Gisèle Pelicot
Orange Smarty has closed a string of international sales in the wake of last month’s London TV Screenings, including ITN Productions’ documentary "The Pelicot Rape Case: A Town on Trial" commissioned by 5 UK, which examines last year’s mass rape trial in France. Warner Bros. Discovery beat off stiff competition to acquire the rights to the film for networks and streaming in over 90 countries across Europe and Africa.
The 90-minute documentary featuring an exclusive on-camera interview with one of the alleged rapists, the documentary asks what led more than 70 men to take part in one of the most disturbing cases in French legal history, exploring the crimes from a psychological, legal and cultural perspective. It also pays tribute to the dignity and determination of Gisèle Pelicot, who chose to waive her right to anonymity and share her horrific ordeal with the world.
Interest was also keen for South Shore Productions’ two-part documentary "Eat Smart: Secrets of the Glucose Goddess", which has been picked up by SBS Australia, RTL Netherlands, TV2 Denmark and TV2 Norway. The 2 x 60 mins documentary for Channel 4 follows ‘Glucose Goddess’ Jessie Inchauspé, a biochemist, New York Times best-selling author and Instagram phenomenon, who is on a mission to help people improve their physical and mental health by controlling their blood sugar levels.
Canada’s Corus Entertainment meanwhile, picked up Freeform Productions’ evergreen property-search series "A Place in the Sun" to mark the show’s Canadian debut in which real-estate experts travel the world to help eager house-hunters find their dream home. Corus Entertainment has acquired 120 hours of the Channel 4 stalwart for its Home Network, along with South Shore’s uplifting BBC Two series "Andi Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts" for its Flavour Network. The 8 x 60 series follows the chef, restauranteur and party organiser extraordinaire as she brings joys to various communities with her delicious food, good vibes and great music.
Karen Young, CEO of Orange Smarty, said: “I wasn’t surprised by the strong international interest in 'The Pelicot Rape Case', which sent shock waves around the world. These titles re-enforce the inherent logic in our strategy to acquire quality content that very clearly continues to chime with the international community."
STAND OUT TITLES
Two other London Screenings highlights include Spirit Studios’ 60-minute doc "Drunk and Disorderly: At 30,000 Feet", commissioned by 5 UK, which delves into the epidemic of airborne misbehaviour and DoubleBand Films’ "Teen Predator/Online Killer" (2x52’ mins) for BBC Three and BBC Northern Ireland. This two part series details the crimes of one of the most prolific online predators ever, a man who targeted, blackmailed and sexually exploited multiple young people.