Embankment Films’ Ian Fleming special among three Night Train Media shows picked up for distribution by Sphere Abacus
Sphere Abacus has picked up sales rights to an upcoming Sky Arts documentary exploring the life of James Bond creator Ian Fleming and two dramas including The Hairdresser Mysteries, as part of a deal with Night Train Media.
Ian