Singapore Airlines Turbulence Doc Sells Around The World; Busan Fund; SkyShowtime Partners With Prime; RTL Votes For Political Reality Format – Global Briefs

Singapore Turbulence Doc Sells Around The World

A wealth of broadcasters have funded a fast-turnaround doc about turbulence following the tragic Singapore Airlines disaster. Turbulence: How Safe is Your Flight? has landed investment from ITV (UK), Seven (Australia), WELT (Germany), TV4 (Sweden), MTV (Finland), TV2 (Denmark), RTL (Netherlands), DPG (Belgium), RTS (Switzerland) and SRL DA (worldwide), with discussions ongoing with broadcasters in other territories. The single doc uses minute-by-minute analysis of flight SQ321 to examine the science of turbulence – exploring its causes, effects, and implications, what pilots can do to avoid it and whether this is a phenomenon that is getting worse as a result of climate change. Featuring exclusive interviews with passengers, pilots and air crew, the documentary provides an account of how pilots and aircraft deal with mid-flight challenges caused by turbulence. The doc follows last month’s tragic incident when a British man died from a suspected heart attack onboard after severe turbulence on the Singapore Airlines flight. Passengers recounted scenes of terror and said many had feared for their lives. Emporium Productions is behind the doc and Silverlining Rights is distributing. “Turbulence: How Safe Is Your Flight? has mass global appeal and we expect more broadcasters and platforms to come on board with this topical, eye-opening and informative documentary,” said Silverlining MD Bethan Corney.

More from Deadline

Busan Fund Unveils Official 2024 Selection

Asian Cinema Fund (ACF), which is operated through Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)’s Asian Contents & Film Market, has unveiled a 13-strong selection for its 2024 edition. Some 689 submissions were received by the ACF, which is a BIFF support program aimed at discovering Asian projects. The three selected for script development funding are Nemil Rajesh Shah’s Indian title 7 to 7, Lin Htet Aung’s Myanmar-Thailand project Making a Sea and Ozsanna Gevorgyan’s The Sickness of Yerevan out of Armenia. Four will receive post-production funding — namely Charles Hu’s As River Goes By from China, Baek Seungbin’s Korean effort I Am Love, Nidhi Saxena’s Indian project Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman andKang Mija’s Spring Night, also out of Korea. Sox documentaries are also receiving backing. Three come out of Korea: Yi Seungjin’s Can I Talk to You?, Tim Taeil and Ju Romi’s Dew is Coming and Kim Sungeun’s Waterfull Paradise. The others are Pallavi Paul’s Indian project How Love Moves, Miko Revereza’s Lovers’ Discourse from the Philippines and Qashqai Tribe: Once Upon a Time in Shiraz from Iran’s Hamed Zolfaghari. The 29th BIFF will be held from October 2-10 around the Busan Cinema Center in Korea. The Asian Contents & Film Market will run over five days between October 5-8 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center.

SkyShowtime Partners With Prime Video Channels

SkyShowtime has struck a deal with Prime Video in Spain, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden. The Comcast/Paramount Global streamer’s latest distribution deal will see Prime Video Channels take the platform from July 1 in Spain, while it will arrive later in the other territories. SkyShowtime is available in more than 20 markets across Europe, and operates in those that Peacock and Paramount+ aren’t in. Recent tentpoles include Mayor of Kingstown, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and Oppenheimer. “This deal enables us to expand our reach in some of our key markets, giving Amazon customers access to our exclusive series, blockbuster films, and local original programming,” said SkyShowtime CEO Monty Sarhan.

Reality Format Puts Politicians In A Castle For Debates, Duels, Confessions

It’s election year in many countries and Belgian producers are putting a reality TV spin on the democratic process. The Political Assembly gathers politicians in a castle for “a weekend of group debates, one-on-one ‘duels’ and personal confessions.” RTL in the Netherland has just greenlit a local version of the show. It has been a huge hit on VTM in its home market of Belgium, garnering average market share of 49.6% (18-44, consolidated) in the weeks before the national elections. The show was created and produced by Bargoens, which is led by well-known creative Eric Goens. Be-Entertainment shops the format and did the RTL deal.

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