars Mikkelsen (House of Cards).

Inspired by epic biblical tales, the drama centers on a family of priests: Johannes (Mikkelsen) and Elisabeth (Ann Eleonora Jorgensen, The Killing) and their two sons August (Morten Hee Andersen) and Christian (Simon Sears). Johannes is God-like to his two sons - the one who gives, takes, loves and punishes. But his favoritism for August and his disappointment with Christian forces both into making desperate choices in order to either gain his love or break free from him. The path towards possible salvation will lead us into war and encounters between different religions, seen through the intimate lens of a family drama RIDE UPON THE STORM explores good and evil and the spiritual journey toward seeking a greater meaning in life – because we all want to believe in something when a storm is approaching.  STUDIOCANAL will launch season one (10 x 1-hour) at MIPTV – which broadcasts on DR1 in the fall - with a second 10 x 1-hour season already commissioned to air in 2018.

The nerve-racking eight-part crime thriller BELOW THE SURFACE will showcase to the international market following its recent world premiere as part of the Berlinale Special Series. Produced by SAM Productions for Kanal 5/Discovery Networks Denmark and co-produced with Germany’s ZDFneo, BELOW THE SURFACE is set in Copenhagen, as fifteen innocent people are taken hostage by three masked armed men on a subway train beneath the city. A terror taskforce, led by Philip Nørgaard (Johannes Lassen) and Louise Falck (Sara Hjort Ditlevsen), is dispatched to rescue them, while reporter Naja Toft (Paprika Steen) acts as go-between with the police as the captors bait the press with information about each hostage’s past. For eight days the tense stand-off grips Denmark, as those trapped underground lose all hope for survival... Kasper Barfoed is creator, head writer and concept director of BELOW THE SURFACE, alongside Morten Kjems Hytten Juhl who serves as producer. SAM Productions’ Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen) and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair) and ZDF editors Frank Seyberth and Wolfgang Feindt serve as executive producers.

Created by Soren Frellesen and Jesper Malmose from an original idea by Adam Price and Jesper Malmose, the new ten-part drama series SOMETHING’S ROCKIN’ produced by SAM Productions for TV 2 Denmark, coproduced by Sweden’s TV 4, is inspired by real events and tells the fascinating story of the birth, rise and fall of Radio Mercur, a revolutionary pirate radio station founded by a small group of music-loving dreamers in the late 1950s. At a time when rock ‘n’ roll was banned by the two government-run radio channels, and nobody had yet dared to challenge this state monopoly, the drama follows three bold young protagonists as they throw caution to the wind to give the people the pop music that they crave. Starring Andreas Jessen (You and Me Forever), Neel Rønholt (Borgen) and Jon Lange (The Killing), SOMETHING’S ROCKIN’ is produced by Stine Meldgaard Madsen and Sven Clausen (Protect) with Adam Price and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen as executive producers.

SOMETHING’S ROCKIN’ launched last week on Denmark’s TV2 Charlie where it set an historic viewership record for the channel. With a 23% share (audiences 3+) SOMETHING’S ROCKIN’ was the primetime winner, outperforming both TV 2 and DR. 

From the UK’s RED Production Company for BBC One is TRUST ME, a four-part, character-led drama written by Dan Sefton (Mr Selfridge, The Five) and executive produced by Nicola Shindler. Set in Edinburgh, TRUST ME tells the story of Cath (Jodie Whittaker, Broadchurch), a hardworking and skilled nurse who loses her job for whistleblowing. Forced to take drastic measures to provide for her daughter she steals her friend’s identity as a senior doctor and starts a new life. Burying herself deeper into the imposter persona, she realises she could get everything she wanted, but with her old life threatening to destroy her fragile creation, how far will she go to protect it?

Combining universal themes of a complex mystery, murder and secret love, THE TEACH, the very first original production for CANAL+ Poland (NC+), is an enthralling crime thriller set in the beautiful Polish woodlands of Dobrowice. Just before the start of the school year, a young student is found dead. When the original verdict of suicide is ruled out, a teacher from the local school is determined to uncover the real reasons behind her death. His unofficial investigation lifts the lid on a disturbing trail of political and big business corruption, but, as the young girl was secretly his biological daughter, he will stop at nothing to discover the truth… Directed by Lukasz Palkowski (Gods, Rezerwat) and starring Maciej Stuhr (Aftermath, Letters to Santa), THE TEACH broke all records and made ratings history on NC+/CANAL+ Poland when it was broadcast last fall.

From renowned Italian director Carmine Elia (Il Sistema) comes LA PORTA ROSSA, a 12-part intriguing crime thriller for RAI 2 with a supernatural twist, starring Lino Guanciale (L’allieva), Gabriella Pession (Crossing Lines) and Valentina Romani (Un bacio). In a building on the outskirts of town, Police Commissioner Cagliostro (Guanciale) takes in the scene before him: a man lies dead on the floor. In his ten-year career he’s seen nothing quite like this. For the dead man is him – he is staring at his own murder scene. A vision of the future stops Cagliostro from exiting this world - he must stay to find his killer, because it is the only way to save the life of his wife, Anna (Pession). With the help of Vanessa (Romani), a seventeen-year-old who discovers she is clairvoyant, Cagliostro embarks on his unusual investigation. LA PORTA ROSSA debuted on RAI 2 in Italy in February, winning its primetime slot and doubling the average for the channel with a 13% share.

Katrina Neylon, EVP of International Sales & Marketing at STUDIOCANAL, commented, “We’re very pleased to present such a diverse slate of innovative and original international co-productions at MIPTV. Our continued work with STUDIOCANAL’s leading production partners and our strong relationships with third-party producers is ensuring a continual supply of engaging, internationally-relevant drama featuring some of the world’s best talent both on- and off-screen. Alongside tape sales, we will also be discussing scripted format adaptation rights for THE TEACH and LA PORTA ROSSA, which we believe have great potential to be adapted for local territories, offering an opportunity to develop a truly unique channel-defining primetime drama.”

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Ride Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 6,500 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

 Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London - In their first television commission, Pinewood Television and SunnyMarch TV will produce THE CHILD IN TIME for BBC ONE, co-produced by MASTERPIECE. Adapted by Stephen Butchard (Five Daughters, The Last Kingdom) from Ian McEwan’s Whitbread Prize winning novel, and directed by Julian Farino (Marvellous, Entourage), THE CHILD IN TIME is a lyrical and heart-breaking exploration of love, loss and the power of things unseen. The drama will be distributed by STUDIOCANAL.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Parade’s End) will star as Stephen Lewis, a successful writer of children's books, who is confronted with the unthinkable: the loss of his child.

Benedict Cumberbatch, SunnyMarch TV Co-Founder, said: “I read the novel years ago and it stayed with me - profound, beautiful and very moving. Only Ian McEwan could write about loss with such telling honesty. We’re very excited to have Stephen Butchard’s subtle and brilliant adaptation, and in Julian Farino we have an extraordinary director who delivers emotional truth. I'm so proud THE CHILD IN TIME will be the first drama produced by SunnyMarch TV.”

With tenderness and insight, the film explores the dark territory of a marriage devastated by the loss of a child. Kate's absence sets Stephen and his wife on diverging paths as both struggle with an all-consuming grief. With the passage of time, a balance of sorts returns, until hope surfaces and triumphs unexpectedly.

Pinewood Television’s Creative Director Helen Gregory, said: “I am delighted to be bringing Stephen’s beautiful adaptation of THE CHILD IN TIME to the screen in collaboration with such huge talents as Julian Farino and Benedict.”

Novelist Ian McEwan, said: "I'm thrilled to have my novel in the hands of such a high level creative team. I have fond memories of Benedict playing a brilliant and key part in the movie adaptation of Atonement. Now, it's a great honour to have this actor of such immense resource, experience and subtlety in the lead role of THE CHILD IN TIME."

Piers Wenger, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning, said: “THE CHILD IN TIME is a unique and moving story and one which I think will touch the heart of every BBC One viewer. I’m proud to be involved with both Pinewood Television and SunnyMarch TV’s first television commission, and to welcome Benedict back again to BBC One.”

MASTERPIECE Executive Producer, Rebecca Eaton, said: “MASTERPIECE has been proud to showcase Benedict’s work for many years, and of course Sherlock has been a fantastic gift to our audience. To co-produce the first television drama out of his shop SunnyMarch TV, with Pinewood Television is very gratifying.”

THE CHILD IN TIME was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning and Charlotte Moore, Director BBC Content, and will be produced by Pinewood Television and SunnyMarch TV and co-produced by MASTERPIECE for BBC One. Executive Producers are Helen Gregory for Pinewood Television, Benedict Cumberbatch, Adam Ackland and David Boulter for SunnyMarch TV, Lucy Richer for the BBC, Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE and Stephen Butchard.

The 1 x 90’ drama will be adapted by Stephen Butchard, directed by Julian Farino and produced by Grainne Marmion.On behalf of STUDIOCANAL, Rola Bauer secured the international rights and partnered with Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE. Owning 20% of SunnyMarch TV Productions STUDIOCANAL will provide studio services including worldwide sales.

London – ZDFneo has stepped on board the brand new drama series BELOW THE SURFACE as a co-production partner with SAM Productions. ZDFneo is the digital channel of Germany’s leading public broadcaster ZDF, aimed at a younger audience aged 25 to 49. Originally commissioned by Discovery Networks Denmark for Kanal 5, where the series will debut later this spring, the drama will also air on Kanal 5 in Sweden and TV Norge in Norway, and broadcast on Iceland’s RUV. STUDIOCANAL handles worldwide distribution.

The nerve-racking eight-part crime thriller BELOW THE SURFACE has been brought to life by a team of leading Scandinavian creatives with Kasper Barfoed as creator, head writer and concept director, alongside Morten Kjems Hytten Juhl who serves as producer. SAM Productions’ Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen) and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair) and ZDF editors Frank Seyberth and Wolfgang Feindt serve as executive producers. BELOW THE SURFACE has been selected to feature in the upcoming Berlinale Special Series, with the first two episodes being screened at 3pm on 15 February at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.

Dr. Simone Emmelius, Head of ZDFneo, states, “In 2017, ZDFneo will be showcasing its first international co-productions, so extending our fiction portfolio in TV and online is key for us. Therefore, I’m glad that we have found suitable partners in Discovery, SAM and STUDIOCANAL, and am sure that BELOW THE SURFACE will intrigue our young target audience.”

Adam Price at SAM Productions added, “We are thrilled that our brand new Scandinavian collaboration has brought together a winning partnership between ZDFneo, Discovery and STUDIOCANAL – three of the leading companies in international television.” 

Rola Bauer, Managing Director at STUDIOCANAL TV, who orchestrated the coproduction strategy with SAM, comments, "SAM has brilliantly created a gritty and grounded narrative that touches all of our fears today and we wanted to help find the right copro partner to support SAM and their partner Discovery, so, for us, ZDFneo was such a natural fit and we are thrilled that they saw the relevance of this story.  It was an excellent collaborative effort between SAM's and STUDIOCANAL's teams and I’d like to thank Jonas Bauer, Head of International Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Nicolas Loock, CFO TV Series, and Matthias Nitschke, SVP Business Affairs and Legal at STUDIOCANAL, and Nina Bisgaard, Financial Producer at SAM Productions, for securing this important deal.”

In a subway train beneath Copenhagen, fifteen innocent people are taken hostage by three masked armed men. A terror taskforce, led by Philip Nørgaard (Johannes Lassen) and Louise Falck (Sara Hjort Ditlevsen), is dispatched to rescue them, while reporter Naja Toft (Paprika Steen) acts as go-between with the police as the captors bait the press with information about each hostage’s past. For eight days the tense stand-off grips Denmark, as those trapped underground lose all hope for survival...

ABOUT ZDFneo

ZDFneo offers a multisided entertainment program, primarily targeted to viewers and users aged from 25 to 49, introducing them to the ZDF brand. The channel focuses on the genres of fiction, non-scripted and social factual – on TV, online and on its social media channels. 

In the fiction arena, ZDFneo offers self-produced drama series including “TEMPEL”, starring Ken Duken, and successful sitcoms such as “BLOCKBUSTAZ”, starring German rap star Eko Fresh. International licensed series including “Coppers” (BEL), “No Offence” (UK) and “Mad Men” (US) regularly celebrate their German TV premieres or their German free TV premieres on ZDFneo.

ABOUT DISCOVERY NETWORKS DENMARK

Discovery Networks Denmark is one of the biggest and most ambitious commercial media corporations. Across the group’s 12 TV channels and two streaming services viewers get a strong combination of action packed entertainment and world class sports. Discovery Networks Denmark is part of the global media corporation, Discovery Communications which are present in 220 countries and territories.

ABOUT SAM PRODUCTIONS

SAM Productions’ principals are three of the Scandinavian region’s most acclaimed writers and producers at the forefront of successful Nordic drama in TV and Film: Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair).

SAM develops original premium television content and creates new stories with a strong Nordic foundation that appeal to an international audience.

SAM was founded in May 2014 through a partnership with STUDIOCANAL to produce high-end, ambitious, drama projects for local broadcasters and international networks.

Sveistrup is best known as the creator and writer of the original Danish crime drama The Killing – the series which started the international success of Nordic noir drama. He has also Executive Produced the popular U.S remake of the series.

Price’s credits include creator and writer of the international hit and critically acclaimed drama Borgen, while Foldager has produced a number of hit box-office feature films including A Royal Affair and Melancholia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Ride Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 6,500 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, STUDIOCANAL, has sold the two critically-acclaimed series MIDNIGHT SUN and Harlan Coben’s THE FIVE to Africa’s leading network, M-Net.

Swedish-French drama MIDNIGHT SUN, a CANAL+/SVT/Filmpool Nord coproduction, will debut across 58 territories in Africa on M-Net’s new foreign language block. This latest international acquisition for MIDNIGHT SUN adds to a wide range of recently-announced deals in the UK (Sky), Germany (ZDF), Australia (SBS), Russia (Channel One), Israel (HOT), Norway (NRK), Denmark (DR), Iceland (RUV), Finland (MTV3) Belgium (VRT) and Benelux (Lumière). The highest rated Création Originale series launch in three years on France’s CANAL+, MIDNIGHT SUN has achieved wide critical acclaim, recently winning Best New TV Series, Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Roma Fiction Festival. On SVT, the 8 x 1 hour thriller from Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama debuted to a phenomenal 39.7% share, attracting an audience of 1.8 million.

Now also set to air across Africa on M-Net is bestselling author Harlan Coben’s original ten-part drama thriller THE FIVE, produced by RED Production Company (a STUDIOCANAL company) for Sky 1.

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL, added, “We’re delighted to sign this new deal with M-Net, brokered by STUDIOCANAL Sales Manager Elise Woolfe, which will see these leading primetime dramas broadcasting throughout Africa. Our titles have grabbed the attention of international buyers, offering intelligent, thought-provoking and absorbing content. We’re also incredibly pleased with the success of MIDNIGHT SUN on its debut in Sweden – such outstanding ratings and reviews will further strengthen its huge potential in the global market.”

Created by Mårlind & Stein (Bron/Broen), based on an idea by Henrik Jansson-Schweizer and Patrick Nebout, MIDNIGHT SUN is a high concept thriller set in a small mining community in remote northern Sweden where a series of brutal murders – which contrast starkly against the beauty of the landscape and the ethereal daylight – conceal a secret conspiracy. Starring Leïla Bekhti (The Prophet) and Gustaf Hammarsten (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), MIDNIGHT SUN received the Audience Award at SeriesMania in Paris in April.

THE FIVE is an original 10-part drama thriller series for television created by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben. Produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley), THE FIVE is an original commission for the UK’s Sky 1. The series stars Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), O-T Fagbenle (The Interceptor), Lee Ingleby (The A Word), and Sarah Solemani (The Wrong Mans). The screenplay is by BAFTA and Emmy Award^®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst and director is Mark Tonderai.

ABOUT M-NET

M-Net, Africa’s first pay-television network, celebrated 30 years of timeless magic in 2016. From its first 12-hour broadcast in October 1986, M-Net has grown into a formidable African visual entertainment leader, which now broadcasts almost 40 channels to 48 countries from Angola to Zimbabwe. The company’s vision is to create the best television entertainment in Africa and beyond. 

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Miami/London – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, STUDIOCANAL, has signed its latest deal for Harlan Coben’s hit original drama THE FIVE, as DIRECTV secures rights for Latin America.

Ten-part thriller THE FIVE, which was created exclusively for television by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, will launch on OnDIRECTV, DIRECTV Latin America’s exclusive entertainment channel, on March 27, 2017.

THE FIVE will make its debut in Japan on Wowow Prime in February, and has also aired on Italy’s TIMvision and Radio-Canada for French-speaking Canada, alongside France’s CANAL+, Israel’s Yes DBS, the Netherlands’ NPO, New Zealand’s SKY, Australia’s SBS 1 and Spain’s Telefonica.

“We’re thrilled to offer Harlan Coben’s THE FIVE exclusively to our subscribers in Latin America,” said Willard Tressel, General Manager of OnDIRECTV.  “Harlan is recognized as a master of creating mysteries with unexpected twists and turns. We believe our viewers will be captivated by the kind of storytelling – now brought to the screen - that has put over 70 million books in print worldwide.”

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL, commented, “We are very pleased to announce yet another significant deal for THE FIVE and I’d like to thank Beatriz Campos, STUDIOCANAL’s VP of Sales, and our Miami-based consultant Daniel Rodriguez for securing the perfect broadcaster for this drama in Latin America. This acquisition continues our successful relationship with DIRECTV, following their broadcast of THE LAST PANTHERS and SPOTLESS last year, and we are sure that the riveting storyline and high production values of THE FIVE will make it another must-see choice for DIRECTV viewers across the region.”

Produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley), THE FIVE is an original commission for the UK’s Sky 1. The series stars Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), O-T Fagbenle (The Interceptor), Lee Ingleby (The A Word), and Sarah Solemani (The Wrong Mans). The screenplay is by BAFTA and Emmy Award^®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst and director is Mark Tonderai.

Following the success of THE FIVE, Sky has commissioned eight-part crime series THE FOUR, an original story created by Harlan Coben and written by Danny Brocklehurst. Produced by RED Production Company, THE FOUR is a stand-alone, character-driven thriller that tells the chilling story of an idyllic family community irrevocably shattered by secrets, lies, suspicions and misguided trust.

ABOUT HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE

When they were twelve years old, Mark (Tom Cullen), Pru (Sarah Solemani), Danny (O-T Fagbenle) and Slade (Lee Ingleby) were out together in the park. Mark’s five-year-old brother, Jesse, was annoying them. They were mean – told him to get lost. Jesse ran away. He was gone. Never seen again. Twenty years later, Danny – now a detective – learns some shocking news. Jesse’s DNA has been found at a murder scene. He is alive and out there. Somewhere.

ABOUT OnDIRECTV

OnDIRECTV, it is the exclusive channel to DIRECTV subscribers. The channel is recognized as a showcase for the acclaimed international series, documentaries and concerts with top 20 ratings and top three in the general entertainment genre. The channel’s first original scripted series, LA CASA DEL MAR, was nominated by the International Emmys as BEST DRAMA in 2016.

ABOUT DIRECTV

DIRECTV delivers the best entertainment experience. Every day, DIRECTV subscribers in Latin America enjoy quality and sound 100% digital, customer service leading of the industry, technological superiority, the most distinguishing HD content including transmission of original and exclusive series, complete coverage of the most important events, leagues and sports packages and the possibility to enjoy programming on different screens where and when the user prefers. For more information, visit directvla.com

ABOUT RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway.

RED’s most recent credits include Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning and critically acclaimed Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax, Harlan Coben’s first original TV drama The Five, Lenny Henry’s first screenplay Danny and the Human Zoo, Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-winning dramas Ordinary Lies and The Driver and Russell T Davies ambitious and acclaimed trilogy Cucumber, Banana and Tofu. Bill Gallagher’s Paranoid has recently aired in the UK on ITV as has the second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s Ordinary Lies on BBC One, both to critical acclaim. A Last Tango in Halifax two-part special aired on BBC One this Christmas.

RED recently set up a US production company, Final Twist, with international bestselling author Harlan Coben after working together on Sky1 drama The Five. Following a partnership deal at the end of 2013, RED Production Company is now part of STUDIOCANAL’s international production network, which includes TANDEM Productions in Germany and SAM in Scandinavia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting thousands of international titles. 

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Los Angeles/Munich/Miami – TANDEM Productions (a STUDIOCANAL company) announces today the development of DEEP CITY, a music-driven ensemble drama series set against the nightlife of Miami’s vibrant Midtown and emerging downtown core.

STUDIOCANAL TV’s Managing Director Rola Bauer partnered Academy Award-winning producer, writer and director Callie Khouri (Nashville, Thelma & Louise) and Academy Award-winning music producer T Bone Burnett (True Detective, Crazy Heart) with TANDEM’s Managing Director Tim Halkin.

Bauer said, “Miami inspired me greatly for DEEP CITY. This new generation has put down roots amid a continually exploding cross section of cultures – American, European, Asian, Russian and of course Latin American. The city politically and socially embodies what is happening in the world around us. Our talented partners were also inspired: from the prolific T Bone, Callie’s strong female voice and Juan Carlos’ vision of Miami, together with STUDIOCANAL’s full studio backing and UMG’s support, we are sure to make DEEP CITY an addictive series that will have huge appeal on the global stage.”

The series is created by writer/producer Juan Carlos Coto (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Nikita, 24), who also serves as Executive Producer alongside Callie Khouri, T Bone Burnett, Tim Halkin and Rola Bauer. DEEP CITY will be distributed internationally by STUDIOCANAL.

“When people think of Miami, they’re often thinking Miami Beach,” said Coto.  “That’s all good, but we want to explore the other narratives this city has to offer. The way Midtown’s exploded in the last decade – music, art, food, everything – it’s a whole new way for Miami to tell its story all over again.  This is a city that is constantly reinventing itself.”

DEEP CITY is a saga about a cross-section of Miami performers, musicians and criminals, and the collision of lives at a crossroads, a city where people come to find themselves, reinvent themselves - or escape. It’s about the dreams we make for ourselves and the dreams we share – they come in all shapes, sizes and colors, but in DEEP CITY these dreams have one thing in common: they’re big.

