NEWEN CONNECT TO DISTRIBUTE SKY’S ORIGINAL CRIME SERIES "CHRISTIAN"

Newen Connect, the distribution arm of Newen (TF1 Group) has secured the global sales rights for the supernatural crime series "Chirstian", commissioned by Sky Studios for Sky Italia and produced by Lucky Red. The series entered production in November and is shooting in Rome.

Directed by Stefano Lodovichi ("The Hunter") and Roberto “Saku” Cinardi and starring Edoardo Pesce ("Dogman") and Claudio Santamaria ("Romanzo Criminale", "Casino Royal", "Freaks Out"), the six-part series follows Christian, a henchman for a local crime boss in Rome’s outskirts who suddenly starts exhibiting stigmata and begins working miracles.

Nicola Maccanico, EVP Programming Sky Italia: “An absolutely original story like 'Christian' deserved a cast matching its uniqueness and we were able to put it together. Edoardo Pesce and Claudio Santamaria lead a great team of Italian talents who will give life to a bold project between crime drama and superheroes movie, with mystical and supernatural nuances”.

Andrea Occhipinti, CEO of Lucky Red: “We are delighted to be producing this impressive TV series alongside Sky. The series has already generated wide international interest and we have a very strong player partnering with us on worldwide distribution with Newen Connect”.

Karine Atlan, SVP Acquisitions & International Co-Productions Newen Connect: “We were completely won over by this exceptional series that is a perfect mix of crime drama and supernatural elements. The demand for non-English language content continues to grow the world over, and we look forward to bringing this stylish, high-end Italian production to the international audience”.

THE BOTH SIDES OF THE MAN

In one of Rome’s forsaken suburbs Christian earns his living doing the only thing he is good at: beating people. He works for the local boss, Lino, a sort of older foster brother as they grew up with the same woman, Italia. One day, Christian's hands start to ache and bleed: they are stigmata. The stigmata are a problem, because they prevent him from doing his job. He then miraculously saves the local junkie Rachele (Silvia D'Amico) from an overdose and she clings to him telling him to change his life, since, apparently, he is able to heal people.

Christian's powers attract Matteo’s attention, a Vatican postulator who is obsessed with finding someone whose thaumaturgical powers are real. But, above all, Christian's great power attracts Lino's attention: not only because Christian can no longer do his job, but because Christian is saving people, and this could undermine the foundations of his reign.