Disaster Documentaries
Content Creation and Distribution Company Bosanova He sold two documentaries to Channel 4 In the UK, the deals were struck by Felix Jones, Channel 4’s chief acquisitions officer, and Holly Cowdrey, Bossanova’s head of sales, and include offers from ITN Productions And Brett Spark Films.
ITN marks 10 years since the MH17 crash that shook the world Malaysia Airlines The Tragedy. The hour-long special features interviews with victims’ families, journalist Matt Fry and prosecutor Digna van Buetzelaer. It explores the impact of the incident on Ukraine’s preparedness for war and international relations. The two-part series “Tsunami, the Day the Wave Hit” from BriteSpark chronicles the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster. Using first-hand accounts and archival footage, the film details the immediate and long-term consequences of an event that killed nearly 230,000 people.
BBC expansion
The BBC’s international audience remains strong, reaching 450 million viewers a week in 2024, according to the latest global audience measurement. Despite stiff competition from state-backed rivals, BBC News channels, World Service and studios maintained their combined reach, up slightly from 447 million in 2023.
The BBC said its World Service, which broadcasts in 42 languages, topped the list of global news providers in terms of trust, reliability and independence, attracting 320 million viewers. BBC Arabic News Service saw a 9% increase to 35 million viewers a week, while the World Service in English rose to 84 million viewers.
The revamped BBC News channel attracts 112 million viewers a week outside the UK. Hindi remains the BBC's most watched language service, followed by Arabic and Swahili.
The BBC's deputy chief executive Jonathan Munro praised the results, citing public confidence during major news events. He acknowledged the challenges ahead for the World Service, but expressed confidence in the BBC's position and commitment to “fearless and fair reporting”.
First appearance of the drama DASHING DUMAS
Entertainment Film Distributors Pathe's has put The Count of Monte Cristo The film is scheduled to be released in cinemas on August 30 in the UK and Ireland. Alexandre DumasA classic novel, directed by Mathieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Batellière, starring Pierre Niney, Bastien Bouillon, Anaïs Demoustier, Annamaria Vartolomei, and Laurent Lafitte.
After premiering out of competition at Cannes 2024, the film opened in France with $10 million in its opening weekend. The film follows Edmond Dantes, who was wrongfully imprisoned on his wedding day and who escapes 14 years later to seek revenge as the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo.
NETFLIX AND NFDC FULFILL NEW VOICES
India National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Netflix India has launched ‘The Voicebox’, a programme to develop the skills of voice-over artists in India. The initiative offers training in eight languages across seven Indian cities, targeting 30 participants per batch with a 50% quota for women. The best participants will contribute to Netflix’s ‘Azaadi ki Amrit Kahaniya’, which tells the stories of India’s independence movement.
“The Voicebox” is supported by the Netflix Creative Equity Fund, a $100 million, five-year annual commitment to support underrepresented communities in television and film around the world. The fund aims to create opportunities and amplify diverse voices in the entertainment industry.
The partnership was cemented at Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi, in the presence of key figures including Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India; Vrinda Desai, Joint Secretary (Films) in the ministry; and Prithul Kumar, Managing Director, NFDC. Netflix was represented by Aditya Kutty, Chief Legal Officer; Freddie Soames, Head of Competition Policy; and Kiran Desai, General Counsel and Senior Director, Commercial and Legal Affairs, India. Sharad Mehra, President, Pearl Academy, the training partner for the programme, was also present.
Interested professionals can find application details on NFDC platforms.