“Put simply, this is a show about the new American dream,” said Coto, who is a University of Miami graduate and former Miami Herald staffer. “And it’s a dream project for me. I’ve been writing and producing TV for more than twenty years, and every chance I get, I look to create a show in Miami.”

Callie Khouri comments: “The most important issues today are around race and immigration, globalism vs. tribalism. If you had to locate the intersection of those four points on a map, you would be in Miami. Then add music, dance and the city where people come to remake their lives into their version of the American dream, that's our show.”

“I love digging into the rich history of Miami music, with its mix of Rhythm and Blues, Afro-Caribbean and South American vibes,” said T Bone Burnett. “I love the sound of the place and the colors of the place. It is a world intersection. A profound border town.”

Tim Halkin, Managing Director/Partner at TANDEM Productions, adds, “We are thrilled to partner on this series with the immensely talented Callie and T Bone, who are fusing their very special gifts with Juan Carlos’ expert storytelling, under the auspices of TANDEM’s significant experience in big international co-productions.”

ABOUT TANDEM PRODUCTIONS

Since opening its doors in 1999, TANDEM has established itself as a leading provider of quality drama television productions that have garnered nominations and awards such as Golden Globes^® and Emmys^®.

The beginning of 2012 marked a new chapter in TANDEM’s history with STUDIOCANAL taking a majority stake in the company. This enabled TANDEM to strengthen its one-hour series strategy, leading to TANDEM’s production of the one-hour procedural crime series, Crossing Lines and one-hour drama series, Spotless, a CANAL+ Création Originale.

TANDEM develops, finances and produces primetime programs for the worldwide market, exclusively distributed by STUDIOCANAL. Emmy^® & Gemini Award-winning and Golden Globe^®-nominated, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, adapted from the novels of internationally bestselling author Ken Follett, are just two examples of TANDEM’s award-winning and critically acclaimed productions. Current key development projects at the company include Brazza, a series that TANDEM is joining forces with Idris Elba’s production company, Green Door Pictures and with Havas Media’s Save Ferris Entertainment, as well as Take Two, a two-hander procedural P.I. series created by Andrew Marlowe and Terri Edda Miller.

TANDEM Productions based in Munich, Germany, was founded by Rola Bauer and Tim Halkin, both company Partners. Jonas Bauer became a partner in the company in 2007. 

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting thousands of international titles. 

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series, STUDIOCANAL, has signed an agreement with SONY CHANNEL for German-speaking rights to eight-part CANAL+ Création Originale series BARON NOIR.

SONY CHANNEL, first destination for quality, scripted European series & TV events, will air the intriguing drama across German-speaking territories in 2017.

Launching to extensive critical acclaim in France with a second season now in development, BARON NOIR is a suspenseful drama from leading creators and writers Eric Benzekri and Jean-Baptiste Delafon (Maison Close). Directed by Ziad Doueiri (L’Attentat) and produced by Kwaï with the participation of CANAL+, BARON NOIR has already been acquired by SBS Australia and Amazon Prime Video in the UK and Ireland.

“BARON NOIR is a gripping political thriller and a masterpiece of French storytelling. We are proud to premiere this series for German-speaking television audiences on SONY CHANNEL, home to great European drama,” said Carsten Fink, Vice President, German-speaking Europe, Sony Pictures Television Networks.

Kalle Friz, CEO STUDIOCANAL Germany, said, “I am very pleased that this dynamic political drama has been acquired by SONY CHANNEL for the enjoyment of viewers throughout Germany. I would like to thank Barbara Knabe, EVP Television & Digital Distribution, and Sebastian Miska, Senior Sales Manager TV/Digital & TV Series Acquisition, at STUDIOCANAL for brokering this important deal.”

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing STUDIOCANAL, added, “Strong drama continues to be in demand around the world and this sale of the exceptional political drama BARON NOIR to Germany is a further example of the wide appeal of the CANAL+ Création Originale brand.”

BARON NOIR (8 x 1 hour) follows French politician Philippe Rickwaert’s (Kad Merad, Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis) thirst for revenge against his political enemies.  Philippe’s political career is in shambles after he is sacrificed by the presidential candidate from the Left, Francis Laugier (Niels Arestrup, War Horse), in order to save his election.  Step by step, Philippe plots against him and forges an alliance with his closest advisor, Amélie Dorendeu (Anna Mouglalis, Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky).

As deceitful as he is sincere, Philippe cultivates friendships across social stratas, from the police to the criminal underworld.  His life is fascinating, organised chaos, as he is continuously up against his enemies and his own demons.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION NETWORKS

Sony Pictures Television Networks operates branded entertainment channels reaching over one billion households around the world. Based in Culver City, Amsterdam, Budapest, London, Madrid, Miami, Milan, Moscow, Mumbai, Munich, Singapore and Tokyo, Sony’s linear and digital networks offer high quality film and television content from Sony Pictures and third-parties, as well as original content commissioned globally and locally. Sony Pictures Television Networks is a division of Sony Pictures Television Inc., a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting thousands of international titles. 

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, STUDIOCANAL, has concluded a brand new deal in Russia for ratings-winning Swedish-French drama MIDNIGHT SUN, it announced today.

Free-to-air broadcaster Channel One, Russia’s leading network with more than 250 million viewers worldwide, has secured the eight-part thriller to air in January 2017. This latest international acquisition for MIDNIGHT SUN, a CANAL+/SVT/Filmpool Nord coproduction from Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama, adds to a wide range of recently-announced deals in the UK (Sky), Germany (ZDF), Australia (SBS), Israel (HOT), Norway (NRK), Denmark (DR), Iceland (RUV), Finland (MTV3) Belgium (VRT) and Benelux (Lumière).

The highest rated Création Originale series launch in three years on France’s CANAL+, MIDNIGHT SUN has achieved wide critical acclaim in both France and Sweden. On SVT, the series debuted to a phenomenal 39.7% share, attracting an audience of 1.8 million.

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL, added, “I’m very pleased to announce another brand new deal for MIDNIGHT SUN, brokered by STUDIOCANAL Sales Manager Elise Woolfe, which represents Channel One’s second acquisition of a Création Originale drama following sci-fi thriller SECTION ZÉRO earlier this year. MIDNIGHT SUN is an original and absorbing drama exploring real issues such as racism and the environment, which, backed by stellar ratings and critical acclaim, is proving a huge hit with our global clients.”

Created by Mårlind & Stein (Bron/Broen), based on an idea by Henrik Jansson-Schweizer and Patrick Nebout, MIDNIGHT SUN is a high concept thriller set in a small mining community in remote northern Sweden where a series of brutal murders – which contrast starkly against the beauty of the landscape and the ethereal daylight – conceal a secret conspiracy. Starring Leïla Bekhti (The Prophet) and Gustaf Hammarsten (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), MIDNIGHT SUN received the Audience Award at SeriesMania in Paris in April.

ABOUT CHANNEL ONE

Channel One Russia is the biggest broadcasting company in Russia with the best up to 99,8% coverage and the highest TV watching rate.

Key production and on-air activities: news broadcasting full-coverage and efficiency; creative and technological innovations in on-air content programming; all genres variety and balance of content for all sections of population; young people segment reinforcement.

Channel One Worldwide represents Channel One Russia international department and a range of niche channels with about 250 million of viewers all over the world, 120 million among them being outside of Russia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting thousands of international titles. 

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, STUDIOCANAL, has concluded a landmark deal in Japan for Harlan Coben’s hit original drama THE FIVE.

THE FIVE, a 10-part thriller created exclusively for television by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, will make its debut in Asia on Japan’s pay TV broadcaster Wowow. The drama will launch in February 2017 on its popular general entertainment channel Wowow Prime.

This latest deal adds to recent international acquisitions of THE FIVE by Italy’s TIMvision and Radio-Canada for French-speaking Canada, alongside France’s CANAL+, Israel’s Yes DBS, the Netherlands’ NPO, New Zealand’s SKY, Australia’s SBS 1 and Spain’s Telefonica.

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL, commented, “THE FIVE, an absolutely captivating, multi-layered thriller from globally renowned author Harlan Coben, is proving extremely popular in the international market and I’m delighted to see this success extend to Asia with this new deal in Japan. Home to the latest in global drama, Wowow Prime is the perfect channel to showcase THE FIVE to Japanese audiences and I’m confident it will be a great success.”

Produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley), THE FIVE is an original commission for the UK’s Sky 1. The series stars Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), O-T Fagbenle (The Interceptor), Lee Ingleby (The A Word), and Sarah Solemani (The Wrong Mans). The screenplay is by BAFTA and Emmy Award^®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst and director is Mark Tonderai.

Following the success of THE FIVE, Sky has commissioned eight-part crime series THE FOUR, an original story created by Harlan Coben and written by Danny Brocklehurst. Produced by RED Production Company, THE FOUR is a stand-alone, character-driven thriller that tells the chilling story of an idyllic family community irrevocably shattered by secrets, lies, suspicions and misguided trust.

ABOUT HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE

When they were twelve years old, Mark (Tom Cullen), Pru (Sarah Solemani), Danny (O-T Fagbenle) and Slade (Lee Ingleby) were out together in the park. Mark’s five-year-old brother, Jesse, was annoying them. They were mean – told him to get lost. Jesse ran away. He was gone. Never seen again. Twenty years later, Danny – now a detective – learns some shocking news. Jesse’s DNA has been found at a murder scene. He is alive and out there. Somewhere.

ABOUT WOWOW

WOWOW is Japan’s leading premium pay TV broadcaster with over 2.8 million subscribers and the first 24/7, 3 channel, full-HD broadcaster in Japan. With a focus on quality entertainment and exceptional customer service, WOWOW has seen ten years of continuous net growth in subscribers. As of July 2011, all of the company’s subscribers are now on a digital subscription, which includes access to WOWOW’s groundbreaking Members On Demand service.

Listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock exchange, WOWOW’s offering includes 3 premium Full-HD channels and a subscription streaming service:

WOWOW Prime covers a wide range of genres, including 7 popular overseas TV series per week along with our original series, movies, and documentaries. WOWOW Prime is also the official channel for the live broadcasts of both the Oscars and the Grammy Awards in Japan.

WOWOW Live brings exclusive live broadcasts of the world’s greatest sports events along with live concerts and stage performances. Sports featured on WOWOW Live include the NBA, La Liga Española, LPGA, UFC, and more.

WOWOW Cinema carries titles from all major studios and a lineup of approximately 1400 movie titles from all over the world. WOWOW Cinema provides an experience to the world of cinema through a selective collection of movies.


WOWOW Members On Demand offers subscribers the ability to view our quality programming anywhere and anytime. The streaming service features live events and sports as well as popular series and movies.

ABOUT RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway.

RED’s most recent credits include Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning and critically acclaimed Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax, Harlan Coben’s first original TV drama The Five, Lenny Henry’s first screenplay Danny and the Human Zoo, Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-winning dramas Ordinary Lies and The Driver and Russell T Davies ambitious and acclaimed trilogy Cucumber, Banana and Tofu. Bill Gallagher’s Paranoid has recently aired in the UK on ITV as has the second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s Ordinary Lies on BBC One, both to critical acclaim. A Last Tango in Halifax two-part special will be aired on BBC One this Christmas.

RED recently set up a US production company, Final Twist, with international bestselling author Harlan Coben after working together on Sky1 drama The Five. Following a partnership deal at the end of 2013, RED Production Company is now part of STUDIOCANAL’s international production network, which includes TANDEM Productions in Germany and SAM in Scandinavia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

The deal will see MIDNIGHT SUN, a CANAL+/SVT/Filmpool Nord coproduction from Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama, showcasing on Sky Atlantic in early 2017. Sky’s UK acquisition adds to a roster of international pick-ups for MIDNIGHT SUN, joining ZDF in Germany, SBS in Australia, HOT in Israel, NRK in Norway, DR in Denmark, RUV in Iceland, MTV3 in Finland, VRT in Belgium, and Lumière in Benelux.

The highest rated Création Originale series launch in three years on CANAL+, MIDNIGHT SUN has achieved wide critical acclaim in both France and Sweden. On SVT, the series debuted this October to a phenomenal 39.7% share, attracting an audience of 1.8 million.

Zai Bennett, Director of Programmes, Sky Entertainment UK and Ireland, said: “MIDNIGHT SUN is a brilliant addition to our bumper line-up of Sky Atlantic programming in 2017, with new award-winning drama airing exclusively on the channel every month. I’ve no doubt that our customers will love this incredibly clever and thought-provoking thriller.”

Danny Perkins, CEO at STUDIOCANAL UK, commented, “We’re delighted to see MIDNIGHT SUN find its perfect UK home with Sky and I’d like to thank Katheryn Needham, our Head of TV & Digital, UK & Ireland, for working with the team at Sky to conclude this deal. There continues to be strong demand in the UK for intelligent, thought-provoking internationally-produced drama and MIDNIGHT SUN represents the absolute best in this genre.”

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL, added, “Since its high-profile launch at MIPCOM in October, MIDNIGHT SUN has gone from strength to strength on the international stage. Its high production values, alongside an absorbing and internationally-relevant storyline, offer great appeal across multiple platforms – and we look forward to following the success of this compelling thriller in the UK when it airs in 2017.”

Created by Mårlind & Stein (Bron/Broen), based on an idea by Henrik Jansson-Schweizer and Patrick Nebout, MIDNIGHT SUN is a high concept thriller set in a small mining community in remote northern Sweden where a series of brutal murders – which contrast starkly against the beauty of the landscape and the ethereal daylight – conceal a secret conspiracy. Starring Leïla Bekhti (The Prophet) and Gustaf Hammarsten (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), MIDNIGHT SUN received the Audience Award at SeriesMania in Paris in April.

ABOUT SKY

Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 22 million customers across five countries: UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. We offer the best and broadest range of content, deliver market-leading customer service and use innovative new technology to give customers a better TV experience, whenever and wherever they choose.

Sky has annual revenues of £12 billion and is Europe's leading investor in television content with a combined programming budget of £5.2 billion. The group employs 30,000 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Charlotte Mitchell (Sky)

+44 7896 259717

Charlotte.mitchell2@sky.uk

Cannes – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, STUDIOCANAL, has sold breakthrough Swedish-French drama MIDNIGHT SUN, a CANAL+/SVT/Filmpool Nord coproduction, to a host of international broadcasters, it was announced today.

Produced by Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama, the 8 x 1 hour thriller series has been secured ahead of its premiere by ZDF in Germany, SBS in Australia, HOT in Israel, NRK in Norway, DR in Denmark, RUV in Iceland, MTV3 in Finland, VRT in Belgium, and Lumière in Benelux.

Starring Leïla Bekhti (The Prophet) and Gustaf Hammarsten (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), MIDNIGHT SUN will first air on 23 October on SVT and later this year on CANAL+ under the Création Originale brand. 

Susanne Mueller, Executive Director Feature Films and International Co-productions at ZDF, says: “MIDNIGHT SUN is a wonderfully crafted, nail-biting thriller series and will be an absolute highlight in our 2017 schedule. It is a perfect fit for our Sunday late night crime slot, where we air the finest European crime drama. MIDNIGHT SUN is the next big Scandi-series with a twist after our successful coproductions like The Bridge, Modus and also the upcoming Springtide.”

Marshall Heald, SBS Director of Television and Online Content, commented: “MIDNIGHT SUN is Nordic Noir at its finest, delivering a thriller that will keep audiences on the edge of their seat to the very last. This truly international series offers sweeping scenery, compelling storytelling and stunning performances, and is an exciting addition to our program offering as we continue to showcase the very best in world drama.”

Marike Muselaers, Head of Acquisitions & Coproductions for TV series at Lumière, says: “We have been following MIDNIGHT SUN from a very early stage and we are thrilled to start working with STUDIOCANAL on this topical, gripping and beautiful drama/thriller series. As both STUDIOCANAL and Lumière specialize in bringing high-end quality TV series to the public, we are sure this will be the start of a long and fruitful partnership. Soon the MIDNIGHT SUN will shine everywhere in Benelux!”

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL added, “MIDNIGHT SUN is a beautifully shot, absorbing drama series which also raises real and current issues such as racism and damage to our environment. The series has hit a nerve with buyers internationally already ahead of its premiere, appealing to both Free and Pay TV networks and we’re in advanced negotiations to close additional sales in the coming months.”

Created by Mårlind & Stein (Bron/Broen), based on an idea by Henrik Jansson-Schweizer and Patrick Nebout, MIDNIGHT SUN is a high concept thriller set in a small mining community in remote northern Sweden where a series of brutal murders – which contrast starkly against the beauty of the landscape and the ethereal daylight – conceal a secret conspiracy. MIDNIGHT SUN received the Audience Award at SeriesMania in Paris in April.

Visit STUDIOCANAL at MIPCOM 2016 at stand P1.A1.

ABOUT ZDF

ZDF German Television is Germany’s national public television broadcaster and one of Europe’s leading public television corporations. It is run as an independent non-profit corporation under the authority of the 16 federal states that make up the Federal Republic of Germany. It is mandated to provide information, education and entertainment for all citizens.

ZDF also operates two digital channels, ZDFneo and ZDFinfo. In partnership with other public broadcasters, ZDF jointly operates the German channels PHOENIX and KI.KA, the European channels 3sat and ARTE and Funk, a digital non-linear offering for young people.

ABOUT SBS

With a background as Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, SBS holds a unique place in the Australian media landscape. As described in the SBS Charter, SBS’s principal function is to provide multilingual, multicultural and Indigenous radio, television and digital media services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians, reflecting Australia’s diverse society.

SBS carries out this function through an ever-increasing number of distribution platforms including free-to-air television channels, subscription television, analogue and digital radio, online, and via mobile devices and apps. SBS inspires all Australians to explore, appreciate and celebrate our diverse world, and in doing so contributes to a cohesive society. For more information visit sbs.com.au.

ABOUT LUMIERE

The Lumière Group is an all rights / all media Benelux distribution and production company, with offices in Ghent and Amsterdam and cinemas in Bruges and Antwerp. Lumière is known for bringing Scandinavian drama to the Benelux and has been among the first to pick up shows like The Bridge, Wallander, The Killing, Borgen, Springtide, Modus, The Legacy, Follow The Money, Occupied and many more. The Lumière catalogue also includes European arthouse and crossover films, documentaries, and animation. 

Recent theatrical releases include Boyhood, Shaun The Sheep, Dheepan, A Bigger Splash and The Red Turtle.  Furthermore, Lumière has an in-house production company, Lunanime, which has co-produced among others Jacques Audiard’s Rust and Bone, the Academy Award-nominated animated feature A Cat in Paris, and European police series The Team (season 2 in development).

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. 

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact: 

Isabelle Fedyk
+49 (89) 96 22 83 24
isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Munich/Paris/London – TANDEM Productions (a STUDIOCANAL company) and SAVE FERRIS Entertainment (a Havas Media company) are set to collaborate with Idris Elba’s Green Door Pictures on new drama series BRAZZA.

BRAZZA is set in the capital city of the Congo, where one family’s bloody feud threatens the country’s uneasy truce. Guns and lives are cheap but some people are prepared to fight for what is right. Straddling Congo, Kinshasa and Paris, this gritty, fast-paced drama explores the vivid culture and dark underworld of Brazzaville, where people know ‘Peace Brings Life’, but not everybody is prepared to make the right choice between good and evil.

In a co-production deal orchestrated by STUDIOCANAL Executive Rola Bauer, BRAZZA will be produced by TANDEM Productions, in coproduction with SAVE FERRIS Entertainment and in association with Green Door Pictures. The one-hour drama series will be distributed internationally by STUDIOCANAL.

Leading writer Paul Viragh is attached to the project. Viragh is an actor, writer and director. His first feature film Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll starred Andy Serkis, Naomi Harris, and Olivia Williams and received seven award nominations, including two BAFTAs. Other work includes crime thriller Ashes starring Ray Winstone and Jim Sturgess, and The Face of an Angel directed by Michael Winterbottom.

Rola Bauer comments, “BRAZZA will be a visceral series exploring one family’s feud across Africa and Europe. Idris’ lens into this narrative is quite inspirational and as Africa awakens, marching boldly into the first world, we could not have asked for better partners in Idris and his team, as well as our cousins at SAVE FERRIS/Havas Productions. Paul Viragh’s talent to create compelling characters with strong emotional journeys will ground this story in the here and now.”

Idris Elba adds, “I am so proud to be working on this African set drama and to introduce a global audience to a world and culture that resonates so vibrantly with me. We at Green Door are thoroughly enjoying our journey with STUDIOCANAL, TANDEM and SAVE FERRIS and are very excited for the future.”

Together with executive producers Rola Bauer, Tim Halkin, Jean-Charles Felli and Christophe Tomas, Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation, Luther and the upcoming Dark Tower) will executive produce along with his development team at Green Door.

ABOUT TANDEM PRODUCTIONS

Since opening its doors in 1999, TANDEM has established itself as a leading provider of quality drama television productions that have garnered nominations and awards such as Golden Globes^® and Emmys^®.

The end of 2011 marked a new chapter in TANDEM’s history with STUDIOCANAL taking a majority stake in the company. This enabled TANDEM to strengthen its one-hour series strategy, leading to TANDEM’s production of the one-hour procedural crime series, Crossing Lines, which wrapped production on its third season and is currently rolling out launches in territories worldwide. TANDEM’s one-hour drama series, Spotless, a CANAL+ Création Originale, premiered on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network in the U.S last fall.

TANDEM develops, finances and produces primetime programs for the worldwide market, exclusively distributed by STUDIOCANAL. Emmy^® & Gemini Award-winning and Golden Globe^®-nominated, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, adapted from the novels of internationally bestselling author Ken Follett, are just two examples of TANDEM’s award-winning and critically acclaimed productions. TANDEM has optioned Follett’s Code to Zero, marking their third collaboration with the author.

TANDEM Productions based in Munich, Germany, was founded by CEO Rola Bauer and COO Tim Halkin, both company Partners. Jonas Bauer became a partner in the company in 2007. 

ABOUT SAVE FERRIS ENTERTAINMENT

Paris based SAVE FERRIS is a leading player in the new generation of creative fiction across Film, TV, and Digital content. 

