Yahoo Movies German Cinemas Will Remain Closed in December – Global Bulletin
In today’s bulletin, German cinemas remain closed; a Marcus Rashford documentary is set to air on the BBC; Channel 4 commissions comedy; Cineflix sells factual to the Nordics; ViacomCBS hires Lost Art TV; 101 teams with YADC; SPTN nabs “DinoCity”; and TVF sells a miscarriage doc.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared late on Wednesday that Germany’s partial lockdown would be extended through at least Dec. 20 after a meeting with prime ministers of the country’s 16 states. This means that cinemas will remain closed and new releases scheduled for Dec. 3 and 10, including Viggo Mortensen‘s “Falling” (pictured), Paul W.S. Anderson‘s “Monster Hunter,” Barbara Ott’s “Kids Run” and Marc Meyers’ “All My Life” and Ed Herzog’s “Kaiserschmarrndrama” will all be postponed.
Germany’s goal is to push the number of new coronavirus cases in each region to below 50 per 100,000 inhabitants per week. It is currently at an average of 140 per 100,000.
DOCUMENTARY
The BBC has announced a 60-minute documentary on English soccer player Marcus Rashford, who plays for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national team. The 23-year-old made waves this year when his campaign against child food poverty forced the U.K. government into two embarrassing policy U-turns, and extend support to his cause. Rashford was recognised as a Member of the Order of the British Empire earlier this year, and will be honored at this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year event with a Special Award on Dec. 20.
The documentary, which will air Dec. 21 on BBC One, was commissioned by Clare Sillery, BBC head of commissioning for documentaries, history and religion and Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer, and is produced and directed by Jo McCusker, Colin Stone and Claire Ryan.
COMMISSION
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has commissioned “Big Boys,” a six-part comedy series from Roughcut Television, producers of the BAFTA-winning “Stath Lets Flats.”
Created, written and narrated by Jack Rooke, and based on his live comedy shows “Good Grief,” “Happy Hour” and “Love Letters,” the series will center on an unlikely friendship between sweet, shy, closeted Jack (Dylan Llewellyn, “Derry Girls”) and boisterous, laddish and ever-so-slightly mature student Danny (Jon Pointing, “Plebs”).
SALES
Cineflix Rights has sold more than 450 hours of factual content to broadcasters and platforms across the Nordic region. NENT has acquired “Coast Guard: Mission Critical” across Sweden, Denmark, Norway and “Building Hitler’s Supergun” for Sweden.
Denmark’s TV2 has acquired multiple seasons of the various “Property Brothers” series, and David Attenborough‘s “The Queen’s Green Planet.” “My Family and the Galapagos” has been bought by SVT (Sweden) and YLE (Finland); “Egypt’s Lost Pyramid” has been sold into DR (Denmark), NENT (Sweden) and YLE (Finland); “Warrior Women with Lupita Nyong’o” has been bought by DR and SVT; while “The Far Traveller” has been acquired by DR and YLE.
“Inside Taronga Zoo” has been sold into Viasat World, while SVT has bought “Extreme Tribe: The Last Pygmies,” “Under Thin Ice” and “Takaya: Lone Wolf.”
SOURCING
ViacomCBS’ U.S. MTV Entertainment Group has engaged U.K.-based broadcast consultants Lost Art TV to source fresh and new comedy and unscripted formats from international markets for its portfolio of brands, which includes MTV, Comedy Central and others.
Lost Art TV has worked with UKTV, NBCUniversal, ITV Studios and NENT Group, helping to secure and roll out popular format brands including “Love Island,” “I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here” and “Come Dine with Me.”
JOINT VENTURE
Independent film distributor 101 Films has teamed with independent label (Yet) Another Distribution Company (YADC), for a line-up of feature releases for the home entertainment sector, including “The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud,” “Cup of Cheer,” “Riot Girls,” “Paradise Z” and “Last Moment of Clarity.”
The deal sees 101 Films handling sales, distribution and marketing, while YADC will be handling acquisitions.
CARRIAGE DEAL
APC Kids, the children’s entertainment division of co-production and distribution company APC Studios, has secured a deal in the U.K. wherein 2D animated series “DinoCity” will air exclusively on Sony Pictures Television Networks’s pre-school channel Tiny Pop in the U.K. and Ireland.
The series is produced by the Riki Group, in partnership with Animax Studio.
MARKET
“Misunderstandings of Miscarriage,” a documentary film from actor and filmmaker Tahyna MacManus (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”), Neon Jane and This Film Studio is brought to market by TVF International following its debut on Australian streamer Stan in October for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
The film captures an emotional four-year journey through pregnancy, birth and multiple miscarriages for MacManus and her husband Tristan (“Strictly Come Dancing”) as they come to terms with their own loss and search for answers and support.
One in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage and leaves women and partners with feelings of guilt and anger, and without support from workplaces. MacManus connects with fellow actors Claire Holt, Teresa Palmer and Deborra-Lee Furness as well as with women from across Australia to better understand and normalize the experience of miscarriage.
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