Globo, Sony link up for English drama
CONTENT LA: Brazilian broadcaster Globo is partnering with US studio Sony Pictures Television (SPT) to co-develop and coproduce English-language drama.
Globo’s Carlos Henrique Schroder
The first project to emerge from the partnership is The Angel of Hamburg, based on the life of Aracy de Carvalho, a clerk in the city’s Brazilian consulate married to the writer João Guimarães Rosa, who secretly helped hundreds of Jews escape to Brazil during the Nazi era.
The limited series was unveiled at Globo’s showcase at C21’s Content LA today and will be followed by Rio Connection, which tells the true story of European gangsters who established Brazil as an organised crime hub for trafficking heroin into the US in the 1970s.
SPT-backed Brazilian producer Floresta will coproduce the new shows, along with a third as-yet unnamed project, in partnership with Globo’s production arm Globo Studios. It will be the first venture into English-language drama for both companies.
SPT will hold global distribution rights outside Brazil, while Globo plans to broadcast the series on its free-to-air channel, and on Grupo Globo’s on-demand platforms.
Casting for the two shows will be announced later.
Globo’s Monica Albuquerque, head of development, and Silvio de Abreu, head of drama, are overseeing the projects. Executive producers are Floresta’s Elisabetta Zenatti and Globo Studios’ Ricardo Waddington.
The Angel of Hamburg is written by Mario Teixeira (Crashing into the Future, Lady Revolution), Rachel Anthony (Ransom,Mistresses) and Jayme Monjardim (The Clone)
Carlos Henrique Schroder, CEO of Globo, said: “The production of these series is one more step Globo has taken in its pursuit of becoming an international player in the production of high-end drama and short-format content. We believe in the universal appeal of these stories and in the power they have to move audiences on a global scale.”
Wayne Garvie, president of international production for Sony Pictures Television, said: “The world is changing so fast, the traditional models of production and distribution are being challenged everywhere – smashed in many cases.
“At Sony, we pride ourselves on being innovative and the best creative and business partner for those we work with. We are an independent studio producing content in 10 languages across 12 countries around the world. So naturally, coproductions in many countries will be part of our story going forward.
“It’s a real step change for Floresta. This is the first English-language drama for Elisabetta Zenatti and her team. Moreover, it’s indicative of the fluidity of the international drama market, a Brazilian company telling an international story in English.
“English fits this project but we don’t believe dramas have to be in English to win audiences around the world. Our next aim is for Floresta to make a premium drama in Portuguese for the international market that becomes a global hit. These days, that’s no longer a dream – it can be a reality.”
