Banijay Rights, Tigerlily sign development deal

Tigerlily’s Natasha Dack-Ojumu (left) and Nikki Parrott

The distribution arm of France’s Banijay Group has agreed a first-look development deal with UK indie Tigerlily Productions.

The agreement with Banijay Rights covers scripted programming developed, created and produced by Tigerlily for the UK and international markets.

Founded by Natasha Dack-Ojumu and Nikki Parrott in 2000, Tigerlily Productions has been behind The Ones Below, written and directed by David Farr (The Night Manager, Hanna), and Remainder, featuring Tom Sturridge (Sweet Bitter) and Cush Jumbo (The Good Fight).

It has also produced The Lovers & the Despot, a feature doc about Kim Jong Il’s kidnapping of a South Korean film director.

Tigerlily is currently developing scripted series Angela, described as a pacy and tense hospital crime drama set in Salford, and a psychological drama about the modern-day phenomenon of ‘ghosting,’ I See Through You.

It is also working on Glasgow-based, female-led crime drama Where the Bodies Are Buried, adapted from Christopher Brookmyer’s novel of the same name.

“Banijay Rights’ combined knowledge and global position in the fiction space will ensure our new dramas will have the best possible start, as well as the opportunity to be seen by international audiences. With more drama seeking inspiration from real-life events, we are excited about bringing our vast factual experience to bear in this area,” said Dack-Ojumu and Parrott in a joint statement.

Chris Stewart, commercial director of scripted at Banijay Rights, added: “As the unprecedented demand for high-end scripted programming in the global market continues, this new relationship will further extend our scripted offering.”

The agreement comes after Banijay Rights struck similar first-look development deals with fellow UK indies Greenacre Films and Clearwood Films.