Documentary on Italian Icon Raffaella Carrà in the Works at Fremantle – Global Bulletin
DOCUMENTARY
Fremantle has won a bidding war for exclusive rights to produce a high-end documentary about Raffaella Carrà, the iconic Italian singer, actor, dancer and TV host who was a pop culture sensation across Europe and Latin America.
Carrà, who died in July at 78, rose to fame in Italy as a singer and dancer during the 1970’s as co-host of the variety show “Canzonissima,” where she plugged her original songs directly into its dance and music numbers, including the show’s opening credits. On the show she famously wore a risquè outfit that marked the first time a woman dared to expose her midriff on TV in Italy, sparking an uproar form the Vatican and sending the ratings soaring. But Carrà was never one of the many women whose bodies were exploited on Italian TV. On the contrary, she became a symbol of female empowerment.
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In 1976, she sang her first major international hit, “A Far l’Amore Comincia Tu” (Be the One Initiating Sex), which was literally a call for women to communicate their sexual desires to their lovers. Carrà subsequently became very popular in Spain and Latin America where she recorded several shows titled “La hora de Raffaella Carrà”.
Fremantle’s untitled Raffaella Carrà project is being spearheaded by COO Andrea Scrosati, who is also the group’s CEO for continental Europe, as well as the company’s chiefs in Italy, Gabriele Immirzi, Spain, Nathalie García, and also Fremantle global head of documentaries Mandy Chang and its Italian head of docs Alessandro De Rita. The documentary also has support in Spain from veteran Spanish TV exec Fernando Jerez who heads Fremantle’s new local production arm En Cero Coma Producciones, dedicated to factual and docs.
Financial details of the deal with the official rights owners of the Carrà estate were not disclosed.
Keshet Tresor Fiction
COMMISSION
Keshet Tresor Fiction, Tresor and Keshet International’s German scripted production hub, has been commissioned to produce five-part comedy drama “How to Dad” by German public broadcaster ARD. Based on a Keshet Broadcasting and Yoav Gross Productions’ original format, the show centers on four fathers randomly brought together by their preschool kids’ weekly ballet class. Their ambition for dance is ignited when the ballet teacher announces there will be a father-daughter performance at the end of the course.
Directed by Jakob Lass, the show stars Helgi Schmid, Patrick Güldenberg, Vladimir Burlakov, Ugur Kaya and Nikeata Thompson.
“How to Dad” is a Keshet Tresor Fiction production on behalf of ARD Degeto for the ARD Mediathek. The scripts for the series were written by Richard Kropf and Anneke Janssen, based on the original Israeli format by Eran B.Y., Jonni Zicholtz, Omri Amit, Adar Meirom and Yoav Gross.
STREAMING
Streamer Lionsgate Play India has revealed its fourth original series commission, an as-yet-untitled espionage thriller to be directed by Rohan Khambati, known for choreographing action sequences in films such as “Dhoom 3” and “Thugs of Hindostan.” The series will be produced by Endemol Shine India and Hypaethral Media.
Lionsgate Play’s first original series commission, “Hiccups and Hookups,” starring Lara Dutta and Prateik Babbar, is currently streaming.
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
British Olympic champion diver Tom Daley, who famously knitted his way through the games, will deliver a message of inclusion in U.K. broadcaster Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message, which airs on Christmas Day.
Daley reveals how “incredibly lucky” he is that his sport has supported him to live as an openly gay man, but he acknowledges not everyone in sport has the same backing. Using the platform to raise an issue close to his heart he speaks of homophobia in sport, particularly football, using the example of Australian footballer Josh Cavallo who is only one among 65,000 professional players who felt comfortable enough to come out and talk openly about their sexuality.
Speaking of the challenges facing gay people, Daley says: “In 2022 the World Cup is being held in the second most dangerous country for queer people, Qatar. Why are we allowing places that aren’t safe for ALL fans and ALL players to host our most prestigious sporting events?”
Daley also applauds how this year’s Olympics saw its first trans athletes competing, referencing Quinn, the first out trans Olympic medallist who won gold for the Canadian women’s soccer team.
Daley closes with a call for inclusivity and equality saying: “We can make this country the most accepting, the most inclusive, the most progressive country on Earth. What if in Britain anybody could be anything regardless of where they started? What if we all started from the same place. Now, wouldn’t that be something to be proud of?”
First airing in 1993, Channel 4’s Christmas message – the alternative to the Queen’s annual televised message to the U.K., has previously featured a varied selection of presenters, including the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; whistle-blower Edward Snowden; Afghan war veteran Major Andrew Stockton; children who survived the Grenfell Tower disaster; The Simpsons; and 9/11 survivor Genelle Guzman. Last year’s message was delivered by a “deepfake” digitally created The Queen.
Channel 4
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