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Prince William, Kate Middleton Royal Wedding Documentary Sells Across Europe – Global Bulletin

In today’s Global Bulletin, a Prince William and Kate Middleton wedding documentary gets Europe sales; Leonine’s SEO Entertainment taps Constantine executive Sebastian Heinlein; Daryl McCormack joins Emma Thompson in “Leo Grande” cast; Flame distributes a David Attenborough documentary, Portfolio boards mockumentary “Decoys”; and Netflix renews Spanish series “Elite.”

Cineflix Rights has pre-sold Royal Wedding documentary “The Day Will and Kate Got Married” to TV4 (Sweden), YLE (Finland), TV2 (Denmark), NRK (Norway), and BBC Poland with further deals currently in negotiation.

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The Finestripe Productions for U.K. broadcaster ITV marks the tenth wedding anniversary of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton. The inside story of the star-studded wedding features interviews with Middleton’s uncle Gary Goldsmith, Royal dressmaker Daniella Helayel, cakemaker Fiona Cairns, Royal protection officer Graham Craker and photographer Hugo Burnand, and relives all the ritual and pageantry during of the Westminster Abbey ceremony.

CASTING

Daryl McCormack (“Peaky Blinders”) will play the role of Leo Grande in “Good Luck To You, Leo Grande,” alongside Emma Thompson in the upcoming comedy drama from Genesius Pictures (“Northern Soul”), directed by Sophie Hyde (“Animals”), from an original screenplay by comedian and writer Katy Brand.

McCormack will portray a sex worker in his 20s hired by Thompson’s character who yearns for some adventure, human connection and good sex.

Align is financing the film with principal Adrian Politowski producing alongside Debbie Gray from Genesius Pictures. Executive producers include Martin Metz, Nessa McGill and Nadia Khamlichi of Align, Julian Gleek of Genesius Pictures, Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder of Cornerstone and Katy Brand.

Principal photography will commence in March. Cornerstone are handling international sales and distribution, co-repping the U.S. sales rights with CAA Media Finance.

APPOINTMENT

Germany’s Leonine StudiosSEO Entertainment has hired Constantin executive Sebastian Heinlein as head of development and creative director. Heinlein joins from April 1 and reports into Gillad Osterer, managing director of SEO Entertainment, and to Nina Etspüler, head of entertainment development at Leonine Studios.

Heinlein will also work in development for Leonine’s other non-fiction production companies. His responsibilities include the development and creation of non-fiction, entertainment and show formats as well as the adaptation of international format rights for the German-speaking market. He was previously head of development at Constantin Entertainment.

DISTRIBUTION

Flame Distribution will be global distributor outside the U.K. for the three-part natural history documentary series “Life in Colour with David Attenborough.”

The series — which employs ground-breaking technology and is presented by the world-renowned natural history icon Sir David Attenborough — is co-produced by the U.K.’s Humble Bee Films and Australia’s SeaLight Pictures for the BBC, Netflix, Channel 9 and Stan.

The series sees Attenborough on location from the rainforests of Costa Rica to the snowy Scottish Highlands to reveal the ways that animals use color. Using new camera technologies, including some developed especially for this series, viewers will be able to see colors usually invisible to human eyes.

Elsewhere, Studiocanal Germany will take over the distribution of the Prokino catalogue in physical and digital home entertainment as well as in SVOD and TV in Germany. The agreement includes over 100 pre-2019 titles, which include “Welcome to the Sticks,” “Amélie,” “3 days in Quiberon” and “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Meanwhile, Portfolio Entertainment has secured global distribution rights to six-part comedy series “Decoys,” which it is launching at MipTV.

The mockumentary-style series, which played on Canadian streamer CBC Gem in July, 2020, lifts the veil on the cut-throat, winner-takes-all sub-culture of competitive wooden duck carving.

“Decoys” is produced by Counterfeit Pictures for CBC Gem. It was created and written by David Pelech (“Fighting with My Family”).

RENEWAL

Netflix has confirmed a the fifth season for Spanish drama “Elite,” filming on which will commence in the coming days. Produced by Zeta Studios for Netflix, the new instalment will feature two additions: Argentine actress Valentina Zenere (“Soy Luna”) and Brazilian actor André Lamoglia (“Juacas”).

The fourth season of the drama, which is set in an exclusive private school in Spain, is yet to stream. “Soy Luna” was an Argentine smash hit for kids from Disney, while Lamoglia was also in a Disney series, “BIA.” – Jamie Lang

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