May is upon us, and with it comes the LA Screenings. As the international buying community heads to the City of Angels to see what’s on offer, they could do worse than check out C21’s Digital Screenings first to see some of the latest content coming to market.
Drama is the name of the game for this month’s Digital Screenings playlist, as distributors capitalise on the fact that international buyers’ minds are focused on scripted programming in the month of the LA Screenings.
We have no fewer than eight dramas and two comedies for you to peruse and screen this month, ranging from period drama to true crime and Nordic noir. First up, check out The Cuckoo (Abacus Media Rights), about a family whose desire for a fresh start unravels when their lodger’s identity is revealed, sparking a perilous journey to uncover dark family secrets.
The Laws of Man (Red Arrow Studios International), meanwhile, is set in two very different law offices in Helsinki, Finland, and weaves together stories about fascinating cases, comical human stories and contemporary societal issues, and Perfect Match (Fox Entertainment Global) details the relationship between tennis stars Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi as they contend with life on and off the court.
From Japan comes Good Bye (TV Tokyo Corporation), a comedy-drama about a man who tries to break up with his mistresses by pretending to be married, while for period drama fans there’s Miss Scarlet & the Duke (A+E Media Group), continuing the story of a Victorian woman who inherits a detective agency.
Rounding out the drama slate are Dark Lake S2 (Bavaria Media International), about a police officer investigating the supernatural dangers lurking in Lac-Noir; My Life is Murder S4 (DCD Rights), offering eight new murder mysteries and eight new killers for investigator Alexa Crowe; and Backstrom S3 (Banijay), a detective drama based on Leif GW Persson’s novel Can You Die Twice?.
For those looking for laughs, we have two comedies on this month’s playlist. Terminal (StudioCanal) is described by producers as “a hilarious workplace comedy about the daily life of a down-on-their-luck airline crew,” while Legends of Likes (Zone3), a scripted spoof of countless reality TV formats, sees four fame-hungry youths battle to become the ultimate influencer.
For actual unscripted formats, take a look at Skydive Quiz (ZDF Studios), a hair-raising gameshow described as “the ultimate test of nerves and knowledge,” in which contestants face questions while plunging from a plane at 15,000 feet.
Continuing in the factual space, this month’s playlist includes Moments that Shook Music: Kurt Cobain (Cineflix Rights), exploring events of April 8, 1994, when Nirvana frontman Cobain was found dead just as the band was becoming one of the biggest on the planet.
More musical history comes with No Way to Say Goodbye: The Life & Music of Leonard Cohen (Boat Rocker), which offers insights into the Hallelujah songwriter’s life, while Capital B – Who Owns Berlin? (Autentic Distribution) tells the story of how the German capital became the city it is today.
For those in the kids space, we have Deadly Mission Shark (BBC Studios Kids & Family), in which wildlife expert Steve Backshall recruits 10 young trailblazers to become future shark saviours, and Fizzy & Suds (ABC Commercial), about a couple of bubbly bubbles who love learning and having fun.
That’s all for May, stay tuned for more Hot Properties next month!
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