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Polly Williams, Arielle Gottlieb exit eOne to set up Federation’s new UK operation

Pascal Breton’s French drama producer Federation Entertainment is expanding into the UK by opening a new venture, with Polly Williams and Arielle Gottlieb joining from Canada’s Entertainment One (eOne) to run it.

Pascal Breton

Headquartered in London, the new operation will have Williams as MD and Gottlieb as creative director.

They will focus on working with premium drama creators in making content for a global audience. They are also keen to bring more female-led content to the Federation slate, the company said this morning.

With a slate of projects currently in development that will be announced shortly, the new UK venture will develop, produce and invest in drama content for TV and film.

Federation said it will offer flexibility for creators beyond the traditional in-house production model and will be looking for coproductions, co-financing and distribution opportunities.

Williams was previously head of scripted for eOne, where she built a slate with partners in the UK, Europe and the US. During her tenure she developed RUN for HBO, written by Vicky Jones, and is currently exec producing Red Rose with Eleven Film for the BBC and Netflix.

Polly Williams

Williams also shepherded an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, which is now in late-stage development, and developed an adaptation of bestselling novel A Gentleman in Moscow. Previously, she worked as a producer and script editor in the UK with credits including Holby City, Lip Service and Hotel Babylon.

Gottlieb was VP of Scripted at eOne. In recent years, she developed and was the script executive on Dublin Murders (BBC, Starz) and script edited The Sister (ITV, Hulu) for Euston Films.

Prior to eOne and over the course of her career, she has also script-edited long-running UK dramas such as Casualty and The Bill. Over the past decade she has worked in development, production and business affairs for companies in the UK and Canada including: Red Planet Pictures, Ink Factory Films, BBC, Nutopia and TVO.

Federation now has prodcos in France (Cottonwood Media, We Make, Cheyenne Federation, Mercer Productions, Empreinte Digitale), Los Angeles (Federation Entertainment of America, Picture Perfect FederationTV, Animal Federation), Rome (Fabula Pictures), Madrid (Fedent Espana), Berlin (Cottonwood Media) and Tel Aviv (Drama Team).

Arielle Gottlieb

Breton, president of Federation Entertainment said: “The UK has always been on our radar but it was crucial we secured the right kind of creative talent to steer this new operation. Both Polly and Arielle are dynamic executives with impressive track records who will be able to bring exceptional, original content into the company. We are absolutely delighted to welcome them to our ‘federation’ network.”

Williams added: “I am thrilled to be partnering with the brilliant Arielle in this new venture. We both think Federation is a very smart, exciting company. The opportunity to tap into their European networks with wonderful British writers and directors is very unique. Pascal and Lionel are incredibly inspiring and nimble, and we can’t wait to get going.”

Federation is behind series including The Bureau, In Treatment and Marseille also wrapped filming earlier this year with copro partners Slim Film+Television on the series Around the World in 80 Days for the BBC, starring David Tennant (Broadchurch).

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