Kevin Costner’s ‘The Gray House’ To Open Monte-Carlo TV Fest; BBC Buys Viaplay Dramas; Sony Among NATPE Budapest Screenings; BBC World Service Director Exit — Global Briefs

Jesse Whittock, Max Goldbart and Stewart Clarke
·3-min read

Kevin Costner’s ‘The Gray House’ To Open Monte-Carlo TV Festival

The 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival, which takes place 14-18 June, has added a touch of star power. The Kevin Costner-produced civil war spy drama The Gray House will be this year’s World Premiere Screening. The limited series, which Costner’s Territory Pictures and Morgan Freeman’s Revelations Entertainment are making alongside Republic Pictures and Big Dreams Entertainment, will open the fest following a red carpet arrival and opening ceremony. The show, based on a true story, stars Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds, The West Wing), Daisy Head (Harlots), Amethyst Davis (Kindred) and Ben Vereen (Roots) as the unsung women who turned the tide of the American Civil War in favor of the North. Paramount Global Content Distribution has international sales rights. Previous Monte-Carlo openers have included Harlan Coben’s Shelter, Last Light, Empire, Absentia, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and L.A’s Finest.

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BBC Buys Swedish Psychological Thrillers

The BBC has bought a pair of Swedish psychological thrillers from Viaplay. End of Summer and Jana – Marked for Life are heading to BBC iPlayer following the deal, which comes after the Scandi streamer pulled out of the UK. End of Summer spotlights the disappearance of a five-year-old in rural Sweden and is based on former police officer Anders de la Motte’s bestselling novel of the same name. Jana comes from Felix Herngren (The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared) andis about an investigation into the murder of a high-ranking official at the Swedish Migration Agency. “We are so pleased to be adding these two compelling series to our rich catalogue of Nordic Noir,” said Sue Deeks, BBC Head of Programme Acquisition. The deal was struck with Viaplay Content Distribution and comes hot on the heels of the BBC buying Viaplay’s high-profile Rebus reboot – its first UK commission.

Antenna, ZDF, Sony Screening At NATPE Budapest

Antenna Studios, Sony Pictures Television and ZDF Studios will hold screenings as part of the upcoming NATPE Budapest market. The organizers of the event, which is focused on the CEE region, said that over 300 buyers have signed up from over 50 countries. There will be about 100 exhibitors, they added. The conference line-up includes a powerhouse session with CEOs of local broadcasters including Stella Litou from CME, Ralf Bartoleit from bTV and Pavel Stantchev from TV2 in Hungary, moderated by Deadline’s Stewart Clarke. The market runs June 24-27.

BBC World Service Director To Depart

The head of the BBC World Service is stepping down after three years in post. Liliane Landor will leave in July, having served as Senior Controller of BBC News International Services and BBC World Service Director since 2021. She is a former Head of Foreign News at Channel 4 News. Landor has overseen the BBC’s international news service during a period that has seen huge stories including the Ukraine War and conflict in Israel-Gaza, at a time that funding for the World Service has been under threat. Director General Tim Davie called her a “formidable champion of the BBC’s international services, and an inspirational leader to so many BBC News staff.” Landor added: “Serving as Director of the BBC World Service has been an immense privilege. To have been entrusted with leading a global service relied upon by hundreds of millions worldwide is humbling and the greatest honour of my professional life.”

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