Mipcom 2023 Buzz Titles: ‘Concordia,’ ‘La Mesias’ and 17 More to Watch
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Coming off another year marked by uncertainty and conflict, ordinary, unlikely heroes take center stage in a slew of new shows. While crime especially the Nordic-inspired kind is not going anywhere, and there are quite a few spectacles waiting around the corner, including Mipcom world premiere “Concordia,” intimate stories about families and friends butting heads but ultimately trying to come together continue to dominate the market stage. There are also more portrayals of strong, complicated women who dare to dream big today or in the past. The following is a list of some of the buzziest titles at Mipcom.
“After the Party”
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(ITV Studios)
Penny Wilding (played by Robyn Malcolm) likes to keep herself very busy: she is a science teacher, basketball coach, environmental activist, mother and grandmother. Famously outspoken and suffering no fools, she alienates many in her close-knit community. But Penny is perfectly fine with that.
She is harboring a painful memory, however: five years ago, her world imploded when she accused her now ex-husband of a sex crime and nobody believed her. Now, he returns to the coastal town of Wellington and even her daughter pressures her to let go of her accusations. Penny is faced with a tricky dilemma: is the truth more important than her already strained relationships?
Lingo Pictures, behind “Lambs of God,” produces for TVNZ/ABC. The show premieres this month.
“Big Mood”
(Fremantle)
“Bridgerton” and “Derry Girls” star Nicola Coughlan shines bright alongside “It’s a Sin’s” Lydia West in this Channel 4 show exploring many facets of long-time female friendship, which is threatened by serious mental illness.
Written by Camilla Whitehill and directed by Rebecca Asher (who also showed an equally complex bond in “Dead to Me”), the series, over the course of six episodes, focuses on Maggie and Eddie. As Maggie’s bipolar disorder suddenly makes an unwelcome return, Eddie begins to question whether their friendship is really in their best interests.
Georgie Fallon produces, with Lotte Beasley Mestriner as executive producer, as well as Laurence Bowen and Chris Carey for Dancing Ledge Prods.
“Black Daisies”
(Studiocanal)
Polish production company Balapolis, which is behind indie curio “Baby Bump” and Anka and Wilhelm Sasnal’s Berlinale premiere “We Haven’t Lost Our Way,” introduces a new mystery thriller combining supernatural elements and the emotional struggles of a woman trying to save her daughter’s future, even if it means having to reconcile with her own past.
One day, Lena is forced to face her worst fear: her estranged teenage daughter vanishes. Returning to her hometown, Lena partners up with old childhood friend Rafał, now a policeman, and starts navigating the town’s underworld of abandoned tunnels and many dangers.
Mariusz Palej directs, with Karolina Kominek, Dawid Ogrodnik (“The Last Family”) and Edyta Olszówka rounding out the cast.
“Boat Story”
(All3Media Intl.)
An action thriller set against the Yorkshire coastline in Northeast England, “Boat Story” follows two very ordinary people, Janet and Samuel. The world has turned its back on them a long time ago, but now, thanks to a stroke of luck and a whole lot of cocaine left on a shipwrecked boat they might finally get what they want in life. It’s a dangerous game, obviously, but these unlikely strangers-turned-allies might be desperate enough to play it.
Daisy Haggard (“Breeders”), Paterson Joseph (“Vigil”), veteran actor Tchéky Karyo and Joanna Scanlan navigate many twists and turns of the story, one that also delivers a solid helping of dry humor. Two Brothers Pictures pro- duces for BBC One; Freevee is also on board.
“Bria Mack Gets a Life”
(New Metric Media)
Set to premiere on Canada’s Crave this month, after its bow at Toronto, where it has earned comparisons to Issa Rae’s hilarious “Insecure” heroines, this half-hour comedy series follows Bria “Mack” McFarlane (“The Handmaid’s Tale’s” Malaika Hennie-Hamadi), a 25-year-old Black woman navigating adulthood in a predominantly white world. What makes it even harder, or perhaps actually easier, is Black Attack (Hannan Younis, featured in “What We Do in the Shadows”): her invisible “hype girl.”
The show, produced and distributed by New Metric Media, was created by Sasha Leigh Henry, named as one of Variety’s 10 Canadians to Watch in 2022. Show is executive produced by Henry, Tania Thompson and Mark Montefiore, with Angelique Knights and Tamar Bird serving as producers.
“Concordia”
(Beta Film, ZDF Studios)
This highly anticipated series, world-premiering at Mipcom and backed by Beta Film and ZDF Studios, is bound to impress. “Games of Thrones” and “The Swarm’s” mastermind Frank Doelger welcomes his audience to visually striking Concordia: the perfect town of the future, built on surveillance and data collection. All for the greater good of its citizens, of course. Its leadership’s goal is clear: creating a better and more humane society. But as Concordia prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary, terrible disaster strikes the community has to deal with its first-ever murder and the hacking of the town’s AI.
