Endeavor Content bets for Russian content with Start's "Hope"

Endeavor Content has come on board START’s latest action-drama returnable series “Hope”, to represent the project for global distribution, marking its first ever Russian-language series acquisition. “Hope” is an espionage action series set between brutal and lawless 1990s Russia and the present day, starring multi-award-winning Victoria Isakova as Nadezhda (“Hope” in English), a ruthless assassin for the Syndicate – a criminal organization she was forced to work for as a teenager in exchange for getting out of prison.

Director Elena Hazanov (director of the award-winning adaptation of Dina Rubina's novel "Petrushka Syndrome") explores the duality of women’s nature in the series by examining the psychology of complex female protagonist Hope and the conflict between her maternal instincts and her true nature as a brutal contract killer. Hazanov achieves this with a mix of violent, bloody assassinations, flashbacks to Hope’s training to be a professional killer, and the complicated relationship with her own psyche, family, and the conflicting father-daughter dynamic with her mentor from the Syndicate.

Daria Bondarenko, EVP International Sales and Acquisitions at START, says, “With its strong female central protagonist, and expert directing by Elena Hazanov, it is a very proud moment for us to have 'Hope' noticed and picked up by Endeavor Content. At every stage of this relationship, they have shown a real love for 'Hope' and are the perfect partners to help bring this brilliant series to audiences around the world. 'Hope' is a cinematic series with a compelling plot that will appeal in every continent. We know it will have viewers on the edge of their seats as the story unfolds, and they become invested in the complex characters. Endeavor Content has an excellent track record in selling high quality international drama to the global market, we’re looking forward to their team presenting its first Russian series to buyers on the global stage.”

Liz Tang, Director, Content at Endeavor Content, adds, “We’re proud to partner with START on our first Russian language drama. The Russian market is full of robust scripted formats, which we’ve been tracking with a keen eye, and this script in particular speaks to Endeavor Content’s focus on elevating female and underrepresented voices. With the brilliant director Elena Hazanov at the helm, 'Hope' really stood out to us as a best-in-class, premium cat-and-mouse thriller centred around Victoria Isakova’s portrayal of a ruthless, conflicted assassin. We can’t wait to bring this show to audiences globally, and to see how the story continues to unfold for future seasons.”

The series was produced by START, the home of Russian premium drama, and reflects its continued growth in the international scripted media landscape. START is co-founded by the producers of the renowned film studio Yellow, Black and White.

Global mega-hit “Cash in the Attic” is back

Endeavor Content has come on board the brand-new refreshed iteration of longrunning and iconic format “Cash in the Attic”. Reimagined for today’s audiences, a US version from Leopard USA, part of Argonon, and commissioning broadcaster Discovery US’ HGTV channel, is launching this week. Endeavor Content will be handling rest of world sales on both the finished tape and format rights for both the newly revamped series, as well the original version.

“Cash in the Attic” was originally produced by Leopard Films in the UK and aired in more than 160 countries – each episode featuring personal stories and treasures hidden in people’s attics. The original series ran to nearly 600 episodes across 18 series on the BBC, and around the world.

Prentiss Fraser, EVP Television Distribution at Endeavor Content, said: “At Endeavor Content we are looking to bring best-in-category content to our buyers around the world. 'Cash in the Attic' is a proven international hit format – one of only a small handful of titles that have run for over a decade, has standalone episodes which are affordable to produce, and really showcases local stories that can be adapted to each market. We have all spent the last few years thinking about what is truly important to us, clearing out closets and dreaming up plans for the future – so “Cash in the Attic” is more relevant than ever. The series is fun, heart-warming and full of some amazing stories that we are excited to bring to the market.”