FREEDOM FINDS FAVOR
ITN Distribution has picked up distribution rights in North and Latin America for the live action fantasy epic,“Fight For Freedom” from Incredible Film.
The completed film, which is also available as a 5×30 mins. mini-series, is a live action fantasy epic about Friesland’s greatest hero known as Grutte Pier. Fabled Frisian freedom fighter, Peer Gerlofs Donia, is a gentle giant who turns into a blood-thirsty, revenge-driven killer when his family is brutally murdered. His quest for revenge forges him into a beacon for his people as he becomes their leader in a fight for independence. The film is directed by Steven de Jong.
The film’s cast is headed by Milan van Weelden (“Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,”“Zenith: Supercharged Family”) alongside songwriter and actress Elske DeWall (“Grutte Pier”) and composer and actor Syb van der Ploeg (“BAK”).
“ ‘Fight for Freedom’is a fascinating story that needs to be shared […] It will be dubbed into English, Spanish and Portuguese,” said Stuart Alson, president of ITN Distribution.
CLOSER ALLIANCE
While the Hulu streaming service is a Disney unit in North America, Hulu Japan is wholly-owned by Nippon Television’s HJ Holdings. Nevertheless, the two companies have announced a new bundle plan for Disney+ and Hulu Japan with immediate effect. “By joining forces with Hulu Japan, we will bring high quality global and local entertainment to audiences, offering more consumer choice at an attractive value,” said Carol Choi, managing director, Disney Japan.
Hulu Japan offers television series drama series, anime, variety shows, live music and sports from Nippon TV and local original content. The new bundle adds branded content from Disney+, including award-winning films, animation and live-action from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Star. , as well as Hulu Japan’s popular domestic drama series, anime, variety shows, live music and sports.
The new plan is an extension of the strategic collaboration between Disney Japan and Nippon Television announced last year, which aims to leverage both companies’ respective platforms to deliver global and local entertainment to more audiences.
The new bundle plan is priced at JPY1,490 ($10.70) per month (tax included), some 25% less than subscribing to each service individually.
BOX OFFICE RECORD
“John Farnham: Finding the Voice,” which tracks the public and private life of Farnham and features commentary from Olivia Newton-John, Jimmy Barnes, Celine Dion and Robbie Williams, has grossed A$4.37 million ($2.93 million) at the Australian box office. That makes it the highest grossing Australian feature length documentary of all-time and the fourth biggest feature length documentary of any origin ever released in Australia. The film is a Beyond Oz (a Banijay company) production in association with Blink TV, presented by Sony Pictures Releasing International and Screen Australia.
MAKING AN IMPACT
Six Australian filmmakers and producers – Sophie Hyde, Larissa Behrendt, Maya Newell, Alex Kelly, Rachel Naninaaq Edwardson and Lisa Sherrard – have joined forces to launchUnquiet Collective.The firm will offer their ‘impact producing’ model and release a tool kit to help others bridge the gap between a film’s distribution, and its wider social impact, while continuing to impact produce select projects.
The sextet previously worked together on the impact campaign for the 2019 documentary“In My Blood it Runs” (balancing Aboriginal traditions with state education) and the Netflix original documentary“The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone”in 2022, by tackling transphobia and amplifying the voices of trans people.
“Impact work joins together filmmakers and social movements so that the stories reach more audiences and in a richer, deeper way. This work uplifts the film industry by creating meaningful connections between films and audience and reframing film as a relevant part of the cultural conversation, not simply entertainment or business,” said Hyde.
AGENCY
The National Film Authority of Ghana (NFA) has contracted ICON MANN, a media production and management consultancy representing African diasporic heritage, through 2025 in the capacity of the U.S. agency of record for the creative sector to oversee, solicit, and broker its film, television, animation, gaming, theatres and production facilities investment interests.
The NFA works to position Ghana, media investments and its artisans as leading providers on the continent within the creative industries. ICON MANN’s remit is to raise NFA’s profile and partnerships with the U.S. entertainment industry, procure creative industry investors to support NFA infrastructure development of production facilities and cinemas and introduce strategic relationships to employ young Ghanaians with media interests.
SALES
Emmy-winning French animation production and distribution company Dandelooo has sold a total of 420 episodes of preschool animated series “Hungry Bear Tales,” “Our Piggy,” “Kiwi,” “Kosmix,” “Cubs” and “Pompon Little Bear” to Chinese online video and streaming platform Youku. The package deal was finalized by Dandelooo’s international sales and acquisitions manager Melissa Vega.
Cheng Shuhsin, head of international animation acquisition and IP investment, Youku Kids, said: “We are looking forward to introduce more inspiring and diverse content to our young audience in China.”
FORMAT
“The Real Housewives of Warsaw” marks the first Polish iteration of NBCUniversal Formats‘ global franchise and the 35th adaptation overall.
The cast for the debut season includes Anita Kuś-Munsaje, a businesswoman and fashion lover; Magda Pyć-Leszczuk, who runs an advertising agency and a printing company; Barbara (Basia) Sobczak, an implantologist and businesswoman; Anna Szubierajska, owner of a luxury hotel; Monika Żochowska, co-founder of a global brand; Sara Koślińska, who co-owns a start-up company focused on financial technologies; Kasia Przydryga, a photographer specializing in children’s fashion photography; Monika Goździalska, owner of a social app dedicated to pet owners; and Anna Wrońska, PR and marketing manager of a luxury shopping center.
Produced by Rochstar, “The Real Housewives of Warsaw” will be available on Polsat. The Real Housewives format is licensed globally by NBCUniversal Formats, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.
