Noah Media Group Boards Irvine Welsh Doc
Netflix’s 14 Peaks producer Noah Media Group has boarded a documentary on cult Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh and will shop the show at Mipcom Cannes next week. I Am Irvine Welsh, from LS Films, followed a year in the life of the Scottish auteur as he adapted Trainspotting into a West End musical, published a new novel, launched a record label and worked on two TV series. The doc reflects on a remarkable life after Welsh was propelled into the spotlight when Trainspotting became a cult classic, starring Ewan McGregor, and he has since been prolific across literature, screenwriting and music. BAFTA-nominated Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché director Paul Sng is forging the doc, which is being exec produced by Sarah Drummond and produced by Natasha Dack. The show is 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible producer Noah’s first non-sport global sales project and Head of Sales Catherine Quantschnigg said she is “delighted to be working on this fascinating study of a radical genius.” She will be introducing the show at Mipcom Cannes next week.
Alyssa Milano Set To Keynote Women’s Power Lunch At Mipcom
Insatiable and Charmed star Alyssa Milano is to keynote at the annual Women in Global Entertainment (WGE) Power Lunch at Mipcom Cannes. The event will be held at the Majestic Hotel on Monday, October 17. The multi-hyphenate star will focus on the lunch’s theme this year, ‘Stronger Together. “She’s going to be incredibly inspiring. She’s going to tell her story and light a fire for us all,” said Melissa Madden, Senior Vice President, International Marketing, A+E Networks, which co-hosts the lunch each year in Cannes. This is the 10th anniversary. Milano will also present the inaugural Behind the Scenes award at the Diversify TV Excellence Awards, presented by Mipcom in association with A+E, on Wednesday, October 19. Lucy Smith, Director of Mipcom Cannes said: “From her early advocacy of the #metoo movement, Alyssa has been a true catalyst for change and her impact hugely significant.” We are delighted to welcome her to Cannes for what I have no doubt will be an enlightening session and our thanks to A+E Networks who founded this amazing event with us.”
‘In My Skin’ Scoops Three More BAFTAs and ‘CODA’ Star Emilia Jones Again
BBC Three mental health comedy-drama In My Skin, whose writer beat Russell T Davies to win Best Writer at the BAFTA TV Craft Awards, has scooped three more BAFTAs at the Welsh BAFTA Cymru Awards, while Emilia Jones has picked up another gong for CODA. In My Skin won Television Drama, Writer for Kayleigh Llewellyn and Director Fiction for Molly Manners at last night’s ceremony, which took place in Cardiff and celebrates the best of Welsh TV and film. The comedy-drama follows Welsh teenager Bethan, who lives a double life as she negotiates her mother’s mental illness, friendships and her sexuality while dreaming of being a writer. Llewellyn beat Davies to win Best Writer at the BAFTA Crafts earlier this year, as Davies’ Channel 4 /HBO Aids drama was largely snubbed. Elsewhere last night, CODA star Jones won Best Actress for her performance in the Oscar-winning Apple TV+ hit and Owen Teale won Best Actor for his performance in Dream Horse.
Abacus Media Rights Shops ‘Mariupol: The People’s Story’
Abacus Media Rights has acquired worldwide distribution rights, excluding the UK and Northern Ireland, on the feature-length documentary Mariupol: The People’s Story and sold it into several territories ahead of Mipcom Cannes. The doc, from Top Hat Productions, was commissioned by the BBC for its Panorama strand and is billed as the definitive story of the destruction of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, told with access to the people who lived there. Robin Barnwell directs and Hilary Andersson produces the doc. Sales include SBS in Australia, CBC Gem (Canada), Quebecor Content (French Canada), SWR (Germany) and ARTE (Germany, France), RTE (Ireland), TV4 (Sweden), MTV (Finland), VPRO (Netherlands), TV2 (Denmark), TV2 (Norway), VRT (Belgium), HBO Europe (CEE and Baltics) and BBC Select (USA). “It is a privilege to represent this programme and to offer it to our clients around the world who agree that this shocking story needs to be shared with as wide an audience as possible,” Jonathan Ford, Managing Director, said.
Beyond Rights Hires Veteran Sales Exec Tara Gaule From BBC Studios
Days after its sale to Banijay was announced, Beyond Rights has hired international TV veteran Tara Gaule as Vice President of Sales for France, CEE, the Middle East and Africa. She joins from BBC Studios, where she has spent the past six years licensing unscripted, scripted and kids’ content to a wide range of territories. Before that she sold formats for Small World IFT and spent four years as VP of Sales at Zodiak Rights, which itself is now part of Banijay. She’s also worked at the likes of DRG and Handmade Films International. Sarah Bickley, Beyond Rights Head of Sales, said: “Tara’s experience across unscripted, formats and kids perfectly reflects the current focus points for our business, with our new Mipcom slate featuring great new content from each of these genres. With her expertise and deep knowledge of key markets such as France, she is well placed to make an immediate and important contribution to the team.”