Greece’s Alpha TV, Spain’s RTVE acquire drama from Italian pubcaster Rai

Imma Tataranni

MIPCOM: Greece’s Alpha TV and Spain’s RTVE have snapped up format rights and finished-tape deals for two series from RaiCom, the distribution arm of Italian pubcaster Rai.

Greek broadcaster Alpha TV has picked up format rights to long-running series Paradiso Delle Signore (Ladies’ Paradise, 860×45’, S5 160×45’), a big-budget costume drama that has been sold into more than 70 countries.

Set in a department store in Milan during Italy’s economic boom of the 1950s, it follows store assistant Teresa, who faces daily challenges that are both personal and professional in a hostile but fascinating world.

Alpha has now remade the series for local audiences, with the remake from Kapa Studios and JK Production launching last month. It was originally produced by Rai Fiction and Aurora TV.

Meanwhile, Spanish broadcaster RTVE has bought Imma Tataranni (28×50’), following previous sales of the show into the US, Canada, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Two seasons of the crime series have been produced by Rai Fiction and ITV Movie. Vanessa Scalera stars as the title character, a brilliant but direct force within the prosecutor’s office in the city of Matera.

RaiCom commercial director Alessandro Ravani said: “After the huge international success of Montalbano, once again a show with a strong Italian identity like Imma Tataranni goes global. These deals confirm again that the well-mixed assets of Italian characters, strong investigative plot and beautiful landscapes are key to success.

“Ladies’ Paradise covers a gap in the European production panorama where not many long-running series with high production budgets are produced. The high quality of the production and the well-developed screenplay are the major factors that helped the show rise among other several female-targeted daily programmes.”

Ravani is now planning new collaborations with both linear broadcasters and digital platforms, and wants to bring in partners at earlier stages of development to secure potential pre-buys. RaiCom is also looking to acquire more classic detective series.

The distributor’s slate at Mipcom also includes crime series Vincenzo Malinconico – The Italian Lawyer and Never Again, second seasons of period medical drama Hearts and crime series Lolita Lobosco and Detective Ricciardi, and TV movies such as drama Rebirth, period drama Carosello Carosone and comedy Laura’s Luck.