Kaira Shopping, its cult web series for CANAL+, totalled 20 million views. Soon followed up by Dans La Bouche for Le Supplement, and CanalPlay’s first digital series: FRAT. SAVE FERRIS’s three new English-language digital series co-produced with Vivendi: BRUTAL, SURF THERAPY, and DEEP, will be available on the Studio+ mobile app, launched in over 20 countries in november 2016.

SAVE FERRIS had a great debut in film by partnering with key players like Thomas Langmann (2012 Oscar winning producer for THE ARTIST), Gaumont, Orange Studio, TF1 Films and Mars Films. SAVE FERRIS has two feature films to its credit: LES KAIRA (over a million theatre viewers & most profitable French movie for 2012) & LES FRANCIS, in 2014.

ABOUT GREEN DOOR PICTURES

Idris Elba established Green Door Pictures in 2013 to create programming and projects, which reflect his passion as well as the values close to his heart. Green Door champions diversity of thought and ideas and invests in young and upcoming talent, as well as established artists.  Green Door produces work that is innovative, entertaining, thought-provoking, and appeals to a broad audience. 

The slate covers scripted and non-scripted projects across Film and Television, extending also into Online, Theatre and Children’s, and work with broadcasters and other partners both here in the UK and internationally.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

London – STUDIOCANAL has licensed Harlan Coben’s THE FIVE, an original 10-part drama thriller series for television created by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, to Radio-Canada, Canada’s national French public radio and television broadcaster, to be aired in the near future.

Produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley), THE FIVE is an original commission for the UK’s Sky 1. The series stars Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), O-T Fagbenle (The Interceptor), Lee Ingleby (The A Word), and Sarah Solemani (The Wrong Mans). The screenplay is by BAFTA and Emmy Award^®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst and directed by Mark Tonderai.

Dominique Chaloult, General Manager of Radio-Canada’s French Television, comments: “It is with great pleasure that we will invite our audience to discover the first TV series stemming directly from the imagination of renowned thriller master Harlan Coben. Captivating from the start, THE FIVE is representative of the top notch international productions that Radio-Canada is proud to broadcast.” 

“THE FIVE is a world class thriller that has the appeal and multi-layered plotlines that captivate viewers from the very start – just like one of Harlan Coben’s best-selling novels. We have successfully sold THE FIVE to broadcasters throughout the world and I am certain that Canadian audiences will also be seduced by this remarkable series,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. 

THE FIVE has aired on France’s CANAL+, Israel’s Yes DBS, the Netherlands’ NPO, New Zealand’s SKY, Australia’s SBS 1 and Spain’s Telefonica. Following the success of THE FIVE, Sky is teaming up again with Harlan Coben and RED Production Company and has commissioned eight-part crime series THE FOUR, a stand-alone, character-driven thriller that tells the chilling story of an idyllic family community irrevocably shattered by secrets, lies, suspicions and misguided trust.

ABOUT HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE

 When they were twelve years old, Mark (Tom Cullen), Pru (Sarah Solemani), Danny (O-T Fagbenle) and Slade (Lee Ingleby) were out together in the park. Mark’s five-year-old brother, Jesse, was annoying them. They were mean – told him to get lost. Jesse ran away. He was gone. Never seen again. Twenty years later, Danny – now a detective – learns some shocking news. Jesse’s DNA has been found at a murder scene. He is alive and out there. Somewhere.

For more info: http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/harlan-cobens-the-five

ABOUT RADIO CANADA

 From news, entertainment and drama series, to galas and current affairs programs, Radio-Canada delivers high-quality, distinctive television programming. Through its ongoing commitment to innovation and creativity, the network’s reach extends to all regions of Quebec and across Canada. Its varied schedule includes 24 hours a week aimed at young viewers.

ABOUT RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway.

RED’s most recent credits include Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning and critically acclaimed Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax, Harlan Coben’s first original TV drama The Five, Lenny Henry’s first screenplay Danny and the Human Zoo, Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-winning dramas Ordinary Lies and The Driver and Russell T Davies ambitious and acclaimed trilogy Cucumber, Banana and Tofu.

Most recently RED has set up a US production company, Final Twist, with international bestselling author Harlan Coben after working together on Sky1 drama The Five. Bill Gallagher’s Paranoid is currently airing in the UK on ITV and a second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s Ordinary Lies will soon transmit on BBC One.

Following a partnership deal at the end of 2013, RED Production Company is now part of STUDIOCANAL’s international production network, which includes TANDEM Productions in Germany and SAM in Scandinavia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market.

STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

***

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London, UK – Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, STUDIOCANAL, will launch the Swedish-French drama MIDNIGHT SUN, a CANAL+/SVT coproduction, at MIPCOM 2016.

Created by Mårlind & Stein (Bron/Broen), MIDNIGHT SUN is a high concept thriller set in a small mining community in remote northern Sweden where a series of brutal murders – which contrast starkly against the beauty of the landscape and the ethereal daylight – conceal a secret conspiracy. Based on an idea by Henrik Jansson-Schweizer and Patrick Nebout, the eight-part series stars French actress Leïla Bekhti (The Prophet) and Gustaf Hammarsten (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), and is produced by Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama for CANAL+ and SVT. Due to air later this year on CANAL+ and SVT, the series received the Audience Award at SeriesMania in Paris this April.

Actors Leïla Bekhti, Gustaf Hammarsten and Sofia Jannok, alongside creators Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein, and producers Olivier Bibas and Stefan Baron, will be in Cannes to officially launch MIDNIGHT SUN to international buyers at a press conference in the Blue Lounge in the Press Club on Monday, 17 October at 10am.

Further new additions to STUDIOCANAL’s slate for MIPCOM include three intriguing, unique scripted series created by STUDIOCANAL’s production companies.

SAM Productions presents BELOW THE SURFACE, a nerve-racking eight-part crime thriller. In a subway train beneath Copenhagen, fifteen innocent people are taken hostage by three masked armed men. A terror taskforce, led by Philip Norgaard and Louise Hjort, is dispatched to rescue them, while reporter Naja Toft acts as go-between with the police as the captors bait the press with information about each hostage’s past. For eight days the tense stand-off grips Denmark, as those trapped underground lose all hope for survival... Kasper Barfoed is creator, head writer and concept director of BELOW THE SURFACE, alongside Morten Kjems Hytten Juhl who serves as producer, Soren Sveistrup (The Killing) and Adam Price (Borgen) as creative producers, and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair) as executive producer.

Produced by award-winning RED Production Company (Happy Valley) and launching on ITV1 last week to ratings well ahead of the channel’s slot average (4.1m viewers / 21.5% share), PARANOID stars Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), Robert Glenister (Hustle), Neil Stuke (Doctor Foster), Lesley Sharp (Scott & Bailey), Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey) and Danny Huston (X-Men Origins: Wolverine). The eight-part drama series for ITV and Netflix opens with a seemingly straightforward small-town murder investigation, which quickly spirals into an ever-darkening mystery on a European scale. Written by acclaimed writer and producer Bill Gallagher (The Paradise), the series’ head director is Mark Tonderai (The Five). PARANOID is produced by Tom Sherry (Prey, Ordinary Lies, Scott & Bailey) and executive produced by RED Production Company founder Nicola Shindler (Happy Valley, The Five, Last Tango in Halifax), and writer and creator Bill Gallagher.

CRAZYHEAD is a bold new comedy horror series from BAFTA award-winning creator of Misfits, Howard Overman. The six-part series is being produced by Urban Myth Films for Channel 4 in association with Netflix. Laced with dark humour, CRAZYHEAD follows Amy and Raquel as they attempt to navigate their way through the choppy waters of their early twenties whilst simultaneously kicking the ass of some seriously gnarly demons. Turns out that the legions of hell are an unforgiving bunch with scores to settle, blood to spill and axes to plant in people’s heads… CRAZYHEAD is thrilling, anarchic and utterly rude but at its core is about love, friendship and accepting who you are. Starring Cara Theobold (Downton Abbey) and Susan Wokoma (Chewing Gum), CRAZYHEAD is exec produced by Johnny Capps (Merlin, Sugar Rush), Julian Murphy (Merlin, Hex) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL says, “With seven production companies now in our group, all with the remit to develop and deliver wide-reaching and bold content, along with our strong relationships with third party producers, we have established a constant flow of extraordinary series to offer our clients. And, as the global hunger for high quality scripted material continues, we are delighted to arrive at MIPCOM with four shining examples of channel-defining dramas. Each one has universal appeal through authentic, relevant and most importantly, intriguing, storytelling, set in very different parts of the world with thought-provoking characters and dynamic plots.”

STUDIOCANAL offers its production partners a flexible and full range of studio services and packaging all the way from development and financing to production and ultimately distribution.

Visit STUDIOCANAL at MIPCOM 2016 at stand P1.A1.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.  Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.  STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market. STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sorensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.  Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).  Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact: 

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London, UK – Leading drama series MIDNIGHT SUN, THE FIVE, and CROSSING LINES Season Three have been acquired by VRT Belgium in a premium drama content package deal with STUDIOCANAL. VRT is Belgium’s leading broadcaster in the Flemish region and the public-service broadcaster for Belgium’s Flemish-speaking viewers.

MIDNIGHT SUN will premiere at the beginning of 2017 on VRT on Canvas, the Belgian home of top Scandinavian crime series since 2006.

Sven Van Lokeren, Acquisition Executive Fiction Series at VRT, said: “We are very pleased to have acquired a standout package of event dramas for VRT and to continue our great partnership with STUDIOCANAL. We are certain that our viewers will be gripped from the start of each series.” 

“Representing the best of global content, these three international dramas are produced with top-level creatives and talent and are certain to hook Belgian audiences,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “We are delighted that MIDNIGHT SUN, which is a stunning example of the new Scandi style, will air on VRT’s Canvas, a channel which prides itself on innovative content, new storylines and unique storytelling. We’re also pleased to see the success of THE FIVE and CROSSING LINES continue in Europe, our international clients have been quick to recognize the strong potential of these contemporary series for primetime schedules.”

An Audience Award winner at this year’s Series Mania Festival, MIDNIGHT SUN is a high-concept 8-part thriller from Mårlind & Stein (The Bridge). Commissioned by France’s CANAL+ and Sweden’s SVT, MIDNIGHT SUN is produced by Nice Drama (Thicker Than Water) and Atlantique Productions (Borgia). The series delves into an investigation of a string of murders somehow connected to the Sami, an ancient Scandinavian tribe andstars Leïla Bekhti (The Prophet) and Gustaf Hammarsten (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).

Harlan Coben’s THE FIVE, an original 10-part drama thriller series for television by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, is produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley). An original commission for the UK’s Sky 1, the series stars Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), O-T Fagbenle (The Interceptor), Lee Ingleby (The A Word), and Sarah Solemani (The Wrong Mans). The screenplay is by BAFTA and Emmy Award^®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst and the drama is directed by Mark Tonderai. THE FIVE has aired on CANAL+, Israel’s Yes DBS, the Netherlands’ NPO, New Zealand’s SKY, Australia’s SBS 1 and Spain’s Telefonica.

Starring Goran Visnjic (ER), Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost), Golden Globe^® Award-winner Donald Sutherland (The Hunger Games), and Tom Wlaschiha (Game of Thrones), CROSSING LINES Season Three is a 12-episode crime drama series addressing internationally relevant and contemporary storylines of cross border crime. The fast-paced suspenseful series is produced by TANDEM Productions in association with Big Light Productions, Sony Pictures Television Networks and SAT.1 and executive produced by Rola Bauer (Spotless) and Frank Spotnitz (The Man in the High Castle).

ABOUT VRT

VRT, the public broadcaster of the Flemish Community in Belgium, is the Flemish Region’s leading broadcaster and operates 3 channels (één, Canvas and Ketnet). Its mission is to reach as many members of the public through all of its platforms (tv, radio and online) and to be socially relevant, innovative and challenging, whilst always putting the highest standards of quality at the forefront. VRT aims to inform, inspire and connect in order to strengthen the democratic values of the Flemish society. VRT always aspires to bring the best fiction series that the market has to offer, either through local production or international acquisition. CANVAS is VRT’s second channel and offers its viewers a wide perspective on, as well as an in-depth analyses of the world surrounding us. Besides documentaries, current affairs programmes, talk shows and the best of world cinema, its focus lies on the best international fiction series. It has built a solid reputation as being the home of Scandi Noir and is always at the forefront of the latest trends in the international market.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. Operating directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits such as Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its growing network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including TANDEM Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL offers a full studio service including co-production strategy, business affairs, finance and worldwide sales to support its production companies across the global market. STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions (Below The Surface, Rides Upon The Storm), a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS (Crazyhead), founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Charlotte Moore announced today an original character-led thriller written by Dan Sefton for BBC One, made by RED Production Company (a STUDIOCANAL company).

The four part drama series set in Edinburgh tells the story of Cathy, a hardworking and skilled nurse, who, having lost her job for whistleblowing, is forced to take drastic measures to provide for her daughter. Out of desperation, she seizes the opportunity to steal her best friend’s identity as a senior doctor and start a new life in Edinburgh. Burying herself deeper and deeper in the imposter persona, she realises she really could get everything she ever wanted – the job, the man, the dream – but with her old life threatening to destroy her fragile creation, how far will she go to protect it?

Dan Sefton (Mr Selfridge, The Five, Secret Diary of a Call Girl) said: “Having worked in the NHS for most of my adult life, I know only too well that it provides the perfect setting for a contemporary drama – the characters, the (often literal) pain – as well as the affection and dedication of staff. Trust Me shows all of that but its central story is Cathy, a decent, honourable woman who, when everything is falling apart, takes a huge risk in search of a better life. A life that she will fiercely protect.”

Nicola Shindler, founder and executive producer, RED Production Company, said: “Trust Me is a love story at its heart. It is about a woman’s desperation to start afresh and escape the pain and disappointment of her old life. Dan’s exceptionally realistic script is layered with complex characters and a gripping storyline that will keep viewers hooked.”

Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content added: “Dan Sefton's contemporary character led thriller for BBC One is an absorbing story about one woman's attempt to start a new life. Set and filmed in Edinburgh, the series continues our commitment to boosting and invigorating drama in Scotland.”

Trust Me is produced by Emily Feller with Nicola Shindler Executive Producer for RED Production Company and Gaynor Holmes for BBC Scotland. The drama commission continues the BBC’s commitment to boosting and invigorating drama in the Nations. The series will go into production later this year and will film in and around Edinburgh. Trust Me will be distributed internationally by STUDIOCANAL.

For more information:

Christina Joyce

PREMIER

Christina.Joyce@premiercomms.com

ABOUT RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway. RED’s most recent credits include Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning and critically acclaimed Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax, Harlan Coben’s first original TV drama The Five, Lenny Henry’s first screenplay Danny and the Human Zoo, Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-winning dramas Ordinary Lies and The Driver and Russell T Davies ambitious and acclaimed trilogy Cucumber, Banana and Tofu. Most recently RED has set up a US production company, Final Twist, with international bestselling author Harlan Coben after working together on Sky1 drama The Five. Projects currently in production include Bill Gallagher’s Paranoid for ITV and a second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s Ordinary Lies for BBC One. RED Production Company is part of STUDIOCANAL’s international production network.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

Munich, Germany – Leading producer TANDEM Productions (a STUDIOCANAL company) has attached writer Jayson Rothwell to adapt bestselling author Ken Follett’s CODE TO ZERO as an international event series. Rothwell, who is currently writing Zodiac for LeVision Pictures and has 40 Thieves set up at Fox, will pen the screenplay for the 8 x 45 minute drama series, shifting the storyline from the Cold War era of the 1950s to today’s global war against terror. KEN FOLLETT’S CODE TO ZERO is executive produced by Tim Halkin and Jim Gillespie. The series will be distributed by STUDIOCANAL.

KEN FOLLETT’S CODE TO ZERO will be the third collaboration between Ken Follett and TANDEM, following the successful Emmy^®-winning and Golden Globe^®-nominated, The Pillars of the Earth, starring Eddie Redmayne, Ian McShane and Donald Sutherland; and the Emmy^®-winning, World Without End, starring Cynthia Nixon, Charlotte Riley and Miranda Richardson.

“I’m very pleased to have TANDEM Productions adapting another of my books for television after the wonderful job they did with The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End,” said bestselling author, Ken Follett. “Jayson Rothwell’s modernization of CODE TO ZERO makes my story even more relevant for our world as it is today, while at the same time protecting my characters and the essence of the story. I am certain that this series will resonate for audiences around the world and that my readers will love this adaptation.”

“We are thrilled to have Jayson onboard. Ken's story has touched him in a very personal way and we see that in his work,” added Tim Halkin, Managing Director TANDEM Productions. “Jayson has truly embraced the creative support from our team, Gina Marcheschi, TANDEM’s EVP of Development, and our Executive Producer, Jim Gillespie, who had the idea to bring Ken Follett’s wonderful book into the present day."

Ken Follett is one of the world’s best-loved novelists. He burst into the book world in 1978 with Eye of the Needle, a taut and original thriller with a memorable female character in the central role. The book won the Edgar award and became an outstanding film starring Kate Nelligan and Donald Sutherland.

ABOUT KEN FOLLETT’S CODE TO ZERO

A modern day adapation of Ken Follett’s classic novel: Running on two separate, but converging time-lines, KEN FOLLETT’S CODE TO ZERO follows our hero Luke on his race-against-the-clock mission to regain his memory and stop what would be the most devastating global catastrophe to date. We will see how his core group of peers, who now hold enough information and power to alter the course of history as we know it, have transformed since the events of 9/11, evolving from optimistic Harvard graduates into cynical pawns in a deadly espionage conspiracy. All the while, Luke – not knowing who he is, where he's from, who’s after him, or why – will have to navigate this minefield of allies and foes, not knowing who he can trust while trying to piece the puzzle back together. Through new alliances and unexpected betrayals, he’ll come to discover that his survival does not rest on who he used to be, but on who he wants to become. And it’s this decision which will secure the fates of everyone he knew…

ABOUT TANDEM PRODUCTIONS

Since opening its doors in 1999, TANDEM has established itself as a leading provider of quality drama television productions that have garnered nominations and awards such as Golden Globes^® and Emmys^®. The end of 2011 marked a new chapter in TANDEM’s history with STUDIOCANAL taking a majority stake in the company. This enabled TANDEM to strengthen its one-hour series strategy, leading to TANDEM’s production of the one-hour procedural crime series, Crossing Lines, which wrapped production on its third season and is currently rolling out launches in territories worldwide. TANDEM’s one-hour drama series, Spotless, a CANAL+ Création Originale, premiered on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network in the U.S last fall. TANDEM develops, finances and produces primetime programs for the worldwide market, exclusively distributed by STUDIOCANAL. Emmy^® & Gemini Award-winning and Golden Globe^®-nominated, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, adapted from the novels of internationally bestselling author Ken Follett, are just two examples of TANDEM’s award-winning and critically acclaimed productions. TANDEM has optioned Follett’s Code to Zero, marking their third collaboration with the author. TANDEM Productions based in Munich, Germany, was founded by CEO Rola Bauer and COO Tim Halkin, both company Partners. Jonas Bauer became a partner in the company in 2007. 

*       *       *

Media Contact:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London, UK – THE LAST PANTHERS, a six-part crime series, has been acquired by DIRECTV Latin America, the leading satellite television provider in the region. The series debuts August 22, 2016. THE LAST PANTHERS stars two-time Academy Award® nominee Samantha Morton (Minority Report, Longford), French César Award winner Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past), Goran Bogdan (We Will Be The World Champions, Na terapiji), and BAFTA and Golden Globe® Award winning actor John Hurt (Midnight Express, Elephant Man). Joint distribution is handled by STUDIOCANAL and Sky Vision.

Based on real events, THE LAST PANTHERS was commissioned by Sky Atlantic and CANAL+ with SundanceTV and produced by Haut et Court TV (The Returned) and Warp Films (Southcliffe). Based on an idea by French journalist Jérôme Pierrat, and co-created and written by Jack Thorne (Skins), the series is directed by Johan Renck (Breaking Bad). The opening title music is by legendary artist David Bowie.

Most recently, THE LAST PANTHERS was nominated for Best International Co-Production by The Edinburgh International Television Festival 2016. The series was also nominated in the category of Best Breakout International Drama for the Content Innovation Awards to be presented by Digital TV Europe at MIPCOM 2016.

“We’re thrilled to bring THE LAST PANTHERS exclusively to our subscribers,” says Willard Tressel, General Manager of OnDIRECTV.  “The producers have brought together an amazing team of talented people to create this gripping series that feels closer to cinema than to television.”

“An extraordinary and provocative series, THE LAST PANTHERS features production values and writing of the highest caliber,” adds Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “We are confident that Latin American audiences will be riveted by the series’ intensity, emotion and complex storyline.”

THE LAST PANTHERS was shot in the UK, France, Serbia, and Montenegro in three languages and has aired to critical acclaim across Sky’s multi-territories, including the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany and Austria, and CANAL+ in France. The series, sold to 122 territories in total, recently wrapped its run on SundanceTV in the US. In addition, the drama aired on SBS Australia, HBO Nordics and across all Fox Networks Group Crime channels in Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania.

ABOUT THE LAST PANTHERS

THE LAST PANTHERS opens with a daring diamond heist bearing all the hallmarks of a gang known as the Pink Panthers. But the tragic death of a little girl during the raid sets a collision course in motion involving a British insurance agent, a French-Algerian cop and a Serbian diamond thief. THE LAST PANTHERS plunges the audience into a modern day Europe gripped by new forms of crime on an epic scale. The interplay between traffickers in jewels and drugs, European officials, war criminals and city bankers impact every one of us in ways we cannot foresee.

For more info:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/last-panthers

http://skyvision.sky.com/Brand/1780/last-panthers-the

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

ABOUT SKY VISION

Sky Vision is the international distribution arm of Sky, Europe’s leading entertainment company. Sky Vision represents nearly 6000 hours of quality content from Sky channels and third party programming. The company forms an integral part of Sky’s strategy to grow a broad, international content business spanning broadcasting, production and distribution. Sky Vision works extensively with independent producers and has established development deals with a number of companies including Znak & Jones Productions and Ugly Brother Studios in the US, and in the UK with Love Productions, Blast! Films, back2back productions, Spark Media Partners, ACME Films, Chalkboard TV, Hungry Bear Media, Spring Films and Roughcut TV.

