Oble has picked up international distribution rights for “The Ridge,” a six-part psychological thriller the Paris-based studio and distributor will co-produce with New Zealand’s Great Southern Television (“One Lane Bridge”) and Sinner Films. The project will be presented at this week’s MIA co-production and drama pitch forum.
Created by BAFTA Scotland winner David Murdoch and acclaimed novelist Nora Chassler, co-written by Alan Campbell and Jess Sayer and commissioned by Sky Originals New Zealand and BBC Scotland, “The Ridge” follows a troubled young Scot from Glasgow to rural New Zealand, where she soon becomes enmeshed in a far-reaching plot.
Fleeing addiction and leaving behind a professional life in tatters, the young Mia accepts a wedding invitation from her estranged sister – only to find the would-be-bride dead upon arrival. Caught up in grief, and pulled by a dark attraction to her late-sister’s fiancé, Mia soon uncovers the wider tensions and mysterious forces cleaving apart a rugged mountain community, setting environmentalists and Maori farmers against one another.
‘’The Ridge’ stands out as a unique series that combines captivating characters, breathtaking landscapes and an enthralling narrative,” says Oble co-founder Katia Sol. “Moreover, it delves into current environmental concerns and urgent queries, exploring the delicate balance between agricultural practices and the preservation of our natural surroundings. We are thrilled to collaborate with Great Southern Television to contribute to the realization of this compelling tale.”
“[The program] is a singular, character-driven series that sits in the sub-genre of thrillers like ‘Sharp Objects,’ ‘Top of the Lake’ and ‘The Undoing,’ gradually turning the screw of gnawing suspense,” adds Great Southern Television CEO Philip Smith.“We cannot wait for audiences to meet and root for the ambivalent, unreliable anti-hero that is Mia, and to dive into her mysterious and compelling story.”
Both Smith and Sol will be in Rome to pitch the series at this year’s MIA Market, which runs Oct. 9 – 13.