Series is produced by Intaglio Films for ZDF, France TV, Hulu Japan and MBC. Ruth Bradley, Nanna Blondell, Christiane Paul and Steven Sowah star.
“Davos 1917”
(Global Screen)
Contrast Film, Letterbox Film- produktion, Amalia Film and SRF/ARD/Degeto join forces to deliver a spy drama based on tumultuous real events. At the be- ginning of 1917, with World War I still raging, Davos, a spa town in the Swiss Alps, seems like an oasis of peace. Still, behind the scenes, neutral Switzerland turns into a setting for a battle between international secret agents. A young nurse, who needs to win back her child, also gets caught up in the storm. Dominique Devenport, recently taking on the titular role in “Sisi,” David Kross and Sunnyi Melles, seen in “Triangle of Sadness,” star in the period thriller.
The show is directed by Jan-Eric Mack, Anca Miruna Lazarescu and Christian Theede.
“Descendants”
(Red Arrow Studios Intl.)
Tinna Hrafnsdóttir (“The Quake”) created, stars in, directs and co- writes with Ottó Geir Borg and Tyrfingur Tyrfingsson this Icelandic take on “Succession.” In her character-driven drama, a dysfunctional family needs to deal with greed, rivalry, loyalty and responsibility, albeit on a smaller scale.
When three middle-aged siblings, who couldn’t possibly be more different, inherit the successful whale-watching company and their parents’ summer house, things get complicated. Suddenly, they need to make joint decisions about the legacy they all feel entitled to.
Polarama, Freyja Filmworks, Projects and Lunanime produce, in co-production with the Lumière Group for Siminn.
“The Doll Factory”
(Cineflix Rights)
Paramount + U.K. introduces this gothic thriller, set in London in 1851 and based on Elizabeth Macneal’s book. Indie darling Sacha Polak directs (alongside Cathy Brady), reuniting with her “Hanna” and “Silver Haze” star Esmé Creed-Miles.
Creed-Miles plays Iris, who paints dolls for a living but dreams of becoming an artist. Soon, she comes across taxidermist Silas, who owns a shop filled with his creations, and Louis, a member of the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. As Iris starts to challenge patriarchal beliefs, her world expands. But alongside her new independence, a dark obsession begins to unfold.
Creed-Miles is joined by Éanna Hardwicke (“Normal People”) and Mirren Mack (“The Witcher: Blood Origin”). Tony Wood, Anna Burns, and Richard Tulk-Hart are executive producers for Buccaneer.
“Estonia”
(Beta Film)
A limited series about the sinking of the MS Estonia in 1994, which claimed hundreds of victims, is bound to restart a heated debate around an event that’s still shrouded in mystery. Delivering visual spectacle but also intimate human dramas, the show framed around the investigation carried out by the Joint Accident Investigation Committee (JAIC), established by Sweden, Estonia and Finland is produced by Fisher King, in co-production with Panache Film, Amrion Oü and Kärnfilm for TV4, C More, MTV and Pro7.
The show zooms in one member of the JAIC, obsessed with finding the cause for the catastrophe. By interviewing both rescuers and survivors, he gets closer and closer. Created by Miikko Oikkonen (“Bordertown”), it’s directed by Måns Månsson and Juuso Syrjä.
“Fallen”
(Banijay)
Camilla Ahlgren, the acclaimed Swedish screenwriter behind “The Bridge,” created this crime drama and co-wrote it with Martin Asphaug and Alex Haridi. “Fallen” also reunites Ahlgren with “The Bridge” star Sofia Helin, fresh off Viaplay’s “Limbo.” In “Fallen,” Helin plays Iris Broman, the new head of the so-called Kalla Fall: a group solving cold cases in Malmö. Escaping Stockholm after a tragedy, she moves to a small town and her half-sister’s house by the sea (Hedda Stiernstedt, seen in Netflix’s “One More Time”). But then a certain cold case becomes “hot” once again.
Filmlance’s Anna Wallmark produces, with Lisa Dahlberg serving as executive producer at C More and TV4. ZDF and Film i Skåne Distribution are also attached.
“Fright Krewe”
(NBCUniversal)
It’s time to get scared, very scared, as DreamWorks delivers its first animated horror series for kids (aged 8-12 years old), created by “Cabin Fever” and “Hostel” helmer himself, Eli Roth, as well as writer James Frey.
In the story, an ancient prophecy and a voodoo queen put misfit teens in charge of saving New Orleans from the biggest demonic threat it has faced in almost two centuries. But saving the world might be easier than actually becoming friends.
Sydney Mikayla, Tim Johnson Jr. and Grace Lu star in the main cast, while Vanessa Hudgens and Melanie Laurent also make appearances. Ten-episode “Fright Krewe” was released Oct. 2 on Hulu and Peacock. Roth, Frey, Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco serve as executive producers.
“La Mesías”
(Movistar Plus)
Fresh off its premiere at the San Sebastian Film Festival, this genre-blending, complex show already has the local industry buzzing. Spanish showrunners Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, following “Paquita Salas” and “Veneno,” dive right into the many consequences of childhood trauma, as a viral video of a Christian pop group, consisting of several sisters, ends up having an enormous effect on the life of Enric, a man marked by religious fanaticism.