*       *       *

Press contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk +49 (89) 96 22 83 24 isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin +49 (89) 96 22 83 14 mitch.zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

SKY VISION

Charlotte Mitchell +44 (0)7896259717 - M

charlotte.mitchell2@sky.uk

London, UK – STUDIOCANAL announces the acquisitions of premium CANAL+ Création Originale series: SECTION ZÉRO by the Rialto Channel in New Zealand, known for their high quality TV series and movies; and BARON NOIR by Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

“Rialto Channel is very excited to premiere SECTION ZÉRO, the dark and edgy thriller from César-nominated writer and director, Olivier Marchal (Braquo) here in New Zealand on the SKY Platform,” says Roger Wyllie, General Manager, Rialto Channel. “New Zealanders love high-quality drama series, and we at Rialto Chanel are committed to bringing the very best the whole world has to offer to our screens.”

“From the U.S., the UK, Spain to Russia, broadcasters worldwide are recognizing that a CANAL+ Création Originale is a brand of distinction that transcends cultures and borders,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “SECTION ZÉRO and BARON NOIR will appeal to the high standards required by audiences of the Rialto Channel and Amazon Prime Video, respectively.”

From acclaimed director Olivier Marchal (Braquo), SECTION ZÉRO is an eight-part, sci-fi thriller series from César-nominated writer and is produced by EuropaCorp Television, Bad Company and Umedia. Set in the near future, where multi-national corporations are Europe’s new leaders, the CANAL+ Création Originale series stars Ola Rapace (Skyfall), Pascal Greggory (La Vie en Rose), and Tchéky Karyo (The Missing). The series  recently sold to Telefonica Spain, Russia’s Channel One and SBS in Australia. SECTION ZÉROwill launch on the Rialto Chanel in December.

A suspenseful, epic political drama, BARON NOIR is from creators and writers Eric Benzekri and Jean-Baptiste Delafon (Maison Close), directed by Ziad Doueiri (L’Attentat) and produced by Kwaï. The CANAL+ Création Originale series follows a French politician in his pursuit for revenge against his political enemies. The series has recently sold to SBS in Australia and premiered earlier this year to critical acclaim on CANAL+. BARON NOIR launched on Amazon Prime Video in the UK, Thursday, July 14^th.

Other recent sales of CANAL+ Création Originale series include SPOTLESS, a dark, irreverent and edgy one-hour drama series, sold to Telefonica Spain and SBS Australia. Currently airing on TVA’s addikTV in French-speaking Canada, the series has been outperforming the channel average by more than 300%. SPOTLESS has been sold to over 200 territories, including NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network in the U.S., Globosat Brazil, DIRECTV Latin America, and M-Net South Africa.

For more info on SECTION ZÉRO

https://www.screening.studiocanaltvseries.com/content/show/735763

For more info on BARON NOIR

https://www.screening.studiocanaltvseries.com/content/show/843802

ABOUT RIALTO CHANNEL

Rialto Channel is 100% New Zealand owned and programmed and is based in Auckland.

Rialto Channel is more than just movies - experience high quality independent films and documentaries that will inspire, inform and entertain you. 25 new films are guaranteed every month, commercial free. The channel that uncovers the movie world's best hidden treasures. From international winners to films made in NZ's own backyard, you'll find them all here. Rialto Channel - The Storyteller.

ABOUT AMAZON VIDEO

Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:  

• Prime Video: thousands of popular movies and TV episodes, to stream or download, including Amazon Originals and Exclusives like 2016 BAFTA winning Transparent, 2016 Golden Globe® winning Mozart in the Jungle, Ridley Scott produced The Man in the High Castle, cult comic book series Preacher, time-travel romance Outlander, 2016 Golden Globe® winning Mr Robot, Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling books and all series of Ripper Street. Plus, must-see films like Macbeth, Legend, Paddington and The Imitation Game and more.
• Rent or Own: thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers.
• Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on smart TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, on Xbox, PlayStation, Wii and Wii U, and through the web at www.amazon.co.uk/primevideo.
• Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing.

Prime Video is available at no extra cost to Amazon Prime members, who also benefit from unlimited One-Day Delivery on millions items, more than a million songs available to stream and download through Prime Music, unlimited photo storage in Amazon Drive, access to a million Kindle books to borrow, and 30-minutes early access to select Lightning Deals on www.amazon.co.uk. Amazon customers who are not already members can start a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime by visiting www.amazon.co.uk/prime.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL 

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

*       *       *

Series images are available for download via the following link:

https://studiocanal.box.com/s/9xqimswc41z6jme7a2eg69nm9sl571ot

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

London, UK – SECTION ZÉRO, THE FIVE, and SPOTLESS are heading to Spain, as Telefonica, one of the world’s leading broadband and telecommunications providers, picks up Pay TV and SVOD rights from STUDIOCANAL. In addition, Telefonica has renewed their licensing deal for THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH.

“At Movistar+, we are delighted to add these great STUDIOCANAL titles to our series portfolio. We believe that they represent the current strength and originality of European productions, and also boast great creative talent on both sides of the camera like Olivier Marchal, Harlan Coben, Brendan Coyle, and Denis Ménochet,” says Miguel Salvat, Head of Premium Content Movistar+, Telefonica. “We are sure that our clients will enjoy these high quality dramas as much as many viewers around the world.

“SECTION ZÉRO, THE FIVE, SPOTLESS and THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH are extraordinary series, with premium production values,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. ”All have proven their appeal, transcending borders worldwide and we are sure that Spanish viewers will appreciate and enjoy their rare quality.”

SECTION ZÉRO, the eight-part, sci-fi thriller series from César-nominated writer and director Olivier Marchal (Braquo), is produced by EuropaCorp Television, Bad Company and Umedia. Set in the near future, where multi-national corporations are Europe’s new leaders, the CANAL+ Création Originale series stars Ola Rapace (Skyfall), Pascal Greggory (La Vie en Rose), and Tchéky Karyo (The Missing) and has recently sold to Russia’s Channel One and SBS in Australia. SECTION ZÉRO will launch on Telefonica, July 6.

Harlan Coben’s THE FIVE, an original 10-part drama thriller series for television by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, is produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley). An original commission for the UK’s Sky 1, the series stars Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey), O-T Fagbenle (The Interceptor), Lee Ingleby (The A Word), and Sarah Solemani (The Wrong Mans). The screenplay is by BAFTA and Emmy Award^®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst and directed by Mark Tonderai. The series has aired on CANAL+, Israel’s Yes DBS, the Netherlands’ NPO, New Zealand’s SKY and will air on Australia’s SBS 1 during the 3^rd quarter 2016. THE FIVE will launch on Telefonica this Summer.

Starring Marc-André Grondin (C.R.A.Z.Y), Denis Ménochet (Inglourious Basterds), Miranda Raison (24: Live Another Day) and Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), SPOTLESS, a CANAL+ Création Originale, is produced by TANDEM Productions (Crossing Lines). A dark, irreverent and edgy one-hour drama series, SPOTLESS was co-created by BAFTA Award-winner Ed McCardie (Shameless) and Academy Award^®-winner Corinne Marrinan. SPOTLESS most recently wrapped its run in the U.S. on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network and France’s CANAL+. Currently airing on TVA’s addikTV in French-speaking Canada, the series has been outperforming the channel average by more than 300%. It has been sold to over 200 territories, including Globosat Brazil, DIRECTV Latin America, SBS Australia and M-Net South Africa. SPOTLESS will launch on Telefonica in August.

A superstar cast headlines the Emmy^®-winning limited Event series THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, produced by TANDEM Productions. Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl), Emmy^® and Golden Globe^®-winning Donald Sutherland (The Hunger Games), Ian McShane (Hercules), Rufus Sewell (The Man in the High Castle), Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) and Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games), are among the series stars. Adapted from the novel by master storyteller and international New York Times best-selling author Ken Follett, THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH has aired in over 160 countries worldwide.

ABOUT MOVISTAR+ (TELEFONICA) 

MOVISTAR+ is the leading provider of audiovisual entertainment in Spain. A Telefonica company, it offers viewers the very best premium content in Sports, Movies, Series and Entertainment. It has also recently added the new channel # 0, which delivers quality television to more than 3.7 million subscriber households and is the best way to explore the wide range of content offered by MOVISTAR+. MOVISTAR+ continues to add top quality channels and to expand its broad catalog of content – all available on demand, allowing customers to enjoy TV on all devices, wherever and whenever they want. MOVISTAR+ is at the forefront of technology with 3D broadcasts, 4K and VR.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL 

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

London, UK – STUDIOCANAL has licensed SECTION ZÉRO to Channel One, Russia’s leading network with more than 250 million viewers worldwide. SECTION ZÉRO will launch from August 1 to 4, with two episodes back-to-back each day. A CANAL+ Création Originale, the eight-part sci-fi thriller series from César-nominated writer and director Olivier Marchal (Braquo) is produced by EuropaCorp Television, Bad Company and Umedia.

Peter Shepin, Head of Sales, Channel One Russia, commented, “We’re happy to add some Olivier Marchal style and atmosphere to the late night prime which exists specifically to target younger segments of our audience.”

Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL, added, “We’re delighted to announce this significant new deal for Olivier Marchal’s SECTION ZÉRO, which will see the drama make its debut to a huge audience in Russia and beyond. Boasting a stellar cast both on and off screen, SECTION ZÉRO seamlessly blends politics and science fiction for a gripping, contemporary thriller with great international relevance and appeal.”

Premiering on CANAL+ this April, SECTION ZÉRO has recently been sold to SBS in Australia.

About SECTION ZÉRO (8 x 1-hour)

Produced by EuropaCorp Television, Bad Company and Umedia for CANAL+ (France), SECTION ZÉRO is set in the near future, where multi-national corporations are Europe’s new leaders. One of the most powerful, Prometheus, wishes to further secure their growing dominance by replacing the police force with their own private militias, the Black Squad, led by Henry Munro (Pascal Greggory, La Vie en Rose). Following the shooting of his daughter, and with his life in shambles and his darkest secrets exposed, Sirius Becker (Ola Rapace, Skyfall), an idealistic law enforcement officer with nowhere to turn, aligns himself with an old cop Franck Varnove (Tchéky Karyo, The Missing). Sirius takes charge of Franck’s clandestine elite squadron, Section Zéro, to battle these dark violent militias, promising a return to traditional law enforcement before the world they’ve known disappears forever.

For more info:

https://www.screening.studiocanaltvseries.com/content/show/735763

ABOUT CHANNEL ONE

Channel One Russia is the biggest broadcasting company in Russia with the best up to 99,8% coverage and the highest TV watching rate. Key production and on-air activities: news broadcasting full-coverage and efficiency; creative and technological innovations in on-air content programming; all genres variety and balance of content for all sections of population; young people segment reinforcement. Channel One Worldwide represents Channel One Russia international department and a range of niche channels with about 250 million of viewers all over the world, 120 million among them being outside of Russia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL 

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

London, UK – Number 9 Films are teaming up with RED Production Company for their first TV project, an adaptation of Henry James’ seminal 1881 novel, PORTRAIT OF A LADY. Elizabeth Karlsen (Carol, Youth) and Stephen Woolley (Carol, Youth) of Number 9 Films will Executive Produce alongside Nicola Shindler (The Five, Happy Valley) of RED Production Company. STUDIOCANAL will handle worldwide distribution.

Isabel Archer, vivacious New World ingénue, leaves America for Old World Europe, keen to experience all that life has to offer. She rejects a series of marriage proposals from eager but safe lovers for a life of independence, but when she inherits an unexpected fortune that will grant her desires, she falls prey to two American ex-pat schemers, the elegant Madame Merle and the charming but cruel and calculating Gilbert Osmond and is lured into a marriage with unfortunate consequences. 

Elizabeth Karlsen, co-founder and executive producer, Number 9 Films said: “We have long been admirers of Nicola’s ground breaking work in television. She has built an extraordinary company and creative team that we feel privileged to be collaborating with on our first outing into television.  We believe we share a sensibility with Nicola of being drawn towards material with complex and compelling female lead characters, which is one of the defining elements of PORTRAIT OF A LADY.”

Nicola Shindler, founder and executive producer, RED Production Company, said: “Elizabeth and Stephen have produced some of the most acclaimed and engaging feature films of recent years and I am delighted to be working with them on their first television project. Having been originally published as a monthly serial, and addressing themes of personal freedom, betrayal and modernization, Henry James’ PORTRAIT OF A LADY lends itself perfectly to the long-form storytelling that only TV can offer.”

RED Production Company is part of STUDIOCANAL’s international network of production companies. 

PORTRAIT OF A LADY  is a gripping drama, an unconventional romance and a coming of age story in the ‘Americans in Europe’ genre, with a dazzling heroine at its centre. Though written and set in the late 19th century, it is also a contemporary tale of a woman striving for her freedom in a world that seeks to trap her, not only with its expectations, but its temptations – romance, money and glamour.

This is Henry James at his most masterful storytelling with an epic sweep that unfolds across the New World and the Old, from New York and Boston to London, Florence and Rome.

ABOUT NUMBER 9 FILMS

Upcoming releases for Number 9 Films in 2016/17 include Jane Goldman's adaptation of Peter Ackroyd's The Limehouse Golem directed by Juan Carlos Medina, starring Olivia Cooke and Bill Nighy and Gaby Chiappe's adaptation of Lissa Evans' Their Finest Hour and a Half directed by Lone Scherfig starring Gemma Arterton and Sam Claflin.

The adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s Carol is the most nominated film of 2015/16 awards season with 5 Golden Globes, 9 BAFTA, 6 Independent Spirit Awards and 6 Academy Award nominations and has won 4 New York Film Critics Awards including: Director, Film and Screenplay.

ABOUT RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway.

RED’s most recent credits include Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning and critically acclaimed Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax, Harlan Coben’s first original TV drama The Five, Lenny Henry’s first screenplay Danny and the Human Zoo, Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-winning dramas Ordinary Lies and The Driver and Russell T Davies ambitious and acclaimed trilogy Cucumber, Banana and Tofu.

Most recently RED has set up a US production company, Final Twist, with international bestselling author Harlan Coben after working together on Sky1 drama The Five.

Projects currently in production include Bill Gallagher’s Paranoid for ITV and a second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s Ordinary Lies for BBC One.

RED Production Company is part of STUDIOCANAL’s international production network.

A drama package including HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE, SECTION ZÉRO and BARON NOIR has been signed by SBS Australia, the country’s leading multilingual and multicultural network, to premiere on its video-on-demand service SBS On Demand, 30 June. Additionally, in New Zealand free-to-air network Prime has acquired THE FIVE.

HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE, an original 10-part drama thriller series for television by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley), will also make its free-to-air debut to Australian audiences on SBS 1 during the 3^rd quarter of 2016. In New Zealand, THE FIVE will premiere on Prime on June 12. Following its world premiere on the UK’s Sky 1, the series launched in France, airing on the number one Pay TV channel, CANAL+, and most recently premiered on Israel’s top satellite service provider, YES DBS.

Also included in the package deal with SBS Australia is SECTION ZÉRO, a dark, edgy and violent political sci-fi thriller from César-nominated writer and director Olivier Marchal (Braquo). A CANAL+ Création Originale, produced by EuropaCorp Television, Bad Company and Umedia, the series premiered on CANAL+ this April.

Finally, the suspenseful, epic political drama and CANAL+ Création Originale BARON NOIR will make its Australian debut with SBS exclusively on its SBS On Demand platform on 30 June. From creators and writers Eric Benzekri and Jean-Baptiste Delafon (Maison Close), directed by Ziad Doueiri (L’Attentat) and produced by Kwaï, BARON NOIR premiered earlier this year to critical acclaim on CANAL+.

Marshall Heald, Director, TV and Online Content, SBS Australia, says, “Australian’s love high quality drama series and we’re committed to bringing them the very best the whole world has to offer – hand-picked and curated by our team of experts here at SBS. Gritty crime thrillers like THE FIVE, political dramas like BARON NOIR and dark sci-fi series like SECTION ZÉRO bring something fresh and exciting to our world drama slate. We’re thrilled to offer these three leading dramas from STUDIOCANAL to Australian audiences as part of SBS’s world drama package, free, in full and exclusive to SBS On Demand.”

Karen Bieleski, Sky TV’s Head of General Entertainment & Prime, says, “We’re excited to premiere Harlan Coben’s gripping new series, THE FIVE, on Prime this month. Packed full of suspense, intrigue and action, this is high quality drama that Prime’s audience will enjoy.”   

Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL, commented, “We’re very pleased to see leading broadcasters in Australia and New Zealand picking up this selection of our latest new content. With their compelling blend of contemporary, globally-relevant storylines and high quality production values, these series have attracted strong interest in the international market since their recent launch, underlining our position as the go-to distributor for primetime drama content.”

Elizabeth Trotman, CEO of STUDIOCANAL Australia/New Zealand, added, “All three series offer fantastically gripping drama showcased by some of the world’s leading talent both on and off screen, and we know they will keep viewers hooked from the very start. International scripted drama continues to be in strong demand across Australia and New Zealand, and I’d like to thank Tim Stuart, our EVP Digital & TV Asia Pacific, for brokering these deals for three titles that represent some of the best new content available in the global market.”

Additional sales STUDIOCANAL has completed with SBS Australia include the critically acclaimed series: Spotless, the dark, irreverent and edgy one-hour CANAL+ Création Originale drama series, produced by TANDEM Productions; and the pan-European commission from CANAL+ and Sky, The Last Panthers, produced by Haut et Court TV and Warp Films in co-production with SundanceTV, in joint distribution with Sky Vision.

ABOUT HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE (10 x 1-hour)

An original drama for Sky 1 in the UK, produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley), THE FIVE is the first original story Coben has written exclusively for the screen. The series is an electrifying and gripping thriller starring Tom Cullen, O-T Fagbenle, Lee Ingleby, Sarah Solemani, Geraldine James and Michael Maloney. With a screenplay by BAFTA and Emmy Award^®-winning writer, Danny Brocklehurst and directed by Mark Tonderai, THE FIVE is an unmissable television event for Coben’s millions of fans around the world and will introduce a completely new audience to his unparalleled blend of suspense, humour and hope.

When they were twelve years old, Mark (Tom Cullen), Pru (Sarah Solemani), Danny (O-T Fagbenle) and Slade (Lee Ingleby) were out together in the park. Mark’s five-year-old brother, Jesse, was annoying them. They were mean – told him to get lost. Jesse ran away. He was gone. Never seen again. Twenty years later, Danny – now a detective – learns some shocking news. Jesse’s DNA has been found at a murder scene. He is alive and out there. Somewhere.

For more info:

https://www.screening.studiocanaltvseries.com/content/show/719702

ABOUT SECTION ZÉRO (8 x 1-hour)

Produced by EuropaCorp Television, Bad Company and Umedia for CANAL+ (France), SECTION ZÉRO is set in the near future, where multi-national corporations are Europe’s new leaders. One of the most powerful, Prometheus, wishes to further secure their growing dominance by replacing the police force with their own private militias, the Black Squad, led by Henry Munro (Pascal Greggory, La Vie en Rose). Following the shooting of his daughter, and with his life in shambles and his darkest secrets exposed, Sirius Becker (Ola Rapace, Skyfall), an idealistic law enforcement officer with nowhere to turn, aligns himself with an old cop Franck Varnove (Tchéky Karyo, The Missing). Sirius takes charge of Franck’s clandestine elite squadron, Section Zéro, to battle these dark violent militias, promising a return to traditional law enforcement before the world they’ve known disappears forever.

For more info:

https://www.screening.studiocanaltvseries.com/content/show/735763

ABOUT BARON NOIR (8 x 1-hour)

Produced by Kwaï, the CANAL+ Création Originale BARON NOIR is an epic drama full of intrigue and suspense. French politician Philippe Rickwaert (Kad Merad, Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis) thirsts for revenge against his political enemies. With his career in shambles after he is sacrificed by the presidential candidate in order to save his election, step by step, Philippe, as deceitful as he is sincere, plots his vengeance while cultivating diverse friendships from the police to the criminal underworld. His life is fascinating, organized chaos as he continuously faces both his enemies and his own demons.

For more info:

https://www.screening.studiocanaltvseries.com/content/show/843802

ABOUT SBS

With a background as Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, SBS holds a unique place in the Australian media landscape. As described in the SBS Charter, SBS’s principal function is to provide multilingual, multicultural and Indigenous radio, television and digital media services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians, reflecting Australia’s diverse society. SBS carries out this function through an ever-increasing number of distribution platforms including free-to-air television channels, subscription television, analogue and digital radio, online, and via mobile devices and apps. SBS inspires all Australians to explore, appreciate and celebrate our diverse world, and in doing so contributes to a cohesive society. 

For more information visit www.sbs.com.au Twitter: @SBS Facebook: Facebook.com/SBSAustralia

ABOUT PRIME

Prime's most popular shows include the best of both local and international television from The Brokenwood Mysteries, Piha Rescue, Crayfishers, Forensics and Prime News, to Poldark, Scorpion, Doctor Who, Top Gear, NCIS New Orleans and Limitless. Regular slots Prime Rocks and Weekend Murders are also top performers for the channel.

Bones, Elementary, and the highly-anticipated And Then There Were None, The Five, Dr Thorne, and Jericho enhance Prime’s drama line-up, along with local favourites The Crowd Goes Wild and Back Benches.

Prime is fully owned by SKY Network Television. For further information please visit Prime’s website at www.primetv.co.nz.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

*       *       * 

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

London, UK – STUDIOCANAL has sealed a deal for HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE with Dutch Public TV NPO. An original 10-part drama thriller series for television by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, the series, shot in the UK, is an original commission for the UK’s Sky1. HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE is produced by the multi-award-winning RED Production Company (Happy Valley).

HARLAN COBEN’STHE FIVE will premiere June 12 on NPO2 during the network’s prestigious annual ‘Detective Month,’ which kicks-off with a special premiere theatrical screening event in selected venues nationwide. The annual month of premium crime TV starts with an interactive ‘Detective Night’ which provides viewers an opportunity to participate and vote online for their favorite detective. A special edition of Detective Magazine will include a feature on HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE and other top crime series airing on NPO.

