News

DCD Rights Sells The Slap & The Straits & unveils new Drama for Mipcom

26 September 2012

In the run up to MIPCOM 2012, international distributor DCD Rights announces the sales of multi award winning drama series The Slap to French/German broadcaster ARTE, and The Straits to the U.S. online video service Hulu.

The Slap, produced by Matchbox Pictures for ABC1 Australia, has met critical acclaim and won numerous international awards and nominations so far. The 8 part series has been an international sales success with DIRECTV, BBC Four (UK), AMC/Sundance Channel Global, Globosat, (Brazil), SVT (Sweden), NRK (Norway), YLE (Finland) and TVO (Canada) having acquired the series during the course of 2012.

10 x 60’ part darkly humorous crime drama series The Straits starring Brian Cox was awarded Best Television Mini Series at the Australian Writers’ Guild Awards last month and has so far sold in Eastern Europe, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, France, Benelux and Asia.

DCD Rights also unveils its slate of 3 new compelling Australian drama for MIPCOM 2012:

Devil’s Dust (2 x 90’) HD – A thriller of David and Goliath proportions ‘Devil’s Dust’ rips the cloak of secrecy from a huge corporate scandal that exposes asbestos multi-national company, James Hardie. At the heart of this saga are three men: Logie winner Don Hany (Offspring, East West 101), as spin doctor Adam Bourke, The Slap’s Anthony Hayes as Bernie Banton, the worker who fought for compensation for asbestos victims, and Ewen Leslie (Mabo, Dead Europe, Three Blind Mice, Kokoda) as investigative journalist Matt Peacock. Produced by Fremantle Media Australia, Devil’s Dust will premiere on ABC1 Australia later this year.

The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1 x 100’) HD – The international best-selling 1886 novel by Fergus Hume has been turned into a stunning telemovie which follows the consequences of a fateful night when two men get into a hansom cab, but only one comes out alive. Last adapted for the screen in 1926, the book often described as the first crime blockbuster. The cast includes Shane Jacobson (Time of our Lives, Jack Irish), Oliver Ackland  (The Slap, Cloudstreet), John Waters (Offspring, Sea Patrol, Underbelly), Marco Chiappi (City Homicide, MDA, After the Deluge) and Jessica de Gouw (Crownies, Underbelly). Produced by Burberry Entertainment, the film is due to premiere on ABC1 Australia later this year.

The Strange Calls (6 x 30’) HD – This upcoming comedy produced by Emmy award winning company Hoodlum follows a hapless city cop Toby Banks (Toby Truslove), and town cleaner Gregor (Barry Crocker), as they team up to investigate “The Strange Calls” – bizarre late night phone calls that expose the paranormal mysteries haunting a sleepy town. The cast also features Patrick Bramall (Hawke, All Saints, East West 101) and Katherine Hicks (Out Of The Blue, Heartbreak High, John Safran’s Race Relations). Strange Calls is due to premiere as a multi platform series on ABC1 Australia later this year.

Nicky Davies Williams, CEO, DCD Rights, said: “We are delighted with the selection of new exciting drama we are bringing to MIPCOM, our valued buyers know that Australian drama means ‘quality’ and ‘international appeal’ as demonstrated again recently by The Slap and The Straits”.