Mediawan takes rights to Anthology shortform drama For the Record

Canadian shortform drama series For the Record

MIPCOM: French media firm Mediawan has acquired worldwide distribution rights to music-focused Canadian scripted series For the Record, in addition to picking up the format rights for Europe and Latin America.

The shortform series, produced by Toronto-based Anthology Productions, premiered last December on Canadian pubcaster CBC’s streaming platform CBC Gem. Its international premiere came at SXSW in March 2021 and Mediawan has been pitching the show at Mipcom this week.

For The Record is an anthology series about the songs that make up the “life playlist” of an interconnected cast of characters, with each episode focusing on a song from Universal Music’s music catalogue.

The six-episode series features songs from artists such as The Beach Boys (Wouldn’t It Be Nice), Johnny Orlando (Phobias), Bob Marley (Redemption Song), The Weeknd (I Feel It Coming), Nina Simone (Feeling Good) and Zeds Dead (Stars Tonight).

“It’s a timeless love story with universal themes and unforgettable music, perfect for a global market,” said Charles Touboul, VP for content at Mediawan. “Using a famous song as the narrative centrepiece for each episode is an original and inspiring format, ripe for adaptation. Audiences are starving for feel good content and For The Record is the best of it.”

The series was written and created by Julian De Zotti (Ming’s Dynasty, Snowpiercer) and executive produced by iThentic’s Jonas Diamond and Lisa Baylin. Anthology Productions is an inaugural participant in the Telefilm RDV Canada Meet The Series group of 12 production companies representing Canada at Mipcom in person this year.

The cast includes Anna Hopkins (The Expanse), Julian De Zotti (Five Days At Memorial), Lyriq Bent (Long Slow Exhale), Karen LeBlanc (The Kings Of Napa) and Maurice Dean Wint (SurrealEstate). It is directed by Theresa Rebeck, Sudz Sutherland, Dane Clark, Linsey Stewart, Matt Eastman, De Zotti and Baylin.