M-Net, Fremantle partner on SA thriller

CONTENT LONDON: African pay TV channel M-Net is joining forces with production and distribution giant Fremantle to develop an eight-part South African crime thriller.

Reyka follows a flawed but brilliant female detective haunted by her past. The titular character was the 11-year-old daughter of African and British parents when she was abducted and escaped her tormentor. The story begins in 1994 at the end of Apartheid.

Rohan Dickson, the only South African nominated for a Palm d’Or Award in screenwriting for his film Husk, is screenwriter and showrunner. UK-based Jake Riddell (Death in Paradise, Suspects) joins Dickson as story consultant and writer.

The series will be jointly produced by Serena Cullen for Serena Cullen Productions in the UK (Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Cold Feet) and Harriet Gavshon for Emmy-nominated Quizzical Pictures in South Africa.

Executive producers are Serena Cullen, Harriet Gavshon and Rohan Dickson. Jan du Plessis will executive produce for M-Net and Sarah Doole for Fremantle. Rekya will be distributed globally by Fremantle.