Production has started on M-Net and Fremantle’s eight-part contemporary crime drama “Reyka,” which will star South African born actress Kim Engelbrecht and acclaimed British actor Iain Glen. The international co-production is being filmed in South Africa and is set to debut on M-Net in July 2021. The series will be distributed globally by Fremantle.
“Reyka” follows a flawed but brilliant criminal profiler, Reyka Gama. Haunted by her past, she investigates a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer in the sugar cane fields of KwaZulu-Natal. Having been abducted as a child by a farmer named Speelman, Reyka is traumatised by the experience but this also helps her enter the minds of Africa's most notorious criminals and turn them inside out. Manipulative and charming, his hold on Reyka, 20 years later, forms part of the backbone of the story, as does Reyka’s relationship with her mother Elsa.
“MultiChoice continues to lead the continuous productions of high-quality African television content that goes beyond our borders,” commented Nkateko Mabaso, CEO of M-Net. “Our first co-production on this sort of scale was ‘Trackers,’ that we co-produced with HBO’s sister channel Cinemax and ZDF, and has received great reviews in the US, Australia, France, and the UK. This partnership with Fremantle is a brilliant way to showcase our prowess as DStv is Africa’s most-loved storyteller, and we particularly relish pairing our local talent with international stars”.
Kim Englebrecht and Iain Glen are joined by a cast of some of South Africa’s best actors, including Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Hamilton Dhlamini, Kenneth Nkosi, Nokuthula Ledwaba, Desmond Dube, Gerald Stein, Ian Roberts, Fiona Ramsey, David Butler, and Jessica Hayes. The series is directed by Zee Ntuli and Catharine Cooke.
“As production commences on our first ever South African drama, this is a proud moment for Fremantle and M-Net. The series has been in development for many years, and we hope it will be the first of many successful projects in the region. ‘Reyka’ is a rich and compelling story and we couldn’t be happier to have Kim and Iain onboard to bring these complex characters to life. We are confident it will be one of our standout international dramas for 2021,” said Julie Hodge, Editorial Director, Global Drama at Fremantle.