Falklands War Drama Series In Works From UK & Argentinian Creative Team, Paul Telegdy, Lone Wolf & Infinity Hill

Nellie Andreeva
·3 min read
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The Islands, a 10-episode drama series, is in the works from BBC alum Stephen McDonogh’s Lone Wolf Pictures, Axel Kuschevatzky, Phin Glynn and Cindy Teperman’s Infinity Hill as well as The Whole Spiel, the company launched last year by former NBC Entertainment Chairman Paul Telegdy and his cousin, Stefan Telegdy.

The series, which is being shopped to networks and streamers, tells the story of the Falklands-Malvinas War of 1982 from the point of view of the people who were there and with the involvement of writers and filmmakers from both UK and Argentina. Writing is already underway, with Argentine film and TV writer Sebastian Rotstein (El Presidente Season 2, Morir de Amor) on board.

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The Islands is not a story of failed diplomacy or geo-politics — an angle recently explored on The Crown — but rather an epic portrayal of the brutal realities they brought to a group of extraordinary human beings in a geography that is as bafflingly remote as it is hostile. Using immersive filmmaking techniques, the series will depict firsthand personal experiences of those who fought in the war, ranging from professional soldiers to teenagers, some sent against their will and without any understanding of the dangers ahead.

The civilian stories include stranded French sailors confronting a real-life monster of the war, two intrepid female natural history filmmakers and the people who call these islands home trapped in the crossfire of war.

“Backed by a vast amount of research and a rich variety of sources, we have brought together an intricately weaved ensemble of inspiring, emotional and thrilling stories of those caught in an intense conflict of another age,” McDonogh said. “Forty years on, those events seem terrifyingly relevant to world affairs today. Guided always by truth, this definitive drama delivers a unique perspective of the human cost of war on all sides. We are delighted to announce our collaboration with Infinity Hill in realizing this ambitious cinematic miniseries.”

Lone Wolf Pictures has secured exclusive rights to a number of published works about the 74-day war, which will be used as source material for the series. The producers also are working with a number of military and civilian contributors, including Sir Max Hastings, War Correspondent, and Sir Simon Jenkins (“The Battle for the Falklands”), Cdr Sharkey Ward DSC, AFC, Sea Harrier Pilot (“Sea Harrier Over The Falklands”), Cpl. Mark Ashton, SAS and Stuart Tootal (“SAS: Sea King Down”), Lt Cmdr. David Morgan DSC, Sea Harrier Pilot (“Hostile Skies: Battle for the Falklands”), Pte. James O’Connell, 3 Para (“Three Days In June: 3 Para’s Battle for Mount Longdon”), Major Phil Neame, 2 Para (“Penal Company on the Falklands: A Memoir of the Parachute Regiment at War”), Cindy Buxton FRGS and Annie Price, Nature filmmakers (“Survival: South Atlantic”) and
Rear Admiral Chris Parry CBE, Naval Helicopter Observer (“Down South: A Falklands War Diary”).

“This war had an everlasting impact on my homeland, Argentina, in social and political terms,” said Kuschevatzky, “We feel the need to tell this properly through the view of the people who faced an unthinkable and unparalleled experience. Our biggest challenge is to do something no one else has done before: to create an authentic, dramatic story embracing both perspectives of such defining moment in time.”

Infinity Hill, which is based in the UK, Los Angeles and Buenos Aires, is headed by Kuschevatzky, Glynn and Teperman, in association with Mexico’s Pedro Davila. The company is producing the upcoming Amazon Original feature Argentina, 1985, Paramount+’s El Gerente and La Hija De Dios for Discovery+.

The Islands is one of the first major projects for The Whole Spiel, which Paul Telegdy launched after his exit from NBCUniversal in 2020 after 12 years at the company. Before he left, he was involved in the controversy surrounding Gabrielle Union’s exit from America’s Got Talent and was the subject of an internal investigation. The company has offices in Los Angeles, London and Berlin and is active in film, television, gaming and music.

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