SERIES
Banijay Nordic company Jarowskij has unveiled “A Class Apart,” a new eight-part drama series commissioned by Viaplay, which Banijay Rights will distribute internationally. Based on an original idea from Henrik Schyffert and Gustaf Skördeman, the series unspools within a secret society at on of Sweden’s top boarding schools. After a hazing ritual goes wrong and an alumni is found dead, a student from a nearby disadvantaged public school is accused of murder. The series was written by Michaela Hamilton (“Eagles”) and Erik Eger and stars Aliette Opheim (“Caliphate”) and Valter Skarsgård (“Lords of Chaos”). Eger, Andrea Östlund (“The Restaurant”) and David Berron direct. Jarowskij, Brommamamma, Viaplay, Film I Väst and Banijay Rights all co-produce.
SPORTS
Leading global sports streaming platform DAZN has picked up the rights to September 25th’s blockbuster bout between current heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and former cruiserweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk in more than 170 countries. To be held at the new world-class Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the fight will see Joshua put his IBF, WBA, and WBO World Titles on the line. DAZN will carry the fight in all of North America, South America, and Oceania as well as several key territories in of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
DISTRIBUTION
Abacus Media Rights has closed a series of sales for the CBC/HBO Max original comedy program “Sort Of” ahead of its premiere on CBC’s streaming services Gem and CBC TV in November and in the U.S. on HBO Max this fall. The series was picked up by Sky in the U.K., Stan in Australia, M6-Téva in France and by the Nordic Entertainment Group for Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Poland and the Baltics. Created by Bilal Baig (“Acha Bacha”) and Fab Filippo (“Save Me”), who also serve as showrunners and executive producers, the series turns on Sabi Mehboob, an expert code-switching millennial who balances several identities. “Sort Of” is produced by Sphere Media’s Sienna Films, and will screen episodes at both the Toronto International Film Festival and Series Mania, where it will world premiere in the International Panorama lineup.
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AWARDS
This year’s San Sebastian Film Festival will recognize Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” with the FIPRESCI Gran Prix as the year’s best film, as voted on by the International Federation of Film Critics. In total, 633 critics from around the world participated in this year’s selection, which included all films released since July 1, 2020. “Nomadland” beat out the likes of fellow finalists “Another Round,” “Quo Vadis, Aida?” and “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn,” among others. This year’s FIPRESCI Grand Prix will be presented during the San Sebastian opening gala on Sept. 17.
CASTING
Award-winning actors Louis Koo and Gordon Lam Ka-tung have been added to the cast of the highly-anticipated biopic of the late Canto-pop queen and renowned actress Anita Mui, producer Edko Films said on Wednesday. “Anita,” directed by Longman Leung (“Cold War” series) and starring fashion model Louise Wong as the Hong Kong pop icon, is set to be released in November. Koo (“Paradox”) plays the role of Eddie, a character based on the renowned designer behind the iconic images of Mui. Lam (“Trivisa”) takes on the role of the then general manager of Capital Artists, the record label to which Mui belonged. The two characters play a huge role in Mui’s showbiz career, Edko said. Mui died of cervical cancer in 2003. – Vivienne Chow