A Movistar+ original, the show which begins in the 1980s is produced by Calvo and Ambrossi at Suma Content. Pedro Almodóvar favorite Lola Dueñas (“Volver,” “Broken Embraces”) stars as the domineering matriarch, joined by Roger Casamajor, Macarena García, Carmen Machi and Cecilia Roth.
“Monsieur Spade”
(Black Bear)
In this crime thriller starring Clive Owen, who is also exec producing, it’s back to legendary detective Sam Spade, famously depicted in ‘The Maltese Falcon.’ Now, the year is 1963 and Spade (Owen, following into Bogart’s footsteps) is enjoying his retirement in the South of France. His new life is peaceful and quiet, but the rumored return of his old adversary will change everything. When six beloved nuns have been brutally murdered at the local convent, the town grieves. As secrets emerge, new leads are established. Scott Frank, behind “Godless” and “The Queen’s Gambit,” directs – and co-writes with Tom Fontana – while FilmNation Entertainment handles sales. AMC is handling distribution in North America.
“Oxen”
(Reinvent)
Niels Oxen is a Danish war hero but while investigating the death of his best friend, who died during a military mission in Mali, Oxen is wrongfully arrested for possession of narcotics. He is dishonorably discharged from the military and retreats to the seclusion of Rold Forest. Yet when the owner of the forest, Hans-Otto Corfitzen, is found dead, Oxen becomes the prime suspect. However, the chief of the Danish security service, Frigg Mossman, covertly recruits Oxen to go undercover for the investigation and suddenly he finds himself in the heart of a deadly web.
The show is based on the book series of the same title and directed by Jannik Johansen (“Borgen,” “Follow the Money”) and stars Jacob Lohmann (“Shorta”). The six-episode series is created by Mai Brostrøm and Peter Thorsboe, who wrote the critically acclaimed series “Unit One” and continued with hit series “The Eagle” and “The Protectors.” All three won International Emmy Awards for best drama.
“Scrublands”
(Abacus Media Rights)
A four-episode crime series, aired by Stan Australia and Nine Network, is based on the novel by Chris Hammer. Featuring Luke Arnold (“Black Sails”), Jay Ryan (“Top of the Lake”) and Bella Heathcote, seen in Netflix’s “Pieces of Her,” it centers on an isolated country town, where a young, charismatic priest opens fire on his congregation, killing five people. One year later, an investigative journalist comes along, wanting to write an article about the tragedy. But he quickly finds out there is much more to the troubling story.
“Scrublands” is directed by “Wolf Creek’s” Greg McLean and written by Felicity Packard, Kelsey Munro and Jock Serong. Ian Collie, Rob Gibson, David Redman and Felicity Packard produce for Easy Tiger.
“This Town”
(Banijay)
“Peaky Blinders” and “SAS Rogue Heroes” creator Steven Knight returns, telling the story of an extended family and four young people who are drawn into the world of ska and two-tone music in early 1980s Britain.
Michelle Dockery, Nicholas Pinnock and David Dawson (“The Last Kingdom”) lead the cast of the six-part series. Both a dynamic thriller and family saga, “This Town” opens in 1981 during the time of social tension and unrest, as the main characters look to forge their own paths in life, and for the kind of solace that only music can offer.
Produced by Kudos (a Banijay U.K. company) and Nebulastar for the BBC, it’s co-produced with Mercury Studios in association with Kudos North, Stigma Films and Nick Angel.
“Those Who Stayed”
(Red Arrow Studios Intl.)
Ukraine’s FILM.UA collaborates with SVT (Sweden), YLE (Fin- land) and NRK (Norway) on this anthology drama series, inspired by dramatic events in Kyiv in the first few weeks after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With each episode helmed by a different Ukrainian filmmaker, the stories range from tragic to dramatic to humorous, showing the many stories of those who, as promised by the title, decided to stay.
Those featured include Olga, now forced to live in the same room with her ex-husband and her new family, and Klaus, a young German doctor who travels all the way to Ukraine to rescue a friend who has no intention of leaving.
The series is directed by Oleksii Yesakov, Artem Lytvynenko, Pavlo Ostrikov, Tala Prystaetska, Valen- tyn Shpakov and Katya Tsarik.
“White Lies”
(Fremantle)
South Africa’s Mnet and Quizzical Pictures are ready to tell some “White Lies” in a show set in a wealthy Cape Town neighborhood. But there is something dark hiding behind its elegant surface, and investigative journalist (Natalie Dormer, also executive producing) is ready to ruffle some feathers. After her estranged brother’s murder, her world plunges deeper into chaos when his own teenage children become prime suspects and the local police force, a corrupt political system and the secretive world of extreme wealth begin to collide.
John Trengove, behind Berlinale entry “Manodrome” with Jesse Eisenberg, directs alongside Thati Pele, Catharine Cooke and Christiaan Olwagen.
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