STREAMING
Netflix has unveiled a release date for its first Spanish Original reality show “Insiders,” which will premiere around the world on Oct. 21. Hosted by “Money Heist” actor Najwa Nimri (“Locked Up,” “Open Your Eyes”), the show has been billed as something completely new to the reality landscape in which its contestants believe, through the entire filming process, that they are only in the qualification rounds for an entirely different show. With the cameras constantly rolling, the twelve participants are kept in the dark that they are, in fact, being filmed for a hidden camera show. Set on a 17200 sq. ft. soundstage rigged with more than 250 hidden microphones and 70 hidden cameras, the contestants will unknowingly let their true colors shine right until the final reveal, when one winner will take home €100,000 ($117,720).
ACQUISITION
NHK has acquired broadcast rights to Ines Marzouk’s feature documentary “My Mohamed is Different,” a standout in the World Showcase section of this year’s Hot Docs Festival in Toronto. Produced by Seera Films, the documentary examines Luxor’s divisive marriage business in which affluent, elderly Western women partner with attractive young Egyptian men.
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The deal was brokered by distributor Limonero Films, which has global rights to “My Mohamed is Different” and also recently closed deals on several other titles including “Lovesick” to the Sundance Channel in the U.S. and National Geographic in India, Katherine Round’s “The Divide” to Sundance in the U.S., and two episodes from the “Inside the Storm” series – “Apple” and “Starbucks” – to Canal Plus in France.
FUNDING
BAFTA has announced a group of recipients for this year’s Scholarship Program, offering financial assistance to students of film, games and television in the U.K. and North America. Many previous recipients of scholarships have gone on to fill important roles in the screen industries in both territories. The full list of participants is available on BAFTA’s scholarship webpage: https://www.bafta.org/supporting-talent/scholarships/meet-2021s-UK-US-scholars
The Academy has also revealed the 14 recipients of its new Career Development Bursary pilot program, backed by funding from Paul Greengrass. The program was designed and is run to provide financial support for individuals who already have experience working in the industry, but do not have access to resources needed to advance further. A full list of recipients can be found on BAFTA’s Bursary webpage: https://www.bafta.org/supporting-talent/career-development-bursary
CO-PRODUCTION
ITV Studios in the U.K. and China’s Tencent Video have closed a co-production deal for the upcoming natural history series “A Year on Planet Earth.” Tencent joins previous partners Fox Nation, Fox News Media’s U.S streaming platform, and Germany’s ARD Group. Originally commissioned by ITV in the U.K. and produced by Plimsoll Productions with ITV Studios, the series uses compelling stories from around the world to create a season-long narrative arc. The series was developed by an award-winning natural history team including Tom Hugh-Jones (“Tiny World,” “Planet Earth II”), Dr. Martha Holmes (“Blue Planet,” “Hostile Planet”) and Grant Mansfield (“Hostile Planet,” “Malika The Lion Queen”).