“NPO’s ‘Detective Month’, organised in collaboration with public broadcaster KRON-CRV, is a genuine hit with the Dutch audience. The month has proven to be a great alternative to the bi-yearly big soccer tournaments on sister channel NPO1,” says Hans Schwarz, Managing Director Acquisitions, NPO. “As the Dutch are mourning because their favorite Orange team is not participating this time, the ‘Detective Month’ might even be a bigger hit than ever. Premiering HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE in a primetime Sunday slot will prove a major asset to this national TV-event.”

“Launching HARLAN COBEN’STHE FIVE during NPO’s highly-rated and much-loved ‘Detective Month’ confirms the channel’s strong commitment to the series,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “We are very pleased that NPO recognizes the series’ premium quality and its firm belief that it will resonate with discerning crime drama viewers throughout The Netherlands.”

Starring Tom Cullen, O-T Fagbenle, Lee Ingleby and Sarah Solemani, HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE is by BAFTA and Emmy Award®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst and directed by Mark Tonderai. An enthralling, absorbing and simmering edge-of-your seat thriller, the series, following its world premiere on Sky1 in the UK, recently launched on Israel’s top satellite service provider, Yes DBS and has also been broadcast in France, airing on the number one Pay TV channel, CANAL+.

In March of this year, Harlan Coben, in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler, launched Final Twist Productions, an independent production company based in the U.S. that will develop contemporary, thrilling drama for American broadcast networks. The company is in development on a major returning drama series, Six Years, adapted from Coben’s bestselling novel of the same title.

ABOUT HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE

When they were twelve years old, Mark (Tom Cullen), Pru (Sarah Solemani), Danny (O-T Fagbenle) and Slade (Lee Ingleby) were out together in the park. Mark’s five-year-old brother, Jesse, was annoying them. They were mean – told him to get lost. Jesse ran away. He was gone. Never seen again. Twenty years later, Danny – now a detective – learns some shocking news. Jesse’s DNA has been found at a murder scene. He is alive and out there. Somewhere.

For more info: http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/harlan-cobens-the-five

ABOUT NPO

NPO stands for Public Broadcasting in the Netherlands. In cooperation with 8 broadcasters NPO provides TV, radio and internet on a national scale.

International acquisitions constitute an important part of the broadcasting schedules with well-known and award-winning series like Homeland, Vera, Mr.Robot, Mr.Selfridge and The Bridge; and films like Spotlight, Son of Saul and Boyhood.

ABOUT RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway.

RED’s TV credits range from Russell T Davies’ award-winning cult hit Queer as Folk for Channel 4, to Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning Last Tango in Halifax.  

Nicola Shindler’s award-winning Indie’s current slate of productions include a second series of Sally Wainwright’s critically acclaimed and multi award winning crime thriller Happy Valley for BBC One, US novelist Harlan Coben’s first original TV screenplay The Five for Sky 1 and a second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-hit drama Ordinary Lies for BBC One. RED will also be producing a fourth series of Last Tango in Halifax for BBC One and has produced two seasons of gripping mini-series Prey for ITV.

2015 saw the return of RED’s partnership with Russell T Davies on his critically acclaimed trilogy of shows Cucumber, Banana and Tofu for Channel 4, E4 and 4oD respectively. Danny Brocklehurst’s new drama Ordinary Lies achieved high ratings when it premiered on BBC One last year and will return for a second series in 2016.

Nicola Shindler was named Female Indie of the Year 2012 by Women in Film & TV and RED was Broadcast Award’s Independent Production Company of the Year in 2013.

Following a partnership deal at the end of 2013, RED Production Company is now part of STUDIOCANAL’S international production network which includes TANDEM Productions in Germany and SAM in Scandinavia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

Copenhagen, Denmark – Principal photography on DR’s major new drama series, Ride Upon the Storm, from head writer, SAM Productions’ BAFTA-winning Adam Price (creator Borgen), commences in June. Shot in Denmark and Spain, the lead cast includes Lars Mikkelsen (House of Cards), Ann Eleonora Jorgensen (The Killing), Simon Sears (Follow the Money) and Morten Hee Andersen. The series producer is Camilla Hammerich (Borgen). DR is producing Ride Upon the Storm as a co-production with French-German television station ARTE and SAM le Français, in association with STUDIOCANAL which also handles worldwide distribution. Ride Upon the Storm will begin broadcasting its first 10 episodes on DR1 in the fall of 2017. The second season is scheduled for fall 2018.

Joining the production of Ride Upon the Storm is directing producer Kaspar Munk (Time Travel), director of photography David Katznelson (Downton Abbey), production designer Knirke Madelung (Borgen III). The score will be composed by Kristian Leth and Fridolin Nordso. Episodic writers Karina Dam (Sommer) and Poul Berg (Time Travel) join Adam Price in the writer’s room.

Ride Upon the Storm centres on a family of priests in the Church of Denmark. The story is inspired by the myth of Cain and Abel, and the leads will be played by Mikkelsen and Jørgensen, in the roles of the parents, while Sears and Andersen will play their two adult sons.

Head Writer Adam Price has worked with the subject over the course of several years, stating, “Despite the fact that the Danes may not consider themselves a particularly religious nation, we are surrounded by faith throughout our everyday lives. And faith plays an enormous role in the public debate; both when atheists encourage people to leave the church and as part of our discussions on integration, the refugee crisis, terror or the US Presidential election. But faith also comes into play when we turn inwards – to things like mindfulness, hipster-Buddhism or the familiar blend of superstition and spirituality – and agree that ‘there is more between heaven and earth…’.”

Camilla Hammerich producer adds, “The series deals with the concept of faith in a broader context, namely as that which leads us through life. The awakening – when faith seizes us – and perdition – when faith abandons us – are the dramatic counterpoints of the series, and the extremes between which our protagonists must navigate on their journeys throughout Ride Upon the Storm.”

ABOUT DR

DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) is known for its multiple award-winning documentaries and fiction series. The Killing, Borgen, Broke and Follow the Money are among the well-known Nordic Noir series that have been exported world-wide.

The Sales department of DR – DR Sales, is Scandinavia’s largest international distributor present at all major television markets. The department handles the sales of one of Scandinavia´s largest libraries.

DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) is Denmark’s oldest and largest electronic media enterprise. The corporation was founded in 1925 as a public service organisation. DR is an independent, licence financed public institution comprising television, radio and online services.

ABOUT ARTE

Born of a Franco-German partnership in 1991, ARTE is non-commercial and receives 95% of its funding from TV license fees in both countries. ARTE is made up of three units: ARTE GEIE, the headquarters in Strasbourg is responsible for programming and transmission, while the French and German members, ARTE France in Paris and ARTE Deutschland in Baden Baden, provide most of the programmes.

Creating a television channel for two audiences was a first in television history and is still an exception in the global TV market today. Since its creation, ARTE has been committed to cultural diversity and multilingualism, convinced that better circulation of European broadcast content can make a considerable contribution to European cultural integration.

ABOUT SAM

SAM Productions’ principals are three of the Scandinavian region’s most acclaimed writers and producers at the forefront of successful Nordic drama in TV and Film: Soren Sveistrup (The Killing ), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair).

SAM develops original premium television content and creates new stories with a strong Nordic foundation that appeal to an international audience.

SAM was founded in May 2014 through a partnership with STUDIOCANAL to produce high-end, ambitious, drama projects for local broadcasters and international networks.

Sveistrup is best known as the creator and writer of the original Danish crime drama The Killing – the series which started the international success of Nordic noir drama. He has also Executive Produced the popular U.S remake of the series.

Price’s credits include creator and writer of the international hit and critically acclaimed drama Borgen, while Foldager has produced a number of hit box-office feature films including A Royal Affair and Melancholia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley). STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Soren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler. Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

London, UK – HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE, an original thriller series for television by the nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, has been sold by STUDIOCANAL to Israel’s Yes DBS. Launching May 30 on the country’s premier satellite service provider, the 10-part drama, shot in the UK, is produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley) and is an original commission for Sky1 in the UK.

A compelling, mainstream roller-coaster ride thriller, the screenplay for HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE is by BAFTA and Emmy Award®-winning writer, Danny Brocklehurst. The series stars Tom Cullen, O-T Fagbenle, Lee Ingleby and Sarah Solemani, and is directed by Mark Tonderai. Following the launch on Sky1 in the UK, HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE has also been broadcast recently in France, airing on the number one Pay TV channel, CANAL+.

"As Harlan Coben is one of the most popular writers in Israel, the decision to bring our viewers his first made-for-the-screen story seemed only natural. THE FIVE's plot structure builds suspense in a way that practically begs to be Binge-watched, and we are thrilled to provide our subscribers with this roller coaster ride of an experience", says Danna Stern, VP Acquisitions, Channels and Programming, YES DBS.

“Israeli audiences will find THE FIVE a gripping and intriguing weekly television event not-to-be-missed,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “In THE FIVE Harlan has successfully brought his unique brand of appeal as an international bestselling author directly to television.”

Recently, Harlan Coben, in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler, launched Final Twist Productions, an independent production company based in the U.S. that will develop contemporary, thrilling drama for American broadcast networks. The company is in development on a major returning drama series, SIX YEARS, adapted from Coben’s bestselling novel of the same title.

ABOUT HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE

When they were twelve years old, Mark (Tom Cullen), Pru (Sarah Solemani), Danny (O-T Fagbenle) and Slade (Lee Ingleby) were out together in the park. Mark’s five-year-old brother, Jesse, was annoying them. They were mean – told him to get lost. Jesse ran away. He was gone. Never seen again. Twenty years later, Danny – now a detective – learns some shocking news. Jesse’s DNA has been found at a murder scene. He is alive and out there. Somewhere.

Among notable critical acclaim for HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE:

“Absolutely riveting from the very start. Your new TV obsession starts here. This is THE real deal.” - 5 Stars, Heat

“From the opening moments when the little boy, Jesse, vanishes down the path the viewer is desperate to find out what happens next. The first episode ends on an almighty twist and the ending of episode two is even better." - The Independent

“Twists, turns and grips like one of Harlan Coben’s novels. A compelling thriller with a killer premise.” - The Daily Telegraph

“Master storyteller Harlan Coben has crafted a darkly engrossing thriller that’ll have you hooked before you know it.” - 4 Stars, Daily Express

“Expertly plotted with a fine script by Danny Brocklehurst.” - The Observer

“The Five grabs you and doesn’t let go.” - The Guardian

“The Five is a macabre, densely plotted mystery with numerous twists.” - The Times

For more info:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/harlan-cobens-the-five

ABOUT YES DBS

A pioneer in designing the Israeli home entertainment experience, "yes" produces and owns a portfolio of branded channels in multiple genres including "yesOh" – The Home of HBO, as well as a diverse and prolific VOD catalogue. Innovative in technology and approach, "yes" offers its subscribers VOD categories that encourage content discovery, such as "yesLondon", a carefully curated batch of UK-produced television programs, and "yesBinge", which offers full seasons of the most popular and addictive series in the world. "yes" also invests in, produces and distributes award-winning content of all genres. "yes" is fully owned by Israel's leading telecommunication company Bezeq.

ABOUT RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway.

RED’s TV credits range from Russell T Davies’ award-winning cult hit Queer as Folk for Channel 4, to Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning Last Tango in Halifax.  

Nicola Shindler’s award-winning Indie’s current slate of productions include a second series of Sally Wainwright’s critically acclaimed and multi award winning crime thriller Happy Valley for BBC One, US novelist Harlan Coben’s first original TV screenplay The Five for Sky 1 and a second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-hit drama Ordinary Lies for BBC One. RED will also be producing a fourth series of Last Tango in Halifax for BBC One and has produced two seasons of gripping mini-series Prey for ITV.

2015 saw the return of RED’s partnership with Russell T Davies on his critically acclaimed trilogy of shows Cucumber, Banana and Tofu for Channel 4, E4 and 4oD respectively. Danny Brocklehurst’s new drama Ordinary Lies achieved high ratings when it premiered on BBC One last year and will return for a second series in 2016.

Nicola Shindler was named Female Indie of the Year 2012 by Women in Film & TV and RED was Broadcast Award’s Independent Production Company of the Year in 2013.

Following a partnership deal at the end of 2013, RED Production Company is now part of STUDIOCANAL’S international production network which includes TANDEM Productions in Germany and SAM in Scandinavia.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies including Tandem Productions in Germany (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK's RED Production Company (The Five, Happy Valley).

STUDIOCANAL is partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair). The UK based GUILTY PARTY PICTURES, an associate partner of STUDIOCANAL, is run by the producer Spencer Millman, (Harry Hill's TV Burp), and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). FINAL TWIST is an independent production company launched by the international bestselling author Harlan Coben in partnership with RED's Nicola Shindler.

Most recently, STUDIOCANAL announced investments in Benedict Cumberbatch's UK production company, SUNNYMARCH TV, the Madrid-based BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Grand Hotel, Velvet), and the UK's URBAN MYTH FILMS, founded by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (Merlin) and Howard Overman (Misfits).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL's parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

Cannes, France – STUDIOCANAL is greatly accelerating its development in TV series production by announcing investments in several independent companies that are home to some of the most recognisable European talent in the industry.

These investments concern Spanish company BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES, a company based in Madrid of which STUDIOCANAL is acquiring 33%, URBAN MYTH FILMS in London (20%), and SUNNYMARCH TV also based in London (20%). Each deal includes distribution agreements.

STUDIOCANAL already has a strong presence in TV series production via its subsidiaries TANDEM in Germany, and RED Production Company in the UK, as well as its stakes in SAM (Denmark) and GUILTY PARTY (UK).

Founded in 2007 in Madrid, BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES is run by its two founders, Teresa Fernández-Valdés and Ramón Campos. BAMBÚ stands out as one of the most creative TV production companies in Spain, with a slate of more than 10 original, high-quality, and internationally ambitious series. Among them, Refugiados, co-produced with BBC Worldwide, is the first Spanish series shot in English, while successful Grand Hotel and Velvet series have been sold all over the world.

Based in London, URBAN MYTH FILMS was founded in 2013 by an experienced team of international producers and screenwriters. Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy were behind the launch of Shine Drama in 2002, and of several international hits series, including Merlin for BBC One. Howard Overman has created and written several hit shows, including Misfits on E4, which won a BAFTA in 2010.

SUNNYMARCH TV is a production company recently founded in London by Benedict Cumberbatch, currently one of the most popular and successful British actors both in film and on television, where he plays the title role in the global-hit Sherlock (BBC) series. STUDIOCANAL has a special relationship with Benedict Cumberbatch, who held leading roles in two of its most iconic films: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which won 2 BAFTA, including for Outstanding British film in 2012, and The Imitation Game, which won an Oscar in 2015.

Didier Lupfer, STUDIOCANAL’s Chairman and CEO: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the very talented teams at BAMBÚ, URBAN MYTH, and SUNNYMARCH TV. All three companies form some of the most promising TV production companies in Europe and we are very excited at the prospect of working with them. As with our approach to film, we aim to develop series with strong European roots that also have international appeal. This is why we are especially pleased to be able to collaborate and develop projects with top personalities such as the producers, screenwriters, and actors linked to all three companies. This is a significant step in STUDIOCANAL’s development, one which demonstrates its ambitions in the production of high quality series.”

Romain Bessi, COO, STUDIOCANAL, also responsible for TV operations: “It is very exciting to be on board with BAMBÚ, URBAN MYTH and SUNNYMARCH TV. These are very complementary companies that each brings their unique personalities. BAMBÚ gives us access to the particularly creative and dynamic Spanish market, where national series are very popular with the local public. URBAN MYTH and SUNNYMARCH TV are a great addition to our existing presence in the UK, with some major talent. Through these deals we are significantly broadening our footprint in TV production in Europe. The aim is to create a unique European family of production companies with top-shelf talent to further boost their international exposure thanks to the Group's strengths, including its distribution network and its strong assets in movies as well as music with Universal Music Group.”

Ramón Campos, founder and producer of BAMBÚ: “STUDIOCANAL is a reference for all European filmmakers and creators.  We are proud to join this commitment to a European TV brand that competes in the world.”

Teresa Fernandez-Valdés, founder and producer of BAMBÚ: “The team of STUDIOCANAL has shown us that they believe in a television where creative freedom is paramount and we are confident that together we can accomplish big things in TV fiction.”

Johnny Capps, Julian Murphy and Howard Overman, co-founders of URBAN MYTH: "Our ambition at URBAN MYTH FILMS has always been to create bold and ambitious shows for the international market and our new partnership with STUDIOCANAL opens up many exciting opportunities for us."

Adam Ackland, Executive Producer and Managing Director of SUNNYMARCH: "Here at SUNNYMARCH we share a simple ambition - an ambition to create exciting, original drama and documentaries. We aim to produce content that matters and we're passionate about doing just that. Today, I am delighted to announce this significant investment from STUDIOCANAL. I'm very much looking forward to working with the whole STUDIOCANAL team on television that inspires and moves audiences for many years to come."

Benedict Cumberbatch: "I am thrilled that STUDIOCANAL are supporting the future of SUNNYMARCH TV. This will bring a diversity of multi-platform programming with quality and creativity at its core. It is exciting for me, having filmed The Imitation Game and Tinker Tailor Solder Spy, to reunite once more with STUDIOCANAL."

This series of deals is part of STUDIOCANAL’s strategy to strengthen its position as a European leader in the production of local and international television series, the same way it is already a European leader in the production of feature films. The announcement follows several recent developments in TV production.

In October 2015, STUDIOCANAL became an associate partner of GUILTY PARTY, an English production company run by the producer Spencer Millman, who won a BAFTA for Harry Hill's TV Burp, and the actors and writers Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet (Chickens). In March 2015, Harlan Coben, the author of numerous international bestsellers, has announced the launch of his own independent production company, FINAL TWIST, in partnership with STUDIOCANAL, via its subsidiary RED Production Company.

STUDIOCANAL took a majority stake in the German production company TANDEM (Crossing Lines, Spotless), run by Rola Bauer, in 2012, and in UK-based RED Production Company (Happy Valley, The Five), founded by Nicola Schindler, in 2013. Since 2014, STUDIOCANAL is also partnered with SAM Productions, a Danish company founded by Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), Adam Price (Borgen), and Meta Louise Foldager (A Royal Affair).

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter, featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning production companies, including Tandem Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) in Germany and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

PRESS CONTACTS

Antoine Banet-Rivet: +33(0) 1  71 35 00 26 - antoine.banetrivet@canal-plus.com  

Gabrielle Tensorer: +33 (0)1  71 35 10 81 - gabrielle.tensorer@studiocanal.com  

London, UK/Munich, Germany – SPOTLESS, a dark, irreverent and edgy one-hour drama series, has been acquired by Brazil’s leading Pay TV broadcaster, Globosat, a multi-channel cable and satellite TV service. The sale was handled by STUDIOCANAL.

SPOTLESS stars César-Award winning Marc-André Grondin (C.R.A.Z.Y), Denis Ménochet (Inglourious Basterds), Miranda Raison (24: Live Another Day) and Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey). Produced by TANDEM Productions, SPOTLESS, a CANAL+ Création Original, is comprised of ten season one episodes and co-created by BAFTA Award-winner Ed McCardie (Shameless) and Academy Award^®-winner Corinne Marrinan.

”Our sale of SPOTLESS to Globosat is a further example of how our rich and diverse content portfolio is able to travel far and wide.  With a delicious mix of high drama that is very dark and intense, while at the same time charming, sexy and peppered with black humor, we are sure that SPOTLESS will charm viewers throughout Brazil,“ says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL.

SPOTLESS will air on Globosat’s +Globosat Channel. Other recent sales announced include DIRECTV Latin America, SBS Australia and M-Net South Africa. SPOTLESS wrapped its run in the U.S. on NBCUniversal’s Esquire Network, receiving critical acclaim.

About SPOTLESS

Jean Bastiere’s (Marc-André Grondin) life is turned upside down when his outlaw brother, Martin (Denis Ménochet), crash lands into his world and gets both of them fatally involved in organized crime. Set against the backdrop of Jean’s crime scene cleaning business, the brothers must confront dark sins of the past and very real dangers in the present. Ensnared by mob boss Nelson Clay (Brendan Coyle), corruption, drugs and death pose a constant hazard. With Jean’s wife Julie (Miranda Raison), the entire family struggles to gain control over their lives and future.

For more info and to screen the trailer:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/spotless 

ABOUT GLOBOSAT

Globosat has always sought to be innovative in its programming. Its portfolio includes the first Brazilian news channel that is on the air 24 hours, round the clock (Globo News), the first channel dedicated to Brazilian audiovisual productions (Canal Brasil), the leading sports channel in Brazil (SporTV) and the first 'export' style sports channel, aimed at Brazilians living abroad (PFC Internacional). Globosat is a channel creator, where each program is carefully developed to serve the various areas of interest of the subscribers, who form a well-educated, critical and demanding audience that can shape public opinion. These are increasingly eager and involved consumers who want to see their cultural identity realistically represented. Today, the Canais Globosat programming offers a world of possibilities, with access to the most complete and diverse content on Brazilian TV: the best of national and international cinema, 24-hour news, original and exclusive shows, the most successful series, documentaries, education, full coverage of the biggest sporting events and varied entertainment. The range of channels is just right for an audience that seeks quality and diversity. Surveys are frequently conducted and their results are used to make adjustments in the programming of the various channels, in order to serve the market even better.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning production companies including Tandem Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

About TANDEM Productions

Since 1999, TANDEM has been a leading producer of high quality drama television series. Company CEO / Partner and creative executive producer, Rola Bauer, was recently named among ‘The 20 Most Powerful Women in Global TV 2015’ by the Hollywood Reporter, for the third time. In 2012, a new chapter in TANDEM’s history began with STUDIOCANAL taking a majority stake in the company. This enabled TANDEM to strengthen its one-hour series strategy, leading to TANDEM’s production of the one-hour procedural crime series, Crossing Lines, which wrapped production on its third season and is currently rolling out launches in territories worldwide. Spotless, a CANAL+ Création Originale, produced by TANDEM, a new, one-hour drama series, completed production on 10 episodes that recently premiered on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network in the U.S. TANDEM develops, finances and produces primetime programs for the worldwide market, exclusively distributed by STUDIOCANAL. Emmy^® & Gemini Award-winning and Golden Globe^®-nominated, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are among TANDEM’s award-winning and critically acclaimed productions. STUDIOCANAL also handles distribution for their UK based Red Production and the Scandinavian, SAM Productions, in addition to third party distribution. The Last Panthers, produced by Haut et Court and Warp Films, selected as the Official World Premiere Screening at MIPCOM 2015; Midnight Sun produced by Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama; and Section Zero, a new series from Olivier Marchal (Braquo), produced by EuropaCorp, are among their new premium content series. TANDEM Productions based in Munich, Germany, was founded by CEO Rola Bauer and COO Tim Halkin, both company Partners.  Jonas Bauer became a partner in the company in 2007.  

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Image:

https://studiocanal.app.box.com/s/tq53878mowxicwqd6wl3lop4dqa940w4/1/4506774358

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of TV series and feature films, STUDIOCANAL, will arrive at MIPTV 2016 with a stellar line up of acting, writing and executive talent, series screenings and brand new launches.

Proud to be one of the top twelve fiction series selected to be screened at the inaugural MIPTV Drama Screenings and Awards on Sunday 3 April, is eight-part drama SECTION ZÉRO, a dark, edgy and powerful political sci-fi thriller from César-nominated writer and director Olivier Marchal (Braquo).

Produced by EuropaCorp Television, Bad Company and Umedia for CANAL+ (France), SECTION ZÉRO (8 x 1-hour) is set in the near future, where multi-national corporations are Europe’s new leaders. One of the most powerful, Prometheus, wishes to further secure their growing dominance by replacing the police force with their own private militias, the Black Squad, led by Henry Munro (Pascal Greggory, La Vie en Rose). Following the shooting of his daughter, and with his life in shambles and his darkest secrets exposed, Sirius Becker (Ola Rapace, Skyfall), an idealistic law enforcement officer with nowhere to turn, aligns himself with an old cop Franck Varnove (Tchéky Karyo, The Missing). Sirius takes charge of Franck’s clandestine elite squadron, Section Zéro, to battle these dark violent militias, promising a return to traditional law enforcement before the world they’ve known disappears forever.

Also on STUDIOCANAL’s slate for MIPTV, Harlan Coben’s THE FIVE, an original drama for Sky 1 in the UK, is produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Queer As Folk), and is the first original story Coben has written exclusively for the screen. THE FIVE is an electrifying and gripping ten-part thriller starring Tom Cullen, O-T Fagbenle, Lee Ingleby, Sarah Solemani, Geraldine James and Michael Maloney. With a screenplay by BAFTA and Emmy Award®-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst, THE FIVE is poised to be a not-to-be-missed television event for Coben’s millions of fans around the world and will introduce a completely new audience to his unparalleled blend of suspense, humour and hope.

Following this successful project it has just been announced that Harlan Coben has launched his own independent production company in partnership with one of the UK’s most successful producers, Nicola Shindler. Coben will be joint CEO alongside RED Production Company founder Nicola Shindler, with STUDIOCANAL handling international distribution of the original content.

Final Twist Productions, which will be based in the U.S., will develop contemporary, thrilling drama for American broadcast networks. The new company is already in development on a major returning drama series, Six Years, adapted from Coben’s bestselling novel of the same name.

With 60 million books sold worldwide, leading author Harlan Coben will deliver a Media Mastermind Keynote at MIPTV on Monday, 4 April at 12.20 in the Grand Auditorium, celebrating The Power of Fans.

STUDIOCANAL will also showcase two highly anticipated drama series - BARON NOIR and MIDNIGHT SUN. Produced by Kwaï for CANAL+, BARON NOIR is an 8 x 1 hour suspenseful, epic drama. French politician Philippe Rickwaert (Kad Merad, Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis) thirsts for revenge against his political enemies. With his career in shambles after he is sacrificed by the presidential candidate in order to save his election, step by step, Philippe, as deceitful as he is sincere, plots his vengeance while cultivating diverse friendships from the police to the criminal underworld. His life is fascinating, organised chaos as he continuously faces both his enemies and his own demons.

MIDNIGHT SUN is an eight-part high-concept thriller from Märlind & Stein (Bron/Broen) for CANAL+ and SVT Sweden. Produced by Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama, French police officer Kahina Zadi (Leïla Bekhti, The Prophet) travels to a small community in remote northern Sweden to investigate the brutal murder of a French citizen. With the help of Anders Harnesk (Gustaf Hammarsten, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), a Swedish detective and member of the local Sami tribe, they are faced with new killings as the initial murder turns out to be the tip of the iceberg. Together they uncover a ten-year-old secret conspiracy involving many of the town’s inhabitants and Kahina finds herself confronting both a ruthless serial killer and her own painful past.

CEO/Partner TANDEM Productions and STUDIOCANAL Executive Rola Bauer will be honoured by Reed Midem on Wednesday, 6 April at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes with the Medaille d’Honneur for her outstanding contributions to the international television business and development of the global TV community.

Bauer, who recently took on an expanded role to lead all of STUDIOCANAL’s production and co-production television activities in the US market, will participate in an International Co-Production Summit session on International Drama Development at MIPTV on Monday, 4 April. 

Katrina Neylon, EVP Sales and Marketing at STUDIOCANAL says, “We are extremely pleased to have such a full and varied programme of events and launches at MIPTV. Our new programming is created by leading talent across all disciplines and continues to deliver our signature blend of contemporary storylines and high quality production values with global appeal. We’re looking forward to introducing Harlan Coben to our clients in Cannes and we’re all very proud to see Rola receive such a well-deserved accolade from members of the industry that she has done so much to enhance and develop over many years.”

Visit STUDIOCANAL at MIPTV 2016 at stand P1.A1.

About STUDIOCANAL:

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning production companies including Tandem Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

For further information, please contact:

Debbie Lawrence

The Lippin Company Ltd

T: +44 (0) 7771850580

dlawrence@lippingroup.com

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

+49 (89) 96 22 83 24

isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14

mitch.zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

Final Twist Productions, which will be based in the U.S., will develop contemporary, thrilling drama for American broadcast networks. The new company is already in development on a major returning drama series, Six Years, adapted from Coben’s bestselling novel of the same name.

The ambitious series tells the story of Jake, a college professor who six years earlier watched the love of his life, Natalie, marry another man. But, when Natalie’s husband is murdered and Jake goes to find her, he discovers that the grieving widow is not Natalie at all, but a woman he's never seen before. As Jake seeks to uncover the truth and find his lost love, his search takes him on a dark and unforeseeable journey that puts his very life at risk.

“Nicola and I had such a terrific experience creating The Five for Sky One. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve made,” said Harlan Coben. “Final Twist Productions will take our American-British teamwork to the next level by bringing Nicola’s daring new outlook and producing style to the USA.”

 “It has been a privilege to work with Harlan on developing, producing and delivering his first original screenplay,” added Nicola Shindler. “I am incredibly proud of what we have created together and am excited about our upcoming projects for U.S. audiences which will have Harlan’s unparalleled and characteristic blend of suspense, humour and hope.”

STUDIOCANAL will work with Final Twist on securing international co-production partners and will hold the distribution rights to the company’s finished programming. STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leading studio in the production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series.

Coben’s first TV screenplay is the hotly anticipated Sky One drama The Five, premiering in the UK at 9pm from Friday April 15^th. The gripping 10-part series, written with acclaimed writer Danny Brocklehurst, tells the story of four friends who are haunted by the disappearance of one of their younger siblings years earlier. When the boy’s DNA turns up at a murder scene, they are forced to revisit the past and ask: is he really alive?

With over 60 million books sold worldwide, Coben’s last eight consecutive novels all debuted at No.1 on the New York Times bestseller list. His books are published in 43 languages in over 100 countries across the globe. His 2001 thriller Tell No One, was adapted into the critically-acclaimed French-language movie by Guillaume Canet and, more recently, French channel TF1 adapted his bestselling novel No Second Chance into a six-part series that became the highest-rated French TV series in a decade.

RED Production Company has produced some of the UK’s most successful and award-winning dramas – from Sally Wainwright’s Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, to Russell T Davies’ Cucumber and Queer As Folk, as well as Lenny Henry’s Danny and the Human Zoo and Danny Brocklehurst’s Ordinary Lies.

ENDS

For more information please contact:

Cristina Dunn, PREMIER

Cristina.Dunn@premiercomms.com

020 7292 6469

For STUDIOCANAL please contact:

Antoine Banet-Rivet:

antoine.banetrivet@canal-plus.com

+33 1 71 35 00 26

Gabrielle Tensorer:

gabrielle.tensorer@studiocanal.com  

+33 1 71 35 10 81

About Harlan Coben

With over 60 million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben’s last eight consecutive novels, THE STRANGER, MISSING YOU, SIX YEARS, STAY CLOSE, LIVE WIRE, CAUGHT, LONG LOST and HOLD TIGHT all debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and lists around the world. His books are published in 43 languages around the globe and have been number one bestsellers in over a dozen countries.

Harlan’s 2001 thriller TELL NO ONE, was turned into the commercial and critical smash hit French film of the same name, starring Francois Cluzet and Kristin Scott Thomas. The movie was the top box office foreign-language film of the year in USA, won the Lumiere (French Golden Globe) for best picture and was nominated for nine Cesars (French Oscar) and won four, including best actor, best director and best music. The movie with subtitles is now available on Netflix, Amazon Prime and DVD/Blu-Ray.

Currently Harlan is the creator and executive producer for THE FIVE, an original drama for Sky1, and NO SECOND CHANCE, based on his novel, which was adapted into a six-part TV miniseries for Europe’s largest network TF1. The series became the highest-rated French TV series in a decade.

About RED Production Company

RED Production Company was set up by Nicola Shindler in 1998 to work with the best writers on modern, innovative and entertaining programming. The Manchester-based indie has since produced some of the UK’s most popular drama series working with esteemed writers including Russell T Davies, Bill Gallagher, BAFTA-winning Sally Wainwright, award-winning Danny Brocklehurst and critically acclaimed writer Sean Conway.

RED’s TV credits range from Russell T Davies’ award-winning cult hit Queer as Folk for Channel 4, to Sally Wainwright’s multi BAFTA award-winning Last Tango in Halifax.  

Nicola Shindler’s award-winning Indie’s current slate of productions include a second series of Sally Wainwright’s critically acclaimed and multi award winning crime thriller Happy Valley for BBC One, US novelist Harlan Coben’s first original TV screenplay The Five for Sky 1 and a second series of Danny Brocklehurst’s ratings-hit drama Ordinary Lies for BBC One. RED will also be producing a fourth series of Last Tango in Halifax for BBC One and has produced two seasons of gripping mini-series Prey for ITV.

2015 saw the return of RED’s partnership with Russell T Davies on his critically acclaimed trilogy of shows Cucumber, Banana and Tofu for Channel 4, E4 and 4oD respectively. Danny Brocklehurst’s new drama Ordinary Lies achieved high ratings when it premiered on BBC One last year and will return for a second series in 2016.

Nicola Shindler was named Female Indie of the Year 2012 by Women in Film & TV and RED was Broadcast Award’s Independent Production Company of the Year in 2013.

Following a partnership deal at the end of 2013, RED Production Company is now part of STUDIOCANAL’S international production network which includes TANDEM Communications in Germany and SAM in Scandinavia.

About STUDIOCANAL:

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter, featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning production companies, including Tandem Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

London, UK - THE LAST PANTHERS, a six-part crime series, has been sold to Fox Networks Group Bulgaria and Balkans. The drama will premiere on Fox Crime channels in Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, March 21, and in Bulgaria, April 19. Joint distribution is handled by STUDIOCANAL and Sky Vision.

Based on real events, THE LAST PANTHERS was commissioned by Sky Atlantic and CANAL+ with SundanceTV and produced by Haut et Court TV (The Returned) and Warp Films (Southcliffe). The series stars two-time Academy Award^® nominee Samantha Morton (Minority Report, Longford), French César Award winner Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past), Goran Bogdan (We Will Be The World Champions, Na terapiji) and BAFTA and Golden Globe^® Award winner actor John Hurt (Midnight Express, Elephant Man). Based on an idea by French journalist Jérôme Pierrat, and co-created and written by Jack Thorne (Skins), the series is directed by Johan Renck (Breaking Bad). The opening title music is by legendary artist David Bowie.

“THE LAST PANTHERS is a complex, compelling and stylish crime drama with the action directly connected to the Balkan region,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “Its contemporary storyline shows the raw, gripping realities of a united Europe and the challenges being faced today, that will connect with international audiences.”

Leona Connell, Director of Sales for Sky Vision, said: “Producers Haut et Court TV and Warp Films have created a series of rare quality with true global resonance which has landed in a great home at Fox Networks Group Bulgaria and Balkans.”

THE LAST PANTHERS was shot in the UK, France, Serbia, and Montenegro in three languages and has aired to critical acclaim on Sky’s multi-territories, including the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria, and CANAL+ in France. The series, which will air on SundanceTV in the U.S. in the 2nd quarter 2016, has been sold worldwide.

Among the major UK media expressing high praise include:

‘A thrilling reinvention of the heist genre’ 

– The Independent

‘Coolly compelling, utterly enthralling’ 

– The Telegraph

‘Bold, smart and seductive” ‘A euro action thriller that shines’ 

– The Guardian

‘A must watch’ 

– Shortlist

ABOUT THE LAST PANTHERS

THE LAST PANTHERS opens with a daring diamond heist bearing all the hallmarks of a gang known as the Pink Panthers. But the tragic death of a little girl during the raid sets a collision course in motion involving a British insurance agent, a French-Algerian cop and a Serbian diamond thief. THE LAST PANTHERS plunges the audience into a modern day Europe gripped by new forms of crime on an epic scale. The interplay between traffickers in jewels and drugs, European officials, war criminals and city bankers impact every one of us in ways we cannot foresee.

For more info:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/last-panthers

http://skyvision.sky.com/Brand/1780/last-panthers-the

ABOUT FOX NETWORKS GROUP

Fox Networks Group (FNG) is a primary operating unit of 21st Century Fox (NASDAQ:FOXA). FNG consists of Fox Television Group, which includes Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television; Fox Cable Networks, which includes FX Networks; Fox Sports Media Group, and National Geographic Partners. Together these units create, program and distribute on a worldwide basis much of America’s most popular entertainment, sports and nonfiction programming.

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios. STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning production companies including Tandem Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley). Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

ABOUT SKY VISION

Sky Vision is the international distribution arm of Sky, Europe’s leading entertainment company. Sky Vision represents nearly 4000 hours of quality content from Sky channels and third party programming. The company forms an integral part of Sky’s strategy to grow a broad, international content business spanning broadcasting, production and distribution. Sky Vision works extensively with independent producers and has established development deals with a number of companies including Znak & Jones Productions and Ugly Brother Studios in the US, and in the UK with Love Productions, Blast! Films, back2back productions, Spark Media Partners, ACME Films, Chalkboard TV, Hungry Bear Media, Spring Films and Roughcut TV.

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Press contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk +49 (89) 96 22 83 24 isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin +49 (89) 96 22 83 14 mitch.zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

SKY VISION

Charlotte Mitchell +44 (0)7896259717 - M

charlotte.mitchell2@sky.uk

Paris, France/London, UK – STUDIOCANAL has announced several key appointments in the London office of the studio’s television business unit.

Beatriz Campos, Vice President of Sales and Elise Woolfe, Sales Manager, have joined the company’s sales staff as STUDIOCANAL continues to expand its global television footprint with the acquisitions of production companies, as well as enlarging its catalogue of third party distribution titles.

“Beatriz and Elise are the perfect fit in context of the overall strategy of STUDIOCANAL’s global sales staff,” says Rodolphe Buet, President International Marketing and Distribution for Films, Library and TV series, STUDIOCANAL. “The steady growth of our television business unit has enabled the expansion of the international sales team, reflecting the strong increase of STUDIOCANAL’s premium TV content.”

“We are excited to have Beatriz and Elise join our London sales team,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “Their backgrounds, knowledge and expertise of the international television market are an asset as sales representatives for STUDIOCANAL’s high quality drama worldwide.

As head of television sales in the Scandinavian and Southern European territories at STUDIOCANAL, Beatriz brings impressive industry experience. She previously held the position of Sales Director Middle East, Israel and Africa at Endemol Shine International where she was in charge of a wide range of both finished tape and format sales. Beatriz brokered the first digital packages in Spain, Italy and the Middle East, which included premium scripted European series. Additionally, Beatriz worked for over 5 years on the international sales team at ITV. 

Elise will be in charge of direct sales covering major Central Eastern Europe territories along with Israel and Benelux. Prior to joining STUDIOCANAL, Elise worked at All3Media International where she handled finished program sales of many premium and award-winning scripted titles.

Another recent addition to the London sales team, Sarah Mottershead, Senior Sales Coordinator, is responsible for all sales administration processes and all non-theatrical sales in all territories except where STUDIOCANAL already operates. She previously was employed by FremantleMedia.

Mirela Nastase, Sales Manager, formerly based in the company’s Munich office, has relocated to the London office where she continues her responsibilities covering the Latin American territories. Mirela has been with the company for four years.

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, right acquisition, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL has fully-financed recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include The Commuter, featuring Liam Neeson, and Nick Park's stop-motion movie Early Man, with Aardman Studios.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of award-winning production companies including TANDEM Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley).

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles. 

STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

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Images available at:

https://studiocanal.box.com/s/l253gcm4sowayq2j7dqibpp89e27toyy

STUDIOCANAL Television Business Unit Press Contacts:

Isabelle Fedyk : +49 (89) 96 22 83 24 - isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin: +49 (89) 96 22 83 14 - mitch.zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

Paris, France/Beverly Hills, CA – STUDIOCANAL, a major European studio, and industry leader in feature film and television production, co-production, acquisition and distribution, has given Rola Bauer the mandate to lead all of the studio’s production and co-production television activities in the U.S. market, it was announced today by Didier Lupfer, STUDIOCANAL CEO.

In addition to being CEO of TANDEM Productions, Bauer’s responsibilities as a STUDIOCANAL executive have been broadened to include working with and coordinating activities for STUDIOCANAL’s production and partnership companies’ scripted formats and co-productions in the U.S. market, as well as exploring synergies with Universal Music Group. Bauer will also be responsible for strategic alliances with writing/show-running talent in the U.S. for the studio’s television division. She reports directly to Romain Bessi, COO and head of TV Series, STUDIOCANAL.

U.S. sales will be handled by Katrina Neylon, STUDIOCANAL’s EVP TV Sales & Marketing, who reports to Rodolphe Buet, STUDIOCANAL’s President, International Distribution & Marketing.

“Given Rola’s experience and contacts in the U.S., it was a logical decision that she take a more active role on behalf of all of our production and partnership companies’ scripted projects,” says Lupfer. “Rola’s long-standing relationships and deep understanding of the U.S. market is an asset that STUDIOCANAL values and from which the entire television business unit can benefit.”

Bauer has an extensive background in the U.S. market, beginning in 1985 when she began helming co-productions. Since the founding of TANDEM in 1999, in addition to producing for the U.S. market, every one of TANDEM’s productions has been sold into the U.S. market. Among her recent credits include executive producer of Spotless, which recently debuted on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network and executive producer of Crossing Lines Season Three, currently rolling-out in territories worldwide.

“What fun to widen the scope and further mine the copro connections for the whole STUDIOCANAL television production family. They represent the most talented, innovative producers in Europe with track records of delivering premium quality series,” says Bauer. “The merging of top European creatives, STUDIOCANAL’s extensive library and synergizing with the leading global music company, Universal Music Group, presents a wealth of opportunities…tremendous and quite exciting.”

STUDIOCANAL continues to strategically expand its global television footprint with the acquisitions of production companies, as well as enlarging its catalogue of third-party distribution titles.

The studio’s television unit has many European production companies, in addition to TANDEM under its umbrella: the UK's RED Production Company and Guilty Party, and the Scandinavian SAM Productions (Denmark). STUDIOCANAL has on-going plans to further expand its international TV business. Bauer will now split her time, working both out of the STUDIOCANAL office in Los Angeles and TANDEM Productions’ Munich office.

Gina Marcheschi, who joined TANDEM Productions as EVP Development in July 2015, will support Bauer to cultivate their contacts with creative talent and studio and broadcaster executives in the U.S. for the studio’s production and partnership companies. Reporting to Bauer in her additional role at STUDIOCANAL, Gina is based in STUDIOCANAL’s LA offices.

“Gina has done a tremendous job in a short period of time, moving Tandem’s development slate to the next level,” says Bauer. “She has demonstrated how important it is to STUDIOCANAL’s overall strategy to have a continuous presence in LA.”

Prior to joining STUDIOCANAL and TANDEM Productions, Gina Marcheschi was VP Scripted Television Series at Condé Nast Entertainment where she oversaw the development and management of their scripted TV projects. Among her credits include HBO’s In Treatment and How To Make It In America and Netflix/BBC’s Peaky Blinders.

Among the series produced by STUDIOCANAL’s production companies include: RED’s Nicola Shindler, executive producer of the BAFTA-winning Last Tango in Halifax and multi-award winning Happy Valley; SAM’s Adam Price, Søren Sveistrup and Meta Louis Foldager, writers and producers of the Nordic noire drama series The Killing, Borgen and the film, A Royal Affair; and Guilty Party’s principals and talent include BAFTA-winning Spencer Millman producer of Harry Hills TV Burp and The Mighty Boosh; Actor Simon Bird is best known as ‘Will’ from Channel 4’s record-breaking, multi-award winning sitcom, The InBetweeners; and Jonny Sweet recently wrote and starred in BBC3’s new comedy series, Together. In addition, TANDEM has also produced the Emmy® Award-Winning Event series, World Without End, and the Emmy-winning and Golden Globe®-nominated Event series The Pillars of the Earth.

STUDIOCANAL PRESS CONTACTS

Corporate
Antoine Banet-Rivet: +33 1 71 35 00 26 - antoine.banetrivet@canal-plus.com
Gabrielle Tensorer: +33 1 71 35 10 81 - gabrielle.tensorer@studiocanal.com

TV series
Isabelle Fedyk : +49 (89) 96 22 83 24 - isabelle.fedyk@studiocanaltv.com
Mitch Zamarin: +49 (89) 96 22 83 14 - mitch.zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

London, England/Munich, Germany – SPOTLESS, the dark, irreverent and edgy one-hour drama series, has been acquired by DIRECTV Latin America. The sale was handled by STUDIOCANAL.

SPOTLESS stars César-Award winning Marc-André Grondin (C.R.A.Z.Y), Denis Ménochet (Inglourious Basterds), Miranda Raison (24: Live Another Day) and Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey). Produced by TANDEM Productions, SPOTLESS, a CANAL+ Création Original, is comprised of ten season one episodes and co-created by BAFTA Award-winner Ed McCardie (Shameless) and Academy Award^®-winner Corinne Marrinan. Worldwide distribution is by STUDIOCANAL.

“OnDIRECTV, our exclusive entertainment channel, has become a top performing channel among our subscribers by showcasing the very best in international premium series,” said Willard Tressel, OnDIRECTV General Manager.  “SPOTLESS nicely fits our channel vision with a winning combination of a great cast, smart writing and stylish direction.”

“Latin American audiences will be enthralled by SPOTLESS with its complex storyline, high drama and multi-layered characters,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “Provocative, flirtatious and enticing, this is an exceptional quality series extolled by the media during its recent run on NBCUniversal’s Esquire Network in the U.S. market.”

The U.S. and French press have overwhelmingly saluted SPOTLESS. Among the top outlets, include their leading newspapers: The Washington Post exclaiming, “Esquire Network finds a winner with first scripted drama”; The Philadelphia Inquirer hailed SPOTLESS as “brilliant.”; Le Figaro applauded it as “a French-British coproduction of a rare quality”; and Le Monde called the series “a complete success.”

About SPOTLESS

Jean Bastiere’s (Marc-André Grondin) life is turned upside down when his outlaw brother, Martin (Denis Ménochet), crash lands into
his world and gets both of them fatally involved in organized crime. Set against the backdrop of Jean’s crime scene cleaning business, the brothers must confront dark sins of the past and very real dangers in the present. Ensnared by mob boss Nelson Clay (Brendan Coyle), corruption, drugs and death pose a constant hazard. With Jean’s wife Julie (Miranda Raison), the entire family struggles to gain control over their lives and future.

For more info and to screen the trailer:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/spotless

*       *       *

Image:

https://studiocanal.app.box.com/s/tq53878mowxicwqd6wl3lop4dqa940w4/1/4506774358

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

Munich – South Africa’s M-Net has secured Pay TV and SVOD rights to the dark and edgy drama series SPOTLESS. Starring César-Award winning Marc-André Grondin (C.R.A.Z.Y), Denis Ménochet (Inglourious Basterds), Miranda Raison (24: Live Another Day) and Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), the 10 episode series, a CANAL+ Création Original, is produced by TANDEM Productions. The series was co-created by BAFTA Award-winner Ed McCardie (Shameless) and Academy Award®-winner Corinne Marrinan. STUDIOCANAL handles worldwide distribution.

“M-Net is renowned for bringing the very best in international programming to the African continent first and we trust that our viewers will be enthralled by the compelling story and high production values of SPOTLESS. It’s a series that is a perfect fit for our platforms,“ says Lani Lombard, M-Net’s Head of Publicity. 

“SPOTLESS has received rave reviews and high praise. It is a very audacious and distinctive, high quality, contemporary drama series with international appeal,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “We believe South African audiences will fall in love with this very unique, seductive series.“

SPOTLESS premiered in the U.S. to overwhelming critical acclaim on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network in November, the channel’s first-ever scripted series. Among the notable reviews:

"Esquire Network finds a winner with its first scripted drama, Spotless …wisely chosen..the jokes actually land and they deftly cut the tension in scenes that would be otherwise dour. "

- The Washington Post

"It’s pretty darn good… Even without the delicious prospect of watching him play against his best-known role, Coyle is a terrific performer who brings new possibility to the rather time-worn notion of the gentleman mobster. But he's the icing on the cake, rather than the cake itself. Grondin, Ménochet and the writers also add new dimension to familiar characters and their odd-couple relationship. Grondin consistently underplays Jean's battle with despair while Ménochet makes Martin as kind and sexy as he is grimy and amoral.”

         - LA Times

"Esquire Network’s brilliant SPOTLESS… great fun. Intelligent, well-written, and beautifully photographed, it has a remarkably sharp satirical edge."

         - The Philadelphia Inquirer

About SPOTLESS

In SPOTLESS, Jean Bastiere’s (Marc-André Grondin) life is turned upside down when his outlaw brother, Martin (Denis Ménochet), crash lands into
his world and gets both of them fatally involved in organized crime. Set against the backdrop of Jean’s crime scene cleaning business, the brothers must confront dark sins of the past and very real dangers in the present. Ensnared by mob boss Nelson Clay (Brendan Coyle), corruption, drugs and death pose a constant hazard. With Jean’s wife Julie (Miranda Raison), the entire family struggles to gain control over their lives and future.

For more info and to screen the trailer:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/spotless

ABOUT STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisitions, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL is behind recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of acclaimed, award-winning production companies. Tandem Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) is the German-based European leader in production and sales of international TV series, and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) is a specialist in quality, English-language TV series.

STUDIOCANAL has also joined with renowned Danish screenwriter Adam Price (Borgen) and Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), to create the Scandinavian production venture SAM.

STUDIOCANAL also handles distribution for their UK based RED Production and the Scandinavian, SAM Productions, in addition to third party distribution. The Last Panthers, produced by Haut et Court and Warp Films, was selected as the Official World Premiere Screening at MIPCOM 2015; Midnight Sun produced by Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama, and Section Zero, a new series from Olivier Marchal (Braquo), produced by EuropaCorp, are among their new premium content series.

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

About TANDEM Productions

Since 1999, TANDEM has been a leading producer of high quality drama television series. Company CEO / Partner and creative executive producer, Rola Bauer, was recently named among ‘The 20 Most Powerful Women in Global TV 2015’ by The Hollywood Reporter, for the third time.

In 2012, a new chapter in TANDEM’s history began with STUDIOCANAL taking a majority stake in the company. This enabled TANDEM to strengthen its one-hour series strategy, leading to TANDEM’s production of the one-hour procedural crime series, Crossing Lines, which wrapped production on its third season and is currently rolling out launches in territories worldwide. SPOTLESS a CANAL+ Création Originale, produced by TANDEM, a new, one-hour drama series, completed production on 10 episodes that premiered on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network in the U.S. this Fall.

TANDEM develops, finances and produces primetime programs for the worldwide market, exclusively distributed by STUDIOCANAL. Emmy^® & Gemini Award-winning and Golden Globe^®-nominated, The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are among TANDEM’s award-winning and critically acclaimed productions.

TANDEM Productions based in Munich, Germany, was founded by CEO Rola Bauer and COO Tim Halkin, both company partners.  Jonas Bauer became a partner in the company in 2007.  

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

Sydney/Munich - STUDIOCANAL has sold the one-hour drama series SPOTLESS to SBS Australia, where it is scheduled to air in 2016. Produced by TANDEM Productions, the ten-part series, a CANAL+ Création Originale, stars César Award-winning actor Marc-André Grondin (C.R.A.Z.Y.), Inglourious Basterds’ Denis Ménochet, 24 co-star Miranda Raison and Downton Abbey’s Brendan Coyle. SPOTLESS is co-created and written by BAFTA Award-winner Ed McCardie (Shameless) and Academy Award®-winner Corinne Marrinan (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), and was shot on location in London.

Marshall Heald, Director of Television and Online Content, says: “Edgy, funny and filled with danger, SPOTLESS is the kind of drama series that leaves our SBS 2 viewers wanting more and we're thrilled to have secured it for Australian audiences in 2016.” 

“SPOTLESS is dark, dangerous, sexy and hilarious with fantastic and daring story-telling in a pan-European setting. This is an edgy, premium content series that will appeal and connect with viewers of SBS Australia programming,” says Robert Slaviero, CEO Australia & New Zealand, STUDIOCANAL.

Following its initial broadcast on CANAL+ in France this year, SPOTLESS made its U.S. debut, to critical acclaim, on NBCUniversal’s Esquire Network as the channel’s first-ever scripted series, last Saturday, November 14 2015.

About SPOTLESS

Jean Bastiere’s (Marc-André Grondin) life is turned upside down when his outlaw brother, Martin (Denis Ménochet), crash lands into his world. Set against the backdrop of Jean’s crime scene cleaning business, the brothers must confront dark sins of the past and very real dangers in the present. Ensnared by mob boss Nelson Clay (Brendan Coyle), corruption, drugs and death pose a constant hazard. With Jean’s wife Julie (Miranda Raison), the entire family struggles to gain control over their lives and future.

About SBS

With a background as Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, SBS holds a unique place in the media landscape. SBS provides multilingual, multicultural and Indigenous radio, television and digital media services that inform, educate and entertain. SBS inspires all Australians to explore, appreciate and celebrate our diverse world, and in doing so contributes to a cohesive society. For more, visit www.sbs.com.au

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisitions, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL is behind recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of acclaimed, award-winning production companies. Tandem Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) is the German-based European leader in production and sales of international TV series, and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) is a specialist in quality, English-language TV series. STUDIOCANAL has also joined with renowned Danish screenwriter Adam Price (Borgen) and Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), to create the Scandinavian production venture SAM.

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

About TANDEM Productions 

Since 1999, TANDEM has been a leading producer of high quality drama television series. Company CEO / Partner and creative executive producer, Rola Bauer, was recently named among ‘The 20 Most Powerful Women in Global TV 2015’ by The Hollywood Reporter, for the third time.

In 2012, a new chapter in TANDEM’s history began with STUDIOCANAL taking a majority stake in the company. This enabled TANDEM to strengthen its one-hour series strategy, leading to TANDEM’s production of the one-hour procedural crime series, Crossing Lines, which wrapped production on its third season and is currently rolling out launches in territories worldwide. Spotless, a CANAL+ Création Originale, produced by TANDEM, a new, one-hour drama series, completed production on 10 episodes that premiered on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network in the U.S. this Fall.

TANDEM develops, finances and produces primetime programs for the worldwide market, exclusively distributed by STUDIOCANAL. Emmy® & Gemini Award-winning and Golden Globe®-nominated The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are among TANDEM’s award-winning and critically acclaimed productions.

STUDIOCANAL also handles distribution for their UK based RED Production and the Scandinavian, SAM Productions, in addition to third party distribution. The Last Panthers, produced by Haut et Court TV and Warp Films, selected as the Official World Premiere Screening at MIPCOM 2015; Midnight Sun, produced by Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama; and Section Zéro, a new series from Olivier Marchal (Braquo), produced by EuropaCorp, are among their new premium content series.

TANDEM Productions based in Munich, Germany, was founded by CEO Rola Bauer and COO Tim Halkin, both company Partners. Jonas Bauer became a partner in the company in 2007.  

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk
VP Marketing/Press
Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537
Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com 

Mitch Zamarin
Press & PR Manager
+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile +49 174 185 32 14
Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

 
SBS

Jo'an Papadopoulos
SBS Media Communications Manager
+61 2 9430 3851  
Jo.Pap@sbs.com.au

Sydney/London/Munich - SBS Australia has acquired the rights to THE LAST PANTHERS, a new six-part crime drama series inspired by real events, to air in 2016.

THE LAST PANTHERS, a joint pan-European commission from Sky and CANAL+, stars Academy Award® nominee and BAFTA winner Samantha Morton (Minority Report, Longford), alongside double César Award winner Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past), Croatian star Goran Bogdan (We Will Be The World Champions, Na terapiji) and two time Academy Award® nominee, three-time BAFTA winner and Golden Globe® winner John Hurt (Midnight Express, Elephant Man). The series is produced by France's Haut et Court TV (The Returned) and the UK's Warp Films (This is England), co-produced by SundanceTV. Based on an idea by French journalist Jérôme Pierrat, and co-created and written by Jack Thorne (Skins), the series is directed by Johan Renck (Breaking Bad) and was filmed in Marseille, Belgrade, Montenegro and London. The opening title music is by legendary artist David Bowie. Joint distribution is handled by STUDIOCANAL and Sky Vision.

Marshall Heald, Director of Television and Online Content, says: “THE LAST PANTHERS is a sophisticated contemporary thriller with a truly international cast that will grip you from the very beginning, a perfect addition to SBS's programming slate for 2016.” 

“THE LAST PANTHERS is a very ambitious story, epic in its scope while being contemporary and relevant to the reality of crime in Europe today,” says Katrina Neylon, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL. “As Australia’s leading multicultural and multilingual broadcaster, we know that SBS Australia is just the right home for the series.”

Leona Connell, Director of Sales at Sky Vision, says: “We are thrilled the series has generated so much attention from some of the world’s leading broadcasters. Producers Haut et Court TV and Warp Films have created a thrilling drama series with worldwide appeal. It has already made a big impact when it aired on Sky in the UK, with critics describing it as “superbly visceral and truly cinematic”.

The series premiered on CANAL+ in France, October 26 and simultaneously across Sky channels in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy, November 12. It has received an abundance of critical acclaim, with The Guardian calling it “bold, smart and seductive” and The Telegraph describing it as an “effortlessly cool, gripping Euro-thriller”.

About THE LAST PANTHERS

THE LAST PANTHERS opens with a daring diamond heist bearing all the hallmarks of a gang known as the Pink Panthers. But the tragic death of a little girl during the raid sets a collision course in motion involving a British insurance agent, a French-Algerian cop and a Serbian diamond thief. THE LAST PANTHERS plunges the audience into a modern day Europe gripped by new forms of crime on an epic scale. The interplay between traffickers in jewels and drugs, European officials, war criminals and city bankers impact every one of us in ways we cannot foresee.

For more info:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/last-panthers

http://skyvision.sky.com/Brand/1780/last-panthers-the

About SBS

With a background as Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, SBS holds a unique place in the media landscape. SBS provides multilingual, multicultural and Indigenous radio, television and digital media services that inform, educate and entertain. SBS inspires all Australians to explore, appreciate and celebrate our diverse world, and in doing so contributes to a cohesive society. For more, visit www.sbs.com.au

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is Europe’s leader in production, rights acquisitions, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series. STUDIOCANAL operates directly in all three major European markets, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. STUDIOCANAL is behind recent box office hits like Paddington, Shaun the Sheep and Non-Stop.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of acclaimed, award-winning production companies. Tandem Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) is the German-based European leader in production and sales of international TV series, and the UK’s RED Production Company (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) is a specialist in quality, English-language TV series. STUDIOCANAL has also joined with renowned Danish screenwriter Adam Price (Borgen) and Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), to create the Scandinavian production venture SAM.

Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL’s parent company, CANAL+ Group, is fully-owned by Vivendi, a global media and content production and distribution group.

About SKY VISION

Sky Vision is the international distribution arm of Sky, Europe’s leading entertainment company. Sky Vision represents nearly 4000 hours of quality content from Sky channels and third party programming. The company forms an integral part of Sky’s strategy to grow a broad, international content business spanning broadcasting, production and distribution. Sky Vision works extensively with independent producers and has established development deals with a number of companies including Znak & Jones Productions and Ugly Brother Studios in the U.S., and in the UK with Love Productions, Blast! Films, back2back productions, Spark Media Partners, ACME Films, Chalkboard TV, Hungry Bear Media, Spring Films and Roughcut TV.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

SKY VISION

Sean Harris

Head of PR and Marketing

Tel + 44 2070324047 or +44 7979159785

Sean.Harris2@sky.uk

SBS

Jo'an Papadopoulos

SBS Media Communications Manager

+61 2 9430 3851  

Jo.Pap@sbs.com.au

 ________________________________________

After becoming a major shareholder in TANDEM (Germany) in 2012, as well as in RED Production Company (UK) in 2013, STUDIOCANAL created SAM along with Adam Price, Soren Sveistrup and Meta Foldager in 2014 and inked two co-development agreements with Svensk and Spark to work with the strongest Scandinavian creative talents. STUDIOCANAL are now pursuing their ambition to become a major European player in the production of local and international TV series with the creation of GUILTY PARTY. This move will allow STUDIOCANAL to strengthen their position in the UK. With a 25-percent share, STUDIOCANAL are joining the company as partner and will also handle worldwide distribution.

SPENCER MILLMAN is a hugely experienced Bafta winning television and film producer, who has worked with some of the biggest names in the comedy industry, producing ‘Harry Hill’s TV Burp’, ‘The Mighty Boosh’, ‘Bo Selecta’, ‘Man Down’, and ‘The Inbetweeners 2’. 

SIMON BIRD is best known as Will from Channel 4’s record-breaking, multi-award-winning sitcom ‘The Inbetweeners’, and the associated films, which grossed £42m and £35m at the UK box office. He also stars in Friday Night Dinner, created The King Is Dead for BBC3, and co-created Chickens for Sky1. 

JONNY SWEET is an actor, writer, and performer who has starred in ‘Babylon’ and ‘Him and Her’. He co-created Chickens for Sky1, and has recently written and starred in BBC3’s new comedy series ‘Together’.

NICOLA SHINDLER is Founder of RED Production Company, one of the most UK’s most globally renowned and award-winning producers, whose most recent accolades include Production Company of the Year at this year’s prestigious Edinburgh TV Awards. RED is the indie behind some of the UK’s most popular and critically-acclaimed drama series, such as the multi-award winning ‘Happy Valley’, the critically-acclaimed ‘Cucumber’, BAFTA-winning ‘Last Tango In Halifax’, ratings hit ‘Ordinary Lies’ as well as iconic shows like ‘Queer as Folk’, ‘Clocking Off’, and ‘Bob & Rose’.

Romain Bessi, STUDIOCANAL COO, CFO and Head of TV series: “There is a fantastic opportunity for STUDIOCANAL to become the main house for European talents in TV series, so we are very happy to have Spencer Millman, Simon Bird and Jonny Sweet join our family. They bring very complementary skills and experience, so with the support of Nicola Shindler, our sales and marketing teams but also our other partners, we really believe that together we can create series that will reach a global audience. This is the beginning of a nice European journey! ”

Spencer Millman commented: “We are hugely excited with the formation of Guilty Party Pictures and with Nicola Shindler and STUDIOCANAL behind us we cannot wait to support and promote the most exciting new and established writers and talent in the industry and make programmes we feel very passionate about.”

Nicola Shindler said: “It is a privilege to be working with some of the funniest and most talented names in comedy and I am looking forward to developing a slate of new TV and theatrical content for UK and international audiences.” 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Sophie Kopaczynski +33 1 71 35 19 20 sophie.kopaczynski@studiocanal.com

Gabrielle Tensorer +33 1 71 35 10 81 gabrielle.tensorer@studiocanal.com

London/Munich – New crime series, THE LAST PANTHERS (6 x 60), commissioned by Sky Atlantic and CANAL+, has been acquired by HBO Nordic, following the acquisition by SundanceTV, which has exclusive rights to screen the series in the US.

The show will air simultaneously to 21 million Sky customers in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy on the 12 November 2015. StudioCanal and Sky Vision, who are both managing worldwide distribution, have also pre-sold the series to 365 Iceland and Hot in Israel.

“We are thrilled to introduce this gripping European crime series with some of the most stellar European talents in front and behind the camera to our Nordic audience at The Home of Series,” says Line Mykland, COO at HBO Nordic. 

“THE LAST PANTHERS is a very ambitious story, epic in its scope while being contemporary and relevant to the reality of crime in Europe today,” says Katrina Neylon, EVP, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL.

“Producers Haut et Court TV and Warp Films have created a series of rare quality with an international flavor which has landed in a great home at HBO Nordic,” added Leona Connell, Head of Global Sales for Sky Vision.

THE LAST PANTHERS, a six-part crime series based on real events, was commissioned by Sky Atlantic and CANAL+, and produced by Haut et Court TV (The Returned) and Warp Films (Southcliffe). The series stars two-time Academy Award® nominee Samantha Morton (Minority Report, Longford), French César Award winner Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past), Goran Bogdan (We Will Be The World Champions, Na terapiji) and BAFTA and Golden Globe® Award winner actor John Hurt (Midnight Express, Elephant Man). Based on an idea by French journalist Jérôme Pierrat, and co-created and written by Jack Thorne (Skins), the series is directed by Johan Renck (Breaking Bad). Joint distribution is handled by STUDIOCANAL and Sky Vision. The opening title music is by legendary artist David Bowie.

ABOUT THE LAST PANTHERS

THE LAST PANTHERS opens with a daring diamond heist bearing all the hallmarks of a gang known as the Pink Panthers. But the tragic death of a little girl during the raid sets a collision course in motion involving a British insurance agent, a French-Algerian cop and a Serbian diamond thief. THE LAST PANTHERS plunges the audience into a modern day Europe gripped by new forms of crime on an epic scale. The interplay between traffickers in jewels and drugs, European officials, war criminals and city bankers impact every one of us in ways we cannot foresee.

For more info:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/last-panthers

http://skyvision.sky.com/Brand/1780/last-panthers-the

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is a subsidiary of the CANAL+ Group and one of Europe’s leading distributors and producers of feature films and TV content and experts in international co-production.

STUDIOCANAL is the only studio operating simultaneously in the three main European territories - France, the United Kingdom and Germany - as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL has financed acclaimed and award-winning films including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; Inside Llewyn Davis; NON STOP; Paddington and Shaun The Sheep.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of acclaimed, award-winning production companies; RED PRODUCTION COMPANY (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) in the UK, TANDEM PRODUCTIONS (Crossing Lines, Spotless) in Germany and SAM PRODUCTIONS in Denmark.

ABOUT SKY VISION

Sky Vision is the international distribution arm of Sky, Europe’s leading entertainment company. Sky Vision represents nearly 4000 hours of quality content from Sky channels and third party programming. The company forms an integral part of Sky’s strategy to grow a broad, international content business spanning broadcasting, production and distribution. Sky Vision works extensively with independent producers and has established development deals with a number of companies including Znak & Jones Productions and Ugly Brother Studios in the US, and in the UK with Love Productions, Blast! Films, back2back productions, Spark Media Partners, ACME Films, Chalkboard TV, Hungry Bear Media, Spring Films and Roughcut TV.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

SKY VISION

Sean Harris

Head of PR and Marketing

Sky

Tel + 44 02070324047 or +44 07979159785

Sean.Harris2@sky.uk

Cannes, France – THE LAST PANTHERS, a six-part crime series, will air in the Spring of 2016 on SundanceTV in the U.S. Commissioned by Sky Atlantic and CANAL+, SundanceTV has come on board as a co-producer of the series. THE LAST PANTHERS stars two-time Academy Award® nominee Samantha Morton (Minority Report, Longford), French César Award winner Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past), Goran Bogdan (We Will Be The World Champions, Na terapiji) and BAFTA and Golden Globe® Award winner actor John Hurt (Midnight Express, Elephant Man). Joint distribution is handled by STUDIOCANAL and Sky Vision. The opening title music is by legendary artist David Bowie.

Sky will premiere THE LAST PANTHERS on Nov. 12, launching simultaneously across all five markets in which Sky operates, the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, and Austria. CANAL+ will also premiere in France later this year.

Based on real events inspired by the notorious Balkan jewel thieves, THE LAST PANTHERS has been selected as the official MIPCOM 2015 World Premiere TV Screening, Mon., 5 Oct. in Cannes. Produced by Haut et Court TV (The Returned) and Warp Films (Southcliffe), THE LAST PANTHERS (6 x 60) is set in modern day Europe gripped by new forms of crime on an epic scale. Based on an idea by French journalist Jérôme Pierrat, and co-created and written by Jack Thorne (Skins), the series is directed by Johan Renck (Breaking Bad).

“THE LAST PANTHERS is a large scale saga, contemporary, multi-layered and bold,” says Katrina Neylon, EVP, Sales and Marketing, STUDIOCANAL.

“SundanceTV is the ideal platform for discerning American viewers of top quality content.”

Leona Connell, Head of Sales at Sky Vision, adds, “This thrilling series sets the bar high in terms of European drama. Haut et Court & WARP Films have produced a modern crime thriller which will make an impact when it appears on TV schedules and platforms globally. We look forward to sharing exclusive footage and introducing key talent to our buyers at MIPCOM.”

“We’re so proud to partner with the world-class team behind THE LAST PANTHERS,” said Christian Vesper, SVP of international programming, development, acquisitions and co-productions, SundanceTV. “This series has incredible energy and high-stakes drama that we are confident will connect with our SundanceTV audience, and further expand our slate of high-quality, original series from around the globe.”

ABOUT THE LAST PANTHERS

THE LAST PANTHERS opens with a daring diamond heist bearing all the hallmarks of a gang known as the Pink Panthers. But the tragic death of a little girl during the raid sets a collision course in motion involving a British insurance agent, a French-Algerian cop and a Serbian diamond thief. THE LAST PANTHERS plunges the audience into a modern day Europe gripped by new forms of crime on an epic scale. The interplay between traffickers in jewels and drugs, European officials, war criminals and city bankers impact every one of us in ways we cannot foresee.

For more info:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/last-panthers

About STUDIOCANAL

STUDIOCANAL is a subsidiary of the CANAL+ Group and one of Europe’s leading distributors and producers of feature films and TV content and experts in international co-production.

STUDIOCANAL is the only studio operating simultaneously in the three main European territories - France, the United Kingdom and Germany - as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL has financed acclaimed and award-winning films including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; Inside Llewyn Davis; NON STOP; Paddington and Shaun The Sheep.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of acclaimed, award-winning production companies; RED PRODUCTION COMPANY (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) in the UK, TANDEM PRODUCTIONS (Crossing Lines, Spotless) in Germany and SAM PRODUCTIONS in Denmark.

ABOUT SKY VISION

Sky Vision is the international distribution arm of Sky, Europe’s leading entertainment company. Sky Vision represents nearly 4000 hours of quality content from Sky channels and third party programming.

The company forms an integral part of Sky’s strategy to grow a broad, international content business spanning broadcasting, production and distribution.

Sky Vision works extensively with independent producers and has established development deals with a number of companies including Znak & Jones Productions and Ugly Brother Studios in the US, and in the UK with Love Productions, Blast! Films, back2back productions, Spark Media Partners, ACME Films, Chalkboard TV, Hungry Bear Media, Spring Films and Roughcut TV.

ABOUT SUNDANCETV

Since its launch in 1996, SundanceTV has remained true to founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity and distinctive storytelling through unique voices and narratives found in the best independent films. From delivering critically acclaimed Emmy®, Golden Globe® and Peabody Award-winning television featuring some of the world's most talented creators and performers, to showcasing some of the most compelling and iconic films across genres and generations, SundanceTV is a smart and thought-provoking entertainment destination.  SundanceTV is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.; its sister networks include AMC, IFC, BBC America and WEtv. SundanceTV is available across all platforms, including on-air, online at www.sundance.tv, on demand and mobile.

*       *       *

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

+49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

SKY VISION

Sean Harris

Head of PR and Marketing

British Sky Broadcasting

Tel + 44 02070324047 or +44 07979159785

Sean.Harris2@sky.uk

SUNDANCETV

Bernadette Simpao

+1 917 542 6216 

bernadette.simpao@amcnetworks.com                

Denielle Webb

+1 646 564 7737

denielle.webb@amcnetworks.com

Munich, Germany – HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE, an original thriller series for television by the eight-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, has been sold to CANAL+ in France. The 10-part drama is produced by RED Production Company (Happy Valley) and is an original commission for Sky1 in the UK.

With a screenplay by BAFTA and Emmy Award®-winning writer, Danny Brocklehurst, HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE is a compelling mainstream emotional thriller with shocking twists to keep the audience returning week after week.

“Having an international best-selling author like Harlan Coben collaborate with RED Production Company on a series is truly a privilege,” says Rodolphe Buet, President International Marketing and Distribution, STUDIOCANAL. “Harlan has brought his stamp of quality from his best-selling books to television and created a very special series that will appeal to broadcasters worldwide.”

Nicola Shindler, executive producer and founder of RED Production Company said: “HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE is a completely unique piece of television that will appeal to crime thriller fans, drama lovers, and of course, Harlan Coben’s worldwide fan base. The combination of Harlan’s crime thriller credentials and Danny’s award-winning writing talent makes HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE a blockbuster drama and a piece of truly, not-to-be missed TV.”

About HARLAN COBEN’S THE FIVE:

When they were twelve years old, Mark (Tom Cullen), Pru (Sarah Solemani), Danny (O-T Fagbenle) and Slade (Lee Ingleby) were out together in the park. Mark’s five-year-old brother, Jesse, was annoying them. They were mean – told him to get lost. Jesse ran away. He was gone. Never seen again. Twenty years later, Danny – now a detective – learns some shocking news. Jesse’s DNA has been found at a murder scene. He is alive and out there. Somewhere.

The ambitious series was originally commissioned by Cameron Roach and Anne Mensah for Sky, with the entire series shot on location in the UK.

For more info:

http://www.studiocanaltvseries.com/program/harlan-cobens-the-five

About STUDIOCANAL:

STUDIOCANAL is a subsidiary of the CANAL+ Group and one of Europe’s leading distributors and producers of feature films and TV content and are experts in international co-production.

STUDIOCANAL is the only studio operating simultaneously in the three main European territories - France, the United Kingdom and Germany - as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important libraries in the world, with more than 5,000 international titles.

STUDIOCANAL has financed acclaimed and award-winning films including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; Inside Llewyn Davis; NON STOP; Paddington and Shaun The Sheep.

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of acclaimed, award-winning production companies; RED PRODUCTION COMPANY (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) in the UK, TANDEM Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) in Germany and SAM PRODUCTIONS in Denmark.

About SKY:

Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 21 million customers across five countries: UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. We offer the best and broadest range of content, deliver market-leading customer service and use innovative new technology to give customers a better TV experience, whenever and wherever they choose.

Sky has annual revenues of over £11 billion and is Europe's leading investor in television content with a combined programming budget of £4.9 billion. The group employs 30,000 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).

For more information visit www.sky.com/corporate

London/Munich/Paris - Leading star talent, creatives and producers of THE LAST PANTHERS will attend the MIPCOM Opening Night World Premiere TV Screening of the crime drama series, Mon., 5 Oct, 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Auditorium of The Palais. Based on real events inspired by the notorious Balkan jewel thieves, the series stars Golden Globe® Award-winner Samantha Morton, César Award-winner Tahar Rahim, Goran Bogdan and Oscar® nominee John Hurt. Commissioned by CANAL+ and Sky Atlantic, worldwide distribution is handled by STUDIOCANAL and Sky Vision.

Morton, Rahim & Bogdan, along with director Johan Renck, journalist and co-creator Jerome Pierrat, writer & co-creator Jack Thorne, producers Caroline Benjo of Haut et Court TV and Peter Carlton of Warp Films will participate in a Q&A session beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m., preceding the screening.

THE LAST PANTHERS is a thrilling crime drama (6 x 60) on an epic scale. A daring jewel heist bears all the hallmarks of the notorious ‘Pink Panthers’ gang but with one tragic difference: the death of a little girl sets off a chain of events across Europe. A British insurance loss adjuster (Morton), her nefarious boss (Hurt), a French-Algerian cop (Rahim) and Serbian gang member (Bogdan) are placed on a dangerous collision course. The trail of diamonds leads to gun trafficking, spiraling backward to Bosnia during the dark days of the Balkan conflict, and through webs of corruption between Marseille, Belgrade and the high-finance capital of London. The united Europe of organized crime is evolving and a new breed of criminal has emerged – the ‘Banksters.’

Media Contacts:

STUDIOCANAL

Isabelle Fedyk

VP Marketing/Press

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 24, mobile +49 173 53 13 537

Isabelle.Fedyk@studiocanaltv.com

Mitch Zamarin

Press & PR Manager

Tel +49 (89) 96 22 83 14, mobile, +49 174 185 32 14

Mitch.Zamarin@studiocanaltv.com

SKY VISION

Sean Harris

Head of PR and Marketing

British Sky Broadcasting

Tel + 44 02070324047 or +44 07979159785

Sean.Harris2@sky.uk

REED MIDEM

Jane Garton

Entertainment PR Director

+33 1 79 71 94 39

jane.garton@reedmidem.com

Philippe Le Gall

PR Manager

+33 1 79 71 96 48

philippe.legall@reedmidem.com

Yassia Fekir

PR Manager

+33 1 79 71 95 82

yassia.fekir@reedmidem.com

MIPCOM Portfolio 

Series:

THE LAST PANTHERS

6 x 1 hour

Starring Golden Globe^® Award-winner Samantha Morton (Longford), César Award winner Tahar Rahim (A Prophet), Goran Bogdan (Broj 55) and Oscar^® nominee John Hurt (Midnight Express), the series was commissioned by CANAL+ and Sky Atlantic. Produced by Haut et Court TV (The Returned) and Warp Films (Southcliffe), the six-part crime drama is set in modern day Europe gripped by new forms of crime on an epic scale. Based on an idea by French journalist Jérôme Pierrat, and co-created and written by Jack Thorne (Skins), the series is directed by Johan Renck (Breaking Bad). Joint distribution with Sky Vision.

* THE LAST PANTHERS MIPCOM Opening Night World Premiere TV Screening Mon., 5 Oct, Grand Auditorium of The Palais, 6:30 p.m.

HARLAN COBEN’s THE FIVE

10 x 1 hour

An original new thriller, created exclusively for television by the eight-time, ♯1 NY Times bestselling author, produced by RED Production Company. Four friends are united by a terrible childhood event. The screenplay is by BAFTA and Emmy® Award-winning writer, Danny Brocklehurst. 

* Series stars Tom Cullen, O-T Fagbenle, Lee Ingleby, Sarah Solemani and writer Danny Brocklehurst will attend the market for promotional activities.

SPOTLESS

10 x 1 hour

A CANAL+ Création Originale, produced by TANDEM Productions, is a one-hour, dark, sexy drama series co-created by BAFTA Award-winner Ed McCardie (Shameless). Starring César-winning Marc-André Grondin (C.R.A.Z.Y), Denis Ménochet (Inglourious Basterds), Miranda Raison (24) and Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), the series premieres in the U.S. market on NBCUniversal Cable’s Esquire Network in November. 

SECTION ZÉRO

8 x 1 hour

From the César-nominated writer and director Olivier Marchal (Braquo), comes a new, edgy, violent sci-fi thriller set in the near future when multi-national corporations are Europe’s new leaders.

Starring Ola Rapace (Skyfall), Pascal Gregory (Confusion of Genders) and Tchéky Karyo (The Missing). Produced by EuropaCorp Television, Bad Company and Umedia.

CROSSING LINES SEASON III

12 x 1 hour

Produced by TANDEM Productions, stars new series leads Goran Visnjic (ER) and Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost) joining Donald Sutherland (The Hunger Games). The crime drama series is executive produced by Frank Spotnitz (The Man in the High Castle) along with TANDEM’s Rola Bauer (Spotless). 

BARON NOIR

8 x 1 hour

An epic, suspenseful political thriller tale of a French politician’s thirst for revenge against his political enemies after finding his career in shambles. From Eric Benzekri (Maison Close) and Jean-Baptiste Delafon (Maison Close), directed by Ziad Doueiri (L’Attentat) and produced by Kwai.

MIDNIGHT SUN

8 x 1 hour

A high concept thriller set in a small mining community in remote northern Sweden where a series of brutal murders conceal a secret conspiracy. From creators Mårlind & Stein (Bron/Broen), starring French actress Leïla Bekhti (The Prophet) and Gustaf Hammarsten (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo). The series is produced by Atlantique Productions and Nice Drama.

Movies:

SANCTUARY

1 x 90 minutes

A drama movie from Haut et Court TV, the producers of the critically acclaimed, International Emmy® Award-winning Best Drama Series and Peabody Award-winning, The Returned. A French minister must navigate a political minefield in a high stakes stand-off between a clandestine Spanish paramilitary squad, GAL, targeting a Basque nationalist, separatist organization, the ETA. 

DANNY AND THE HUMAN ZOO

1 x 2 hour

A heart-warming, comic single drama, loosely based on actor and comedian Lenny Henry's life, recently premiered on BBC One, earning top ratings, winning its time slot with a big lead. Reaching 3.41 million viewers and a share of 17.4%, the drama beat the season launch of Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother (1.6 million viewers/7.6%) and Channel 4’s The Catch (1.5 million viewers/7.3%). Produced by RED Production Company.

Factual:

THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

1 x 2 hour

stars the irreverent and witty comedian Russell Brand joining forces with acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom, in a highly entertaining polemical documentary about the financial crises. Produced by Revolution Films.

Animation:

SAMMY & CO

52 x 13 minutes

An animated 3D educational, adventure/comedy preschool series that follows two, internationally successful feature films, A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventures and Sammy’s Great Escape. Two young turtles, Ricky and Ella, enjoy adventures with family and friends while living in a reef village that protects them from intruders. Produced by ZAGtoon in co-production with M6Kid and Tiji.

Paris – THE LAST PANTHERS, a new event series from Sky Atlantic and CANAL+, will be the MIPCOM 2015 World Premiere TV Screening, Mon., 5 Oct., 6:15 p.m., in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais. Worldwide distribution of the series is being handled by STUDIOCANAL and Sky Vision.

The gripping six-part crime drama stars two-time Academy Award® nominee Samantha Morton (Minority Report, Longford, Sweet and Lowdown), French César Award winner Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Past), Goran Bogdan (We Will Be The World Champions, Na terapiji, Broj 55) and the multi-award-winning actor John Hurt (Midnight Express, Elephant Man, 1984). 

THE LAST PANTHERS is based on an idea by French journalist Jérôme Pierrat, and is co-created and written by Jack Thorne (Skins, This Is England). The series is directed by Johan Renck (Bloodline, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead), and is a co-production between Sky Atlantic in the UK and France’s Canal+, produced by French company Haut et Court TV (The Returned) and UK company Warp Films (Southcliffe).

The exclusive world premiere screening will take place in the presence of key cast, the director and writer of the series who will participate in a Q&A session following. The creatives and talent will subsequently appear on the MIPCOM Opening red carpet later that evening.

Fabrice De La Patellière, Director of French Drama and co-productions for CANAL+ said: “THE LAST PANTHERS tells the tale of the world-famous Pink Panthers, a network of jewel thieves who still capture the imagination today. The series follows the quest to track some of these characters down, plunging the audience into a Europe gripped by new forms of crime. We’re delighted to be supporting this ambitious international series for Création Originale CANAL+, alongside our partners Sky Atlantic, Haut et Court TV and Warp Films.”

“THE LAST PANTHERS is a drama that tackles the scale and complexity of modern Europe in a thrilling and engaging way. Jack Thorne’s scripts had me gripped from page one, and the way they have been brought to life by Johan Renck and the teams at Warp Films and Haut et Court is truly stunning.  I can’t wait for viewers across Europe to enjoy the series when it launches on Sky and Canal+,” said Zai Bennett, Director of Sky Atlantic.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting this exclusive premiere of the latest collaboration between Sky Atlantic and CANAL+. THE LAST PANTHERS is emblematic of this new breed of event series that are internationally co-produced, set in different countries, feature A-list talent, and which have proved to be a great success in the international marketplace,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division.

Based on real events, THE LAST PANTHERS opens with a daring diamond heist bearing all the hallmarks of a gang known as the Pink Panthers. But the tragic death of a little girl during the raid sets a collision course in motion involving a British insurance agent, a French-Algerian cop and a Serbian diamond thief. THE LAST PANTHERS plunges the audience into a modern day Europe gripped by new forms of crime on an epic scale. The interplay between traffickers in jewels and drugs, European officials, war criminals and city bankers impact every one of us in ways we cannot foresee.

The series is the latest co-production between Canal+ and Sky Atlantic, who previously teamed on the cross-border political murder thriller, The Tunnel, recently commissioned for a second season.

Copenhagen/Paris – RIDE UPON THE STORM (working title), a new, one-hour drama series, created by BAFTA award-winning writer Adam Price (Borgen), will be produced by public broadcaster DR (Denmark), in co-production with ARTE (France), SAM Le Francais (France) and SAM Productions Aps (Denmark). Produced by Camilla Hammerich (Borgen), two seasons, each comprised of 10 episodes, will start shooting in the Spring of 2016 and will premiere in 2017. STUDIOCANAL handles worldwide distribution.

“At DR Fiction, we want to create TV dramas that are entertaining and thought provoking while astonishing the audience,” says Piv Bernth, DR’s Head of Drama. “We wish to ask both the big and small questions, without giving away all the answers. We want the audience to reflect and discuss the issues with each other, and we believe that there is a good opportunity for this to happen, when faith is the theme and key point in this new drama series. Faith and spirituality play an important role in contemporary society. Faith is a subject of fierce debate because it engenders strong feelings and beliefs and means a lot to so many of us. It takes courage to make this theme into a drama series, but it seems like an obvious task for a Public Service Broadcaster such as DR to be doing this. This is a task we believe Adam Price is the perfect person to do.”

“In 2007, DR produced the hugely successful drama series The Killing / Forbrydelsen, which ARTE began to broadcast soon after. Then came Borgen (DR), another great success for our channel, created and written by Adam Price and a remarkable depiction of the Danish political arena,” says Olivier Wotling, Head of Drama at ARTE France. “Our drama department has been groundbreaking in promoting Danish and Scandinavian TV series, and one of our main goals today is to support the production of European fiction and to engage in international co-productions with prestigious partners such as DR. It was only natural that we wanted to work again with such a talented author as Price in his new project, exploring a world of spirituality and personal quests – two themes which are at the heart of ARTE’s Drama department.”

Adam Price, a principal of SAM Productions, is the award-winning creator and writer of many critically acclaimed TV series and plays. Earning a BAFTA, Prix Italia, the Peabody Award, a Golden Nymph in Monte Carlo and Fipa d’Or, Borgen, his most recent series, has been sold to more than 80 countries.

”I have always been fascinated by the concept of faith as a catalyst for human’s actions,” says Price. “In the last 10-15 years, we have seen an intensification of the situation between the great world religions, which affects international politics and everyone’s daily life. Just as politics was the starting point for a very personal story for the main characters in Borgen, the concept of faith will serve as the backdrop of the drama in RIDE UPON THE STORM. “We will see both the very big picture and very personal stories in what is going to be a dramatic, character-based story about two brothers and what happens when war and a number of personal conflicts hit a so-called ‘ordinary’ family.”

“We are very excited SAM's first project, RIDE UPON THE STORM, from Adam Price, has already received a two season order from DR,” says STUDIOCANAL COO Romain Bessi. "Clearly, they have great appreciation for Adam’s enormous talent, as evidenced from Borgen, his most recent series, sold to more than 80 countries." 

STUDIOCANAL is actively developing and distributing high-end TV series through its network of acclaimed, award-winning production companies; RED Production Company (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) in the UK, TANDEM Productions (Crossing Lines, Spotless) in Germany and SAM Productions ApS. in Denmark.

For the past 3 years, STUDIOCANAL has been actively developing the company’s production of international and local TV series, strengthening its status as a European leader in content. To support this development, STUDIOCANAL is splitting distribution from production for its TV business unit.

A reinforced sales and marketing team will operate under the STUDIOCANAL banner. It will be headed by the newly appointed EVP Sales and marketing for TV series, Katrina Neylon. Katrina Neylon has a strong experience of the TV business spending most of her carrier in two major studios (Twentieth Century Fox International Television and Disney ABC International Television). Before joining STUDIOCANAL she was SVP of Sales at Shine International. She will report to Rodolphe Buet, President International Marketing and Distribution. She will join STUDIOCANAL on May 18th.

Production will be the domain of the in-house production labels, including Tandem Productions, Red Production Company, SAM and other third party partners. Rola Bauer and Nicola Shindler are reporting to Romain Bessi STUDIOCANAL COO.

STUDIOCANAL Chairman & CEO Olivier Courson said, “This move is a step forward in developing our TV series activity both in production and distribution. This is also a real strategic and ambitious move for Tandem to further develop and produce more international content with European and US partners.”
Tandem Productions CEO Rola Bauer said, "This is the next strategic step in sharpening Tandem’s focus on production and enabling us to increase our output.”

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