Hat trick scores Keo deal

UK sales house Hat Trick International will distribute factual titles from London-based indie Keo Films.

Hat Trick is taking 170 hours of completed programming and numerous formats from Keo’s catalogue to the international market, starting at MipTV at the end of the month.

Hugh’s Three Hungry Boys, Living with the Amish and The Big Bread Experiment are all included in the deal.

Last week Keo confirmed that trade body Pact’s chair Debbie Manners was taking over from Zam Baring as the company’s MD.

Manners told C21 that growing the international and formats side of the business were key objectives for her in her new role.

Zam Baring, now chairman of Keo Films, said: “What impressed us about Hat Trick’s approach to representing our catalogue is that they aim to offer a service that is the closest thing to an in-house distribution arm possible. They have considered how best to support our business and champion our brands as carefully as we would ourselves.”

Hat Trick International is the distribution arm of Hat Trick Productions and has previously been known for its comedy slate but is increasingly moving into the factual space. Its latest pick-up here came last week with Love Productions’ BBC4 show Scrapheap Orchestra.

Sarah Tong, director of sales at Hat Trick International, said: “Together with our existing slate of quality factual titles, this new deal makes Hat Trick not only a leading distributor of the UK’s best comedy, but also as a factual distributor to be reckoned with.”