BBC BASKS IN NORWEGIAN AFTERGLOW
The BBC has acquired Norwegian comedy drama‘Afterglow’for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. The 7×45 minute series tells the story of Ester Sand, the one person you think will live forever, who finds out she has cervical cancer on her 40thbirthday. But after the initial shock, it’s Ester who comforts the people in her life and she has no intention of leaving the world just yet.“ ‘Afterglow’is a story of love and life and all of the glorious and silly things we do before we die,” the broadcaster said. “Afterglow” stars Nina Ellen Odegaard (“Possession”),Torbjorn Harr(“Vikings”),Sara Khorami(“Witch Hunt”) andHermann Sabado(“Home for Christmas”). It was created byKjetil IndregardandAtle Knudsen, who also acts as director. It was produced by Monster scripted for NRK, with rights handled by Reinvent International Sales. “Funny, sad, honest and touching,‘Afterglow’is that rare thing – an uplifting drama about serious illness,” said Sue Deeks, head of BBC program acquisition.
HAPPY DEAL
Commercial cinemas at 61 venues in Hong Kong will offer tickets at a uniform HK$30 ($3.85) on Saturday to celebrate ‘Cinema Day.’ The initiative is part of the city government’s newly launched Happy Hong Kong campaign which will run for ten months and stretch to activities including aa gourmet marketplace, music concerts and a sea-land carnival on the Wan Chai harborfront. Hong Kong has endured several years of social and political turmoil and one of the longest and strictest anti-COVID regimes. Ironically, Hong Kong films have performed strongly at the local box office, since social distancing measures were removed in mid-2022.
THAI FLAVORS
O4 Media Hong Kong has been appointed the global distributor for the six-part cooking adventure series, “Cook & Kin.” World-renowned chef Marco Pierre White and his restaurateur son Luciano are heading to Thailand to meet, learn about and taste authentic regional cuisine from some of the best chefs in the land of smiles. “Cook & Kin” is created and co-produced by Singapore-based O4 Experiential, Thailand-based Brite Panther and Singapore’s IFA Media. Production started in April 2023 with delivery by the end of the summer.
POSTER CHILDREN
The 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) has unveiled two official festival posters. They celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bucheon, located on the outskirts of Seoul, as a separate city. While keeping the slogan “Stay Strange,” underlining BiFan’s identity as a genre film festival that supports talented outsiders, the poster shows two time traveling rabbits and a car with the ‘5027 number plate.
MORE MAX IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Imax Corporation and Galaxy Cinema announced an agreement for two new, state-of-the-art Imax With Laser systems in Vietnam. The deal will bring the first-ever premium Imax laser systems to the country, and increase the number of Imax screens in the country from four to six. The deal is the first with local firm Galaxy and the company said that it will open one of the new sites in Ho Chi Minh City later this year. In a separate agreement, Imax and Thailand’s Major Cineplex announced plans for up to ten laser systems. The new agreement will add an additional five new (two firm and three conditional) laser systems across Thailand. The deal also includes four upgrades to key locations in the country by 2025, including locations in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Chiang Mai, and one upgraded location in Cambodia.
HOSTS
AJ Odudu and Will Best will host “Big Brother” when it bows on ITVX and ITV2 later this year. The pair will share the hosting role on the main show, presiding over the weekly evictions and quizzing housemates on all of the goings on in the Big Brother house. The duo will also host an additional nightly live show debating all the hot topics inside the house.
Odudu recently co-hosted the revival of “The Big Breakfast.” She has hosted on Comic Relief and as part of the Eurovision family, and is also known to ITV audiences having presented backstage on “The Voice U.K.” and “The Voice Kids.” Best has presenting credits across major broadcasters including “Dance, Dance, Dance” for ITV as well as other projects for E4, T4 and BBC Three.
“Big Brother” is produced by Banijay U.K.‘s Initial.
