"Dear Life"
At Hat Trick International (HTI), the UK-based factual and scripted distributor, has announced the international launch of premium drama series “Dear Life” (6 x 60 mins), commissioned by Stan Australia from award-winning production company Gristmill.
Headlining HTI’s MIPCOM drama slate, “Dear Life” is a sharp, moving exploration of loss, moral dilemmas and the unexpected connections — and consequences — of a young woman’s decision to donate the organs of her beloved fiancé. Starring Brooke Satchwell (“Neighbours”, “The Twelve”), Eleanor Matsuura (“The Walking Dead”, “The Day of the Jackal”) and Ben Lawson (“Firefly Lane”, “Designated Survivor”), the six-part series opens with the sudden death of a young doctor and his fiancée Lillian’s decision to donate his organs. Months later, struggling with overwhelming grief, legal battles and family expectations, Lillian receives an anonymous thank-you letter from her late partner’s heart recipient. Clinging to this fragile thread of meaning, she breaks the rules and sets out to find him. His name is Andrew; he’s a wealthy winemaker, and his world and his values are starkly different from Lillian’s — and from the previous owner of his heart.
Sarah Tong, director of sales at Hat Trick International, said: "Dear Life' is genuinely special in that it's genuinely different — there’s simply no other drama like it on the market. It explores new territory in a way that’s entertaining yet heart-rending. I challenge anyone not to be moved by Lillian’s grief or uplifted by the unexpected ways in which life can start anew. It’s warm, it’s witty and, no pun intended, it has real heart. What’s more, it shines a light on a controversial issue that could affect anyone, anywhere, at any time. It doesn’t surprise me that “Dear Life” is already being talked about as one-to-watch as we head into the content maelstrom of MIPCOM," noted.
HTI’s Cannes slate also includes several factual entertainment series from award-winning UK indie Plum Pictures. Launching internationally is Discovery Quest’s “Johnny Vegas’ Little Shop of Antiques” (8 x 60 mins), which sees the much-loved UK comedian, actor, artist, collector and all-round good egg fulfil his lifelong dream of opening an antiques and collectibles shop. Johnny and his long-suffering friend and assistant Bev scour Northern England’s antique emporiums, auctions, fairs and museums for treasures as they set about turning Johnny’s lifelong passion for buying and collecting into a bona fide business.
Other talent-led factual titles on HTI’s MIPCOM roster include three Plum Pictures series fronted by James May, all of which have recently been commissioned for a second season. “James May and the Dull Men’s Club” (8 x 60 mins), which rolled out last year on Discovery Quest and has now been sold to SBS Australia, SIA Tet Latvia, Talpa Netherlands, TVNZ New Zealand, TVN Poland and Pop TV Slovenia, follows the former “Top Gear” presenter as he teams up with the Dull Men’s Facebook group to solve a series of pressing problems — such as why your washing machine can’t double as a cooker to allow you to make a casserole while washing your whites.
“James May’s Shed Load of Ideas” (8 x 60 mins) picks up where the Dull Men finish. Also produced for Quest, the series is a celebration of British ingenuity and love of tinkering, as May tackles practical challenges with his trademark wit, warmth and charm.
Finally, Channel 5’s “The Great Explorers with James May” — described as ‘“Horrible Histories” with a “Top Gear” voiceover’ — sees the presenter tell the extraordinary stories of three of the world’s most famous (and infamous) explorers: Columbus, Raleigh and Cook. Not only does May recreate the men’s legendary expeditions, but he also delves into the scientific endeavour, political machinations, engineering innovation and culinary invention that enabled their ships to set sail in the first place.
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