Acquisitions Include Season Two of Critically Acclaimed Thriller “The Red Road” and Golden Globe Award® Winning Political Drama “The Honourable Woman” Miniseries Based on Real-Life Events “The Great Train Robbery”, Comedy About a Messy Love Affair “Catastrophe” and the Story of a Transatlantic Relationship “Welcome to Sweden” Have Also Been Acquired
New York, NY – 24 March 2015 – AMC Networks International announced today that it has acquired a wide range of first run original series and miniseries to fuel growth across Sundance Channel Global’s linear and authenticated video-on-demand (VOD) and television everywhere (TVE) services. The announcement was made by Bruce Tuchman, President of AMC Global and Sundance Channel Global.
The second season of the critically acclaimed Sundance Channel original series “The Red Road” (6 x 60’) has been acquired from Entertainment One (eOne) as a first window for Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, and key European territories including France, Iberia, Benelux, Poland and CEE. It will debut less than 24 hours after its premiere in the US. The award-winning political thriller “The Honourable Woman” (8 x 60’) starring Academy Award® nominee and Golden Globe Award® winner Maggie Gyllenhaal has been acquired from BBC Worldwide and will premiere as a first window in Asia (except a second window run in Thailand). Also premiering exclusively in Asia will be the period drama based on one of the world’s most notorious crimes, “The Great Train Robbery” (2 x 90’), acquired from Content Media. Premiering in Dutch Benelux will be the first run original series “Catastrophe” (6 x 30’) acquired from Avalon and “Welcome to Sweden” (10 x 30’) acquired from Entertainment One (eOne).
Tuchman commented, “These new acquisitions further highlight our commitment to providing distinctive, compelling first run original programming for Sundance Channel audiences worldwide. Alongside our other global hits from AMC Networks, this diverse range of series will help to increase the momentum of our successful international growth strategy. We’ll continue to offer exclusive original series combined with independent films and documentaries fresh from some of the biggest and most prestigious festivals around the world.”
Today’s news follows the recent announcement that AMC Global acquired exclusive international television rights to broadcast and premiere “The Walking Dead” companion series (title TBD). The international AMC-branded television network, which is available in nearly 120 countries and territories, plans to air each episode within 24 hours of its U.S. premiere later this year.
About the Acquisitions
Hailed as “gripping” by The Associated Press, “The Red Road” is a tense thriller that presents two distinct visions of modern America. Local sheriff Harold Jensen is struggling to keep his family together while simultaneously policing two clashing communities: the small town where he grew up just outside New York City, and the neighboring mountains, home of a Native American tribe. Rumors soon begin to swirl that the local tribe’s recent federal recognition will lead to the building of a casino up on the mountain. When a shocking discovery is made, it can only hint at the tumultuous events ahead, not least the local dumping of toxic waste. “The Red Road” stars Jason Momoa (“Game of Thrones,” Road to Paloma), Martin Henderson (Devil’s Knot, The Ring), Julianne Nicholson (“Masters of Sex”, August: Osage County), Tamara Tunie (“Law and Order: Special Victim’s Unit”, “The Good Wife”) and Lisa Bonet (High Fidelity, “The Cosby Show”). The series is executive produced by Aaron Guzikowski and Sarah Condon, along with Randall Einhorn (“Fargo,” “Wilfred”), who has newly joined as an Executive Producer.
Licensor: Entertainment One (eOne)
“The Honourable Woman” is the internationally acclaimed story of one woman’s personal journey to right the wrongs of the past, set against the highly complex and emotionally charged backdrop of international politics and big business. As a young girl, Nessa Stein witnessed the assassination of her father, a Zionist Arms producer, by the Palestinian Liberation Organisation. Now in her thirties, she has inherited her father’s company and dramatically inverts its purpose from supplying arms to laying high-spec data cabling networks between Israel and the West Bank. She is also at the forefront of the Middle East peace process and her sudden appointment to the House of Lords in the UK creates an international political maelstrom. When a Palestinian businessman is murdered, immediately after he was awarded her latest cabling contract, Nessa finds herself under the close scrutiny of Whitehall, Washington, MI6 and the CIA. “The Honourable Woman” stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, who won the Golden Globe Award® for Best Actress for her portrayal of Nessa Stein. The top international cast includes Academy Award® nominee Stephen Rea (“The Shadow Line”, “Father & Son”, V for Vendetta), Oscar® and Tony Award® nominee Janet McTeer (“Damages”, Albert Nobbs), Lindsay Duncan (“The Hollow Crown”, “White Heat”) and Andrew Buchan (“Broadchurch”, “Garrow’s Law”, “The Fixer”). The miniseries is an Eight Rooks and Drama Republic Production for BBC TWO in the UK and is co-produced by Sundance Channel’s sister network in the US. The miniseries is executive produced by Drama Republic’s Greg Brenman (Billy Elliot) and produced by Abi Bach (Small Island).
Licensor: BBC Worldwide
“The Great Train Robbery” tells the dramatic real-life story of a crime that shocked a nation over 50 years ago and continues to fascinate to this day. On 8th August 1963 Britain awoke to the news of the biggest robbery in the country’s history – the hijacking of a train 35 miles from its arrival in London and the theft of £2.6 million (the equivalent of £48 million today). The country is stunned and wants to know who the perpetrators were and how they managed to pull off such an audacious raid. The first part of “The Great Train Robbery” is “A Robber’s Tale”, a character-driven period drama told with a sense of fun, swagger and cinematic scale starring Luke Evans (The Hobbit films, Dracula Untold, Fast & Furious 6). Part two, “A Copper’s Tale”, stars Academy Award® winner Jim Broadbent (Iris, The Iron Lady) and details one of the biggest criminal investigations of the post-war period, conducted in the full glare of public and media scrutiny. The miniseries was written by Chris Chibnall and produced by Julia Stannard with Simon Heath, Poly Hill and Chris Chibnall serving as Executive Producers.
Licensor: Content Media
Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan write and star in “Catastrophe”, a comedy following an Irish woman and an American man who make a bloody mess as they struggle to fall in love in London. Clumsy lust, instant pregnancy, and genuine disaster provide the foundation for this flaming hovel of a relationship. In a mess of events always in danger of slipping out of their grasp, Rob and Sharon must also learn to deal with her largely awful friend (Ashley Jensen); his eccentric Bostonian mother (Carrie Fisher); and attempt to navigate the choppy waters of their ever-more-complicating lives. Can Sharon, “an extraordinarily good-smelling woman” and Rob, “a sturdy love-maker” steer through the increasingly thorny situations they find themselves in and still find time for an emergency shag in a stairwell? Prepare to find out. An Avalon Television production, “Catastrophe” was produced by Jack Bayles and executive produced by Richard Allen-Turner, Kara Baker, Jon Thoday, Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan.
Licensor: Avalon Television
In “Welcome to Sweden”, Bruce (Greg Poehler), a successful money manager to the stars, and his beautiful Swedish girlfriend Emma (Joesephine Bornebusch) appear to be the perfect couple. So, it seems only natural that when Emma plans to leave New York to accept a prestigious banking job in Stockholm just a year into their relationship, Bruce decides to join her. However, when they arrive, Bruce not only has to deal with the lack of a job and friends and the culture shock of moving halfway across the world, but also learning to get along with Emma’s decidedly strange family. The series was written by Greg Poehler, Josephine Bornebusch and Niclas Carlsson with Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation,” “Saturday Night Live”) serving as Executive Producer.
Licensor: Entertainment One (eOne)
About Sundance Channel
Dedicated to founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, imaginative and uncompromising, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of high-quality independent films, documentaries and original programs. In addition to being widely distributed throughout North America, Sundance Channel is available throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East. Owned and operated by AMC Networks International (the global division of AMC Networks), Sundance Channel is a highly recognizable and magnetic brand that is available in HD and across multiple platforms.
About AMC Networks International
AMC Networks International (AMCNI), the global division of AMC Networks, delivers entertaining and acclaimed programming that reaches subscribers in more than 140 countries and territories, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. AMCNI consists of global brands, Sundance Channel and AMC, as well as popular, locally recognized channels in various programming genres. For more information, visit: www.www.amcnetworks.com/amcni.
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Editors Note
A selection of images can be downloaded at the link below.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qlylxhe3qanecwz/AABACEUy9zd0wMqloQgYa77fa?dl=0