Spring has certainly sprung, at least in the northern hemisphere, and international buyers may be looking to refresh their schedules with new programming. Where better to look than C21’s Hot Properties playlist for May?

This month’s Hot Properties playlist features content from all corners of the globe and in all genres. Starting with drama, we have selected a number of hot new titles that buyers can see more of at C21Screenings, such as The Dry (ITV Studios), the new series from the producers of Normal People and Conversations With Friends. This dark comedy-drama is described as “an irreverent, sharp, funny and moving depiction of a family in denial.”

More drama comes in the form of Nine Men (StudioCanal), which features “funny, touching and realistic” snapshots of a day in the lives of nine men, offering a tender reflection on the different expressions of masculinity in 2022.

Deadline (Abacus Media Rights), meanwhile, is a mystery thriller full of the “labyrinthine plotting, bewildering twists and dark characters,” according to the distributor, and the murder theme continues with Manners #ViolenceOfSilence (Bavaria Media International), which follows the lead singer in a band who has a fling with an admirer and things quickly get messy.

Vanishing Act (DCD Rights) tells the real-life story of an Australian businesswoman who embezzled over A$20m from her own family and friends, before disappearing into thin air, while After The Trial (Entertainment One) is described as “a gripping crime drama about four very different people who meet on jury duty as part of a murder trial.”

Compulsion (Eccho Rights) follows what happens when a paramedic develops a gambling addition to try to cope with her PTSD, while Harrasment Game (TV Tokyo) explores issues such as power harassment, sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination, according to the Japanese broadcaster.

The Lesson (Federation Entertainment) follows what happens when a student confronts her teacher, dividing the community and starting a social war, and Nina & The Pig (Wild Bunch TV) centres on a 16-year-old girl who discovers that her transplanted heart valve came from a pig – so she decides to visit the pig farmer who supplied the pig.

Simply Nora (Studio Hamburg Enterprises) is a TV movie that follows a former ship’s doctor who ends up not entirely voluntary on the remote German island of Rügen, while The Brokenwood Mysteries (All3Media) offers more escapist viewing, as this light-hearted and long-running detective series moves into its eighth season.

On the factual front, this month’s playlist includes a number of documentaries, such as The American Führer (Autentic Distribution), exploring unknown stories from the time of National Socialism, such as fascist imposter Fritz Julius Kuhn. Voices of Liberation (DFW International), meanwhile, gives a unique insight in the liberation of Western Europe during the Second World War.

Dracula Unearthed (3DD) is a 90-minute special commemorating 100 years since the release of the German classic Nosferatu by FW Murnau, and Backlight: NFT Mania (Dutch Core Media) explores the crazy world of non-fungible tokens and the anonymous collectors with a lot of cryptocurrency who buy them.

Mysteries From Above (Blue Ant International) sets out to investigate significant historic and contemporary sites from above with drone, satellite and aerial photography, while Jurassic Cash (Terranoa) looks into the idea that dinosaur fossils are the new gold with record-breaking auction sales every year.

True crime is also in the mix with Bloody Boston (Red Arrow Studios International), described as “a fresh take on the tribal world of Boston organised crime, from the infamous fugitive ‘Whitey’ Bulger to brutal Irish gang wars, FBI corruption and brazen heists.”

Black Market S2 (Vice Distribution) features the late Michael K Williams as he journeys into the dangerous world of illicit trade, while Descent of a Serial Killer (Cineflix Rights) follows former FBI agent Bryanna Fox as she investigates what makes a serial killer tick.

For buyers looking for lighter factual, Tan France: Beauty & the Bleach (Hat Trick International) follows the Queer Eye star on a mission to take down the world’s most shocking beauty trend, while Drive Therapy (Armoza Formats) is a docu-reality format that brings therapy into the intimate setting of a car as therapist and passenger embark on a drive to a meaningful meeting.

Series with a more pronounced entertainment spin can be found with Romeo & Duet (Banijay Rights), a new singing/dating show hosted by Strictly Come Dancing alumna Oti Mabuse that follows four singletons in the pursuit of their perfect singing date. Still in the singing/dating genre, My Boyfriend Is Better (CJ ENM) is described as “a snackable, fun show that combines singing, competition and game in one stage.”

Also hailing from Asia, Dark Doubt (Nippon TV) is an escape gameshow with a horror twist, while Light Away! (Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation) is a hot new gameshow described as “a thrilling survival game.” Meanwhile, Tunnel of Love (Sony Pictures Television Formats) is a matchmaking social experiment format in which your best friend picks your suitor.

Wrapping up with kids’ shows, this month’s Hot Properties playlist includes Tish Tash (Cake) which follows a family of bears, one of whom has a huge imagination and a larger-than-life imaginary friend, and Theodosia (ZDF Studios) a period drama in which a smart 14-year-old girl and her younger brother stumble on a hidden tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

That’s all for May, stay tuned for more Hot Properties in June!

Spring has certainly sprung, at least in the northern hemisphere, and international buyers may be looking to refresh their schedules with new programming. Where better to look than C21’s Hot Properties playlist for May?

This month’s Hot Properties playlist features content from all corners of the globe and in all genres. Starting with drama, we have selected a number of hot new titles that buyers can see more of at C21Screenings, such as The Dry (ITV Studios), the new series from the producers of Normal People and Conversations With Friends. This dark comedy-drama is described as “an irreverent, sharp, funny and moving depiction of a family in denial.”

More drama comes in the form of Nine Men (StudioCanal), which features “funny, touching and realistic” snapshots of a day in the lives of nine men, offering a tender reflection on the different expressions of masculinity in 2022.

Deadline (Abacus Media Rights), meanwhile, is a mystery thriller full of the “labyrinthine plotting, bewildering twists and dark characters,” according to the distributor, and the murder theme continues with Manners #ViolenceOfSilence (Bavaria Media International), which follows the lead singer in a band who has a fling with an admirer and things quickly get messy.
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