Andri Ómarsson, Marc Lorber and Nicholas Weinstock
Icelandic film and TV studio Glassriver it will co-produce its scripted series "Masquerade" with Nicholas Weinstock, producer of AppleTV+’s "Severance" and with his Hollywood-based company Invention Studios, and The Art of Coproduction’s Marc Lorber.
In "Masquerade", a young American reporter arrives in a small Icelandic village, investigating the old unsolved abduction case of a four-year-old girl—the granddaughter of the town’s most wealthy and powerful man—who vanished while on vacation in Florida 25 years ago. As she digs deeper, she begins to unravel the village’s darkest secrets, only to realize that those responsible for the abduction are probably still living in the village.
Nicholas Weinstock is known for developing and producing the Emmy Award-winning Apple TV+ series "Severance", which he continues to Executive Produce. Marc Lorber started The Art of Coproduction following his departure from Lionsgate after 10 years, where he served as the global studio's SVP of International TV Co-Productions and Acquisitions, responsible for projects including BAFTA-winning comedy "Motherland," "Stan's Population 11", and more.
The series creators are Glassriver’s Andri Óttarsson and Baldvin Z. The screenwriters are Andri Óttarsson, Elísabet Hall, Urður Egilsdóttir, Karen Björg Eyfjörð Þorsteinsdóttir, and Elías Helgi Kofoed-Hansen. Baldvin Z is the lead director of the series. CEO Andri Ómarsson and creator Andri Óttarsson will present the project at this year’s Series Mania Co-Production pitch event.
Glassriver CEO Andri Ómarsson says: “'Masquerade' is a huge step for us, bringing together talent from both sides of the Atlantic – just like the story itself. We’ve worked hard to build a series that connects East and West, and having these incredible partners on board is a real validation of that effort. We’re beyond excited to bring this to life with a team that shares our vision.”
Nicholas Weinstock says: “'Masquerade' is a brilliantly conceived and gorgeously rendered story that we feel has the potential to be a groundbreaking event series. All credit to Andri and the show's excellent writers for building something so uniquely powerful, and we're proud and excited to be teamed with the great Glassriver and my expert friend Marc Lorber to bring it to the world.”
Marc Lorber says: “Reading this fascinating project from the Glassriver team, it was one of the most organic coproductions I'd come across with the gift of a full season's worth of episodes written. Then having the opportunity to work with my esteemed friend, Nicky Weinstock on it, made for the perfect trifecta of partners.”