News

Drug boss series, biopics, a Kiwi skateboarding drama and a smorgasbord of period pieces are set for the upcoming Berlinale Co-Production Market.

The line-up for this year’s Co-Pro Series pitch event, held during the Berlin Film Festival, features projects from Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, the U.S. and from across Europe.

The realities of financing premium drama mean co-production is in vogue and the shows pitched in Berlin will be scouting for partners.

Danish project The Best of Families will be on show, hailing from Piv Bernth’s ITV Studios backed banner Apple Tree. The series traces the impact of a chemical factory on the lives of various families and nature in the 1950s and comes from Maja Jul Larsen (Borgen) and director Charlotte Sieling (Homeland).

Two narco stories have made the grade. Wildlife comes from Brazil and the U.S. and is billed as a series about an unusual drug lord.

Rachel Griffiths drama “Madam” has sold to a slew of territories across the Asia-Pacific region including Hong Kong and Philippines.

The comedic drama stars Griffiths as New Zealand local Mack Leigh who discovers her husband has been visiting sex workers, prompting her to open her own “feminist, ethical brothel.”

Rima Te Wiata (“The Wheel of Time”), Danielle Cormack (“Wentworth”), Robbie Magasiva (“Bad Behaviour”), Martin Henderson (“Virgin River”) and Ariāna Osborne also star.

Based on Antonia Murphy’s memoir, which has been adapted for screen by showrunners Shoshana McCallum (“Inside”) and Harry McNaughton (“The Pact”), the show is directed by Kacie Anning, Madeleine Sami and Peter Salmon and produced by Tavake and XYZ Films for Warner Bros. Discovery Anz in association with Fifth Season, who are handling worldwide distribution.

They have now secured deals with Australia’s Nine Network, Hong Kong’s Now TV and Philippines’ Lionsgate Play.

Executive producers are...

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and Jackass star Steve-o have boarded Sk8 or Die: The Lee Ralph Story, a new scripted series on the life of the New Zealand skateboarder who reached the peak of the sport in the 1980s before abruptly vanishing from the scene. The show, which is currently in active development, is conceived as a biographical anthology series akin to Ryan Murphy’s Monster, which each new season exploring the life of another skating legend.

Auckland-based outfit Tavake will produce Sk8 or Die with Hawk and Steve-o as executive producers. Vinnie Bennett, who played Young Dom in F9, will star as Lee Ralph, with Oscar-nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider, FBI: Most Wanted) as Lee’s sister and life-long partner in crime, Kim Ralph.

The series will follow Lee’s childhood in New Zealand, growing up the son of a heroin-dealing father and his rise to becoming a skating pro in the late 1980s,...

‘Shazam’ actor, Zachary Levi, has been cast in the rock climbing action thriller ‘Free Fall’.

The project tells the story of a father’s attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air.

Zoë Bell, a renowned stuntwoman and stunt coordinator, is all set to take up the directorial duties for the upcoming film project. The movie has been penned by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker. The project is expected to be a thrilling and action-packed adventure that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats.

Also in news – Keanu Reeves set for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ 3 as the voice of Shadow

Tom Hern and Nua Finau of Tavake are producing, with Navid McIlhargey and Erik Olsen executive producing alongside Finegan, Parker and Levi.

Production is set to start later this year in New Zealand.

With his time playing the superhero Shazam seemingly in the rearview mirror, actor Zachary Levi has set his sights on new projects. This includes the rock-climbing action thriller Free Fall, which he will headline for XYZ Films.

According to Variety, Free Fall "tells the story of a father's attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air." The screenplay was written by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker. Production will begin later this year in New Zealand with stunt coordinator Zöe Bell directing, Tom Hern and Nua Finau of Tavake producing, and Navid McIlhargey and Erik Olsen executive producing alongside Finegan, Parker, and Levi.

Related Zachary Levi Brings Drawings to Life in Harold and the Purple Crayon Trailer Zachary Levi's new film, Harold and the Purple Crayon, has debuted its first trailer.

Free Fall...

Stunt double / stunt coordinator Zoe Bell – who has also built up a solid acting career over the years, including a prominent and memorable role (as herself) in Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse movie Death Proof – is set to make her feature directorial debut with the rock-climbing thriller Free Fall, and Variety reports that Zachary Levi of the Shazam movies and the TV series Chuck is on board to star in the film.

Scripted by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker, Free Fall will tell the story of a father’s attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air. Production is set to take place in New Zealand later this year.

Tom Hern and Nua Finau of Tavake are producing the film, with Levi and the screenwriters serving as executive producers alongside Navid McIlhargey and Erik Olsen.

A stuntwoman, stunt coordinator and actor, Zoë Bell (Kill Bill, Death Proof) is on board to direct the upcoming action-survival thriller Free Fall, Variety has reported this morning.

Zachary Levi (Shazam) will star in the upcoming film. From XYZ Films, Free Fall “tells the story of a father’s attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air.”

Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker wrote the screenplay.

“This script is the perfect combo of heartfelt and heart-stopping,” Zoë Bell said in a statement shared by Variety. “Between the producing team, the cast and the New Zealand crews, words don’t do justice to how thrilled I am to be bringing this film home.”

Producers Tom Hern and Nua Finau said, “We are stoked to be teaming up with the guys at XYZ again...

“Shazam” star Zachary Levi is set to headline rock-climbing action thriller “Free Fall” for XYZ Films, with acclaimed New Zealand stuntwoman and stunt coordinator Zoë Bell tapped to direct.

The film — written by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker — tells the story of a father’s attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air. Production is set to start later this year in New Zealand. Tom Hern and Nua Finau of Tavake are producing, with Navid McIlhargey and Erik Olsen executive producing alongside Finegan, Parker and Levi.

Bell began her career as a stunt performer on “Xena: Warrior Princess” and then alongside Quentin Tarantino as a stunt woman and coordinator over a decades-long relationship. She has worked on films such as “The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained,” “Kill Bill,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,...

Rachel Griffiths has been cast as the lead in “Madam,” a new dramedy series about an escort agency.

Griffiths, best known for her roles in “Six Feet Under” and “Brothers & Sisters,” stars as McKenzie ‘Mack’ Leigh, who sets up an ethical brothel in New Zealand after her philandering husband and mountain of debt leave her struggling to provide for her family.

Joining Griffiths on the show are Rima Te Wiata (“The Wheel of Time”), Danielle Cormack (“Wentworth”), Robbie Magasiva (“Bad Behaviour”), Martin Henderson (“Virgin River”) and newcomer Ariāna Osborne.

The series, which started shooting on location this week, is based on Antonia Murphy’s unpublished memoir about an American woman who opened an ethical escort agency in New Zealand after the country decriminalized sex work. Murphy’s company aimed to protect women’s rights, well-being and financial independence.

Showrunners are Shoshana McCallum (“Inside”) and Harry McNaughton (“The Pact”) while...

Red, White & Brass is a movie directed by Damon Fepulea’i and written by Halaifonua Finau.

Maka, a Tongan superfan, will do whatever it takes to get tickets to the Tonga v France Rugby World Cup game – even if that means promising to deliver a brass band for the pre-match entertainment. Only problem is, the band doesn’t exist and Maka has four weeks to make one. Inspired by a true story.

Maka, a Tongan superfan, will do whatever it takes to get tickets to the Tonga v France Rugby World Cup game – even if that means promising to deliver a brass band for the pre-match entertainment. Only problem is, the band doesn’t exist and Maka has four weeks to make one. Inspired by a true story.

From the producers of Hunt for the Wilderpeople and The Breaker Upperers. In Nz Cinemas March 23rd...

Exclusive: Red, White & Brass is the debut feature from director Damon Fepulea’i and we’ve got the first trailer for the Taika Waititi-exec produced inspiring underdog tale. Check it out above.

Based on a true story, the film follows a community of passionate Tongans led by Maka, a superfan who will do whatever it takes to get tickets to the Tonga vs France 2011 Rugby World Cup game – even if that means promising to deliver a brass band for the pre-match entertainment. The only problem is, the band doesn’t exist and Maka has four weeks to create one.

The cast includes John-Paul Foliaki (Popstars), Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (Panthers), Ilaisaane Green (Brutal Lives), Onetoto Ikavuka, Mikey Falesiu (Toke), Lupeti Finau, Lotima Pome’e (Under the Vines) and Haanz Fa’avae-Jackson (Savage).

Fepulea’i co-wrote the script with co-producer Halaifonua (Nua) Finau. The film hails from the producers behind such New Zealand-produced features as The Breaker Upperers,...

Exclusive: XYZ Films and Tavake, the Auckland-based producer of series The Panthers, have acquired adaptation rights to the unpublished memoirs Madame Mom by Antonia Murphy, author of the Huffington Post article I’m an Ethical Pimp.

Murphy, author of Dirty Chick: Adventures of an Unlikely Farmer published by Penguin Random House, moved from the U.S. to New Zealand, where sex work is decriminalized, and in 2016 founded an escort agency built on a philosophy of protecting women’s legal rights, emotional well-being, and financial independence.

A half-hour dramedy adaptation is underway with Shoshana McCallum, who won an International Emmy for Nz series Inside, and Harry McNaughton (The Pact) writing. It is Tavake and XYZ’s first series collaboration.

Tom Hern, Halaifonua Finau (The Panthers) and Crystal Vaega (The Panthers) are executive-producing for Tavake, with Nick Spicer and Marci Wiseman for XYZ. Eric and...

Social justice series to debut on Tvnz on August 15 ahead of TIFF screening next month.

Endeavor Content has boarded worldwide sales on TIFF Primetime selection The Panthers, a social justice series from New Zealand producers Tavake in association with Four Knights Film.

The miniseries of six hour-long episodes was commissioned for Tvnz (New Zealand) and funded by Nz On Air and screens in TIFF’s Primetime international TV showcase.

The Panthers follows the founding of The Polynesian Panthers, a revolutionary social justice movement inspired by the Black Panther movement in the United States. It will debut in New Zealand on...

Endeavor Content has come on board as the global sales agent for “The Panthers,” a music-influenced social justice drama series from New Zealand.

It was Friday confirmed that the series will make its international premiere as an official selection at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, as part of the Primetime program.

The six, hour-long episodes, based-on-a-true-story series covers a devastating and resonant period in New Zealand’s history through the dramatization of the founding of The Polynesian Panthers – a revolutionary social justice movement directly inspired by the Black Panther movement in the U.S.

The 1974-set narrative follows a young man who is the black sheep of his Tongan family who is frustrated by his community being stuck in a broken economic and criminal justice system. In the face of increasingly aggressive racial-profiling from the government and police force, he forms his own revolutionary movement The Polynesian Panthers, while also...

Screen among TIFF Industry Conference media partners

An industry talk with former Searchlight Pictures co-heads Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula and the first look at Ava DuVernay’s Primetime selection and Netflix series on American Football player and activist Colin Kaepernick are among latest additions to Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) programming.

The five-day TIFF Industry Conference running September 9-13 includes panel discussions presented by Screen on toxic behaviour on set and the African film business, as well as a session on Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch programme.

Programmers have two films to Official Selection: John Michael McDonagh’s...

Photo Credit: BBC/Initial

Two lucky young British teen actors return to beautiful Paradise Island (filmed in New Zealand and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands) for more mysteries, sea ghosts and spilled smoothies as a second series of Paradise Cafe debuts on Cbbc.

15 year old Holly Bodimeade from Bath (who starred as Maddy in BAFTA-winning school drama Summerhill), plays Megan, who, prompted by ghost-friend Chloe (Amelia Reynolds) decides to give up working so hard in the cafe, cut loose and have some fun.

Megan's brother Robbo, played by 19 year old Pax Baldwin from Telford (who started his career as a child actor in the West End) has to figure out how he feels about his best mate, Tai (Nua Finau) being the Sea Born.

With the hotel struggling to stay open, it looks like Abi’s (Lara Custance) extended shopping days are finally over. Can she cope with a serious...