Juan Jose Campanella, ViacomCBS International Studios Team on ‘Los Enviados’ (EXCLUSIVE)
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Writer-director of Academy Award winning “The Secret in Their Eyes,” starring Ricardo Darín, Argentina’s Juan José Campanella is teaming with Viacom International Studios to direct a new drama series, “Los Enviados.”
Unveiled Friday at a VIS press conference, held virtually, the faith-themed thriller marks the first fruit of a first-look deal unveiled last May between VIS and 100 Bares, the Buenos Aires-based production label of Campanella, whose credits include episodes of “House,” the first season of USA Network 2016 cable drama “Colony” and 2001 comedy feature film “Son of the Bride,” nominated for a best international film Oscar, which Campanella won in 2010 with “The Secret in Their Eyes.”
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Directed by Campanella, “Los Enviados” tracks two priests on a mission to verify the whereabouts of an alleged healer who mysteriously disappears. The priests’ lives, as well as their faith, are pushed to the limit, however, when they discover the psychiatric community on the outskirts of town which is hiding secrets behind the missing healer.
“Not only are we thrilled to be working with a legendary director- producer, Juan José Campanella, on the incredible project, ‘Los Enviados,’” said JC Acosta, president, ViacomCBS Networks Americas. “We are equally excited to be able to offer this new premium product to our clients.”
The two-year deal with VIS calls for Campanella and 100 Bares to develop and produce premium content for VIS.
For 100 Bares, the VIS deal brings money to the table – a commodity in scarce supply in Argentina as networks’ ad revenues have plunged, depleting funding for Argentina’s Incaa state-sector agency, which has sought to power up moneys for Argentine TV production.
Equally, the VIS alliance allows 100 Bares to compete with vastly more capitalized TV industries. “We can think of even more ambitious projects without limiting ourselves in terms of formats and platforms, giving priority to good ideas,” Campanella said after signing with VIS.
News of the VIS-100 Bares joint production “Los Enviados” comes a day after Viacom CBS International Studios and Colombia’s Dynamo announced a pact to co-development and produce original premium content for global audiences.
Both announcements build on three years of extraordinary but logical growth by Viacom in Latin America and Spain which began with Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) – Americas buying Argentine broadcast network Telefe in November 2016.
Viacom purchased a majority stake in Brazilian comedy YouTube channel production house Porta dos Fundos in April 2017. It has gone on to sign first-look deals with writer-director-actor-producer Santiago Segura, creator of the “Torrente” franchise and a towering force in Spanish comedy; Argentine Ariel Winograd, one of Argentina’s top upscale mainstream directors (“Heist of the Century”); and distinguished producer Frida Torresblanco (“Pan‘s Labyrinth,” “Disobedience”) at Braven Films.
This February, VIS unveiled a first look deal with Infinity Hill which was launched at November’s American Film Market by longtime Telefonica and Viacom producer Axel Kuschevatzky (“The Secret in Their Eyes,” “Wild Tales” ),“Waiting for Anya” producer Phin Glynn and producer Cindy Teperman (“Animal”).
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