Sky Studios names Vesna Cudic Head of Documentary Partnerships

Sky Studios has appointed award-winning filmmaker and executive producer, Vesna Cudic to Head of Documentary Partnerships at Sky Studios, Sky’s original programming arm across Europe. “The creative freedom, as well as the huge ambition of Sky Studios, makes this an especially appealing time to join the studio," Vesna Cudic, Head of Creative Partnerships, Sky Studios said. "The opportunity to work with the industry’s boldest filmmakers to unearth unmissable stories that audiences can’t not see was too good an opportunity to pass up. I can’t wait to get started.”

In this newly created role, Cudic will be tasked with overseeing Sky Studios’ partnerships with leading filmmakers and creatives from across the globe to develop and produce unscripted projects targeted at Sky’s platforms and channels across Europe. She also brings with her a wealth of co-finance and packaging experience to support Sky Studios’ ambitions in high-end feature documentaries and documentary series.

Before joining Sky Studios, Cudic served as Head of Metfilm Sales, a London-based agency, specializing in documentary features and series, and was responsible for creating a strong slate of features, including the multi-award-winning The Reason I Jump and Misha and the Wolves, both premiering at Sundance. Her credits also include "Tribeca-bound Fashion Reimagined," double Bafta-winning, "Lee Miller- A Life on the Frontline," multi-award-winning "Leftover Women," as well as "Last Breath" (BBC, Netflix, Arte). Most recently, she produced "The Return: Life After Isis," which featured Shamima Begum, the British-born woman who left the UK to join ISIS in 2015, which won the Gaudi and was nominated for Goya, RTS, and Rose d’Or awards. Prior to MetFilm, Vesna was involved in the acquisitions and sales of Blackfish, Life Animated, and Cartel Land.

 “At Sky Studios, we want to provide a home for the best creative talent to partner with us and develop world-class content for our 23m customers and beyond," Barnaby Shingleton, Director of Factual, Sky Studios, said. "Vesna’s track-record in creating premium, award-winning content and deep experience of the global factual landscape will turbocharge this ambition.”

Cudic’s appointment represents a new phase of growth for Sky Studios Factual team as it targets creative partnerships with the world’s most respected documentary filmmakers, building on the Studios’ recent creative partnerships with Noah Media and Dorothy Street Pictures. Recent Sky Originals co-produced with Sky Studios including BAFTA-winning Liverpool Narcos (Blast! Films / Sky Studios) and RTS-nominated Murder at the Cottage (Hell’s Kitchen / Dare Films / Sky Studios). Cudic will join Sky Studios later this month and report to Barnaby Shingleton, Director of Factual, Sky Studios.