News

Nicely Entertainment has tapped ex-TF1 exec Rachel Siegenthaler for vice president of international sales.

Siegenthaler will remain in Paris for the newly-created role, which will be focused on expanding L.A.-based Nicely’s European presence.

The role will include responsibility for Emea and Asia sales and co-productions, which include ten movies set to debut at Mipcom next month. The Mipcom slate includes “Cloudy with a Chance of Christmas” (pictured above), “A Christmas to Treasure,” “A Royal in Paradise” and “Baked with a Kiss” as well as family documentary “Beyond the Reef,” which introduces audiences to the Great Barrier Reef. The feature, which is set to be released in IMAX, is narrated by Shuang Hu.

Rachel Siegenthaler courtesy of Nicely Entertainment

Siegenthaler previously worked for TF1, Turner and her own consulting agency, which is focused on distribution. In her new role she will report to Nicely CEO Vanessa Shapiro and Scott Kirkpatrick,...

New York-based film and television studio and streaming network FilmRise has struck a production and distribution deal with Los Angeles-based Nicely Entertainment.

Under the terms of the deal, FilmRise will co-produce and exclusively distribute in the U.S. holiday-themed films “Sappy Holiday,” starring Vanessa Sears (“The Last Man”) and John McLaren (“Heartland”) and “Snowball Effect” along with two newly completed productions from Nicely – “Adeline,” starring John Schneider (“Dukes of Hazard”) and “Snapshot to Love,” starring Lexi Giovagnoli (“Christmas Lovers Anonymous”) and Benedict Mazurek (“Danger! Danger!”).

In addition, FilmRise is picking up U.S. digital distribution rights to some 20 holiday films in the Nicely library.

Along with the FilmRise Streaming Network, the new productions will be offered to a range of broadcasters and digital partner platforms. In 2021, FilmRise entered a similar deal with Reel One Entertainment, which focuses on female-lead, feel-good romance and holiday films, that included FilmRise acquiring 15 new releases,...

Nicely Entertainment has hired Nent Studios U.K. executive Scott Kirkpatrick as executive VP of distribution and co-productions.

Kirkpatrick joins the Los Angeles-based Nicely following his departure from the Scandinavian Nent Group-backed distributor and producer, which was previously known as Drg. Kirkpatrick was senior VP of North American sales, co-production and global digital strategy for the outfit, which sells ITV’s “Doc Martin” and BBC and ABC Australia’s “The Cry.”

His appointment at Nicely Entertainment, which is just over a year old, marks a reunion for Kirkpatrick and founder Vanessa Shapiro, who previously worked together at MarVista Entertainment, where Kirkpatrick served as executive director of distribution. Previously, he worked at Icap Media as VP of sales and media brokerage, and Bennet Media Worldwide as director of international sales.

“I’m delighted that Scott and I will be working together again. He’s a talented executive with deep industry experience...

FilmRise has licensed more than 500 hours of content from Nent Studios UK, the production and distribution entity of the Nordic Entertainment Group (Nent).

Under the deal, FilmRise has acquired all digital rights, including AVOD and SVOD for the content in both the North and South American territories.

The package includes the British comedy “Peep Show,” which won a BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy; “Black Books,” which also won the BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy; and the original British version of “Shameless,” which won prizes at the BAFTA TV Awards and the British Comedy Awards.

FilmRise has also acquired the exclusive ad-supported rights to the first five seasons of “Doc Martin,” the British medical comedy drama series, and will be bringing Season 6 to platforms. The show won the British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Drama in 2004, and has been widely popular. Its ninth season aired last year.

“This new partnership...

FilmRise has signed a deal with Nent Studios UK to license 500-plus hours of content, including the original British version of the Showtime hit “Shameless” and six seasons of the beloved comedy “Doc Martin.”

Under the deal with the Nordic Entertainment Group’s production/distribution business, FilmRise will pick up North and South American digital rights, including AVOD and SVOD, for a range of shows, including “Peep Show,” the longest-running comedy in the history of the U.K.’s Channel 4 history; the BAFTA-winning comedy “Black Books” and more.

“Shameless,” a Manchester-set comedy that ran for 11 seasons in the U.K. from 2003-11, helped launch the career of a young James McAvoy and spawned a successful Showtime version set in Pittsburgh and starring William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum.

“This new partnership with Nent Studios UK is very exciting for us,” FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher said in a statement. “It...

In this week’s International TV Newswire, MipCancun mirrors Latin American industry growth; Nice Drama and BBC Studios hire new executives; Brazil’s Globoplay platform picks up five international series; and Series Mania heads to the Big Apple for an Ifp Week spotlight.

MipCancun Underscores Latin American Growth

Markets are as volatile and fast-changing as the industry as large. As Toronto’s spluttered this week, constrained by the challenge of U.S. distribution at large, Reed Midem announced a mouth-watering line up of speakers for Mexico’s MipCancun: “Hernan” showrunners Curro Royo and Julián de Tavira; ex-Netflix honcho Erik Barmack, now at new shingle Wild Sheep Content; Marcelo Tamburri, VP of scripted development at Turner Latin America; and Joanna Lombardi, Movistar head of fiction for Latin America.

Produced by Mexico’s Dopamine and Spain’s Onza Ent, “Hernan” is sold by A & E Network Intl. and is set to...

Acorn TV has acquired a pair of Martin Clunes-fronted titles including true crime drama Manhunt.

The Svod service has acquired ITV drama Manhunt, which stars Doc Martin’s Clunes as Detective Colin Sutton, the police officer who tenaciously pursued British serial killer Levi Bellfield.

The series, which is produced by Buffalo Pictures and written by Ed Whitmore (Silent Witness), has been picked up from distributor Drg and Acorn TV has taken exclusive North and South American rights.

The drama is the real life story of how the 2004 murder of French National Amelie Delagrange was eventually linked to the murders of Marsha McDonnell in 2003 and the abduction and murder of Milly Dowler as she travelled home from school in 2002. Sutton dedicated himself to finding Delagrange’s killer. With very little evidence, his painstaking approach and the diligence of his fellow officers gradually led to breakthroughs in the case. Manhunt will...

Moving Pictures Film and Television has hired the Bennett Media Worldwide sales team, headed by Paul Rich.

Gary Hirsch, former First Look and Sony Pictures exec, is also joining Mpf&TV as senior acquisitions executive.

The BMW team and libraries will be fully integrated into Mpf&TV with the support of Icap Media, a division of Icap North America. With the addition of BMW's 250 hours of programs to Mpf&TV's existing library of 200 motion pictures, the combined total will exceed 600 hours of programming.

Based in New York, Icap Media managing director Gennaro Buonocore will oversee the effort, with Icap proving Mpf&T the ability to seek and acquire completed and near completion independent films at film festivals. Currently Mpf&TV acquisitions executives are in Toronto.

Additionally, Mpf&TV has sold "Lost City Raiders," which debuted on SyFy, to First Look Studios.

Most recently Mpf&TV acquired Victory Films' catalog of 40 films,...