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Simmering tensions and hidden secrets unravel in a beautiful remote Scottish holiday park in Freedom Pictures' "stylish psychological drama" (The i). Featuring a stellar ensemble, the six-part series weaves together past and present lives of several families as they navigate conflicts and dilemmas, whilst exploring family, sex, class, tolerance, holiday escapism and community in divided times.
Show: Summerwater
Run time: 6×60’
Producer: Freedom Scripted
Exec producer: Mike Ellen
Distributor: All3Media International
Lauren Jackson, VP scripted content at All3Media International, and Mike Ellen, MD of Freedom Scripted, discuss this adaptation of Sarah Moss’s novel about simmering tensions and hidden secrets in a Scottish holiday park.
Who do you see as the audience for the show?
Jackson: At its heart, Summerwater is a compelling mystery thriller from the brilliant team at Freedom Scripted, which we are confident will connect with a wide audience. Its appeal also lies in the strong, complex cast of characters played by an internationally recognisable cast such as Dougray Scott, Valene Kane and Shirely Henderson, as well as the atmospheric, stunning Scottish scenery.
How does the show fit within the All3Media International catalogue?
Jackson: Summerwater joins a slate of surprising thrillers and cinematic crime stories set in striking locations. These kinds of dramas hold significant global appeal as seen in titles like Black Snow, Goalpost’s atmospheric Australian crime drama led by Travis Fimmel, and Annika, Black Camel’s striking female-led detective drama starring Nicola Walker.
Our award-winning book-to-screen adaptations include the recently launched series Trespasses from Wildgaze, as well as Drama Republic’s The Confessions of Frannie Langton and Synchronicity’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Mayfiles.
What are the auspices for the show?
Ellen: Summerwater is adapted by the brilliantly talented writer of Utopia, John Donnelly, with Robert McKillop (Clique, Ludwig, Guilt) as lead director.
We were thrilled to have attracted an exceptional and diverse ensemble cast, from International Emmy winner Dougray Scott and national treasure Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter, Happy Valley) to an exciting roster of international talent, including The White Lotus’s Arnas Fedaravièius and Anna Próchniak, known for her acclaimed performance in The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
What makes Summerwater unique?
Ellen: Based on the best-selling book of the same name by Sarah Moss, the drama centres around 5 families over 24 hours, leading up a catastrophic and unforgettable climax. The storytelling in Summerwater is bold and distinctive, whilst retaining the components of a captivating mystery thriller. Each episode follows a different viewpoint of those staying in the holiday cabins, and throughout the series the holiday makers and hotel workers lives gradually intersect until their stories dramatically but satisfyingly collide in the final episode.
The breathtaking backdrop of the Scottish landscape also feels strikingly fresh on screen, and its such a key component of the series, bringing a natural remoteness and isolation that heightens the atmosphere and amplifies the suspense.
At its core, Summerwater is a characterful, atmospheric, slow-burn mystery thriller that delves into powerful, universal themes of co-existence with nature and community along with family, workplace tensions, sex and mental unravelling, told through a very cinematic prism.
What is your ambition for the show?
Jackson: We’re thrilled to have launched Summerwater this year and we are looking forward to seeing international audiences connect with this atmospheric thriller.
What else is important to mention in terms of the show?
Ellen: Viewers have found Summerwater immersive and highly bingable, feeling rewarded for watching the show intently. It has something for those who love mystery dramas and thrillers, as well as character-led dramas, and delivers a hugely satisfying, shocking resolution in its final episode. Summerwater looks and feels stunning with extraordinary cinematography by DoP Annika Summerson and a shimmering soundtrack from composer Gazelle Twin.
Jackson: The series comes from a strong creative team. BAFTA-nominated writer John Donnelly (Utopia, The Pass) and BAFTA-nominated director Robbie McKillop (Ludwig, Guilt, Clique), along with Mike Ellen’s talented team at Freedom Scripted have made this a captivating, cinematic vision for the screen.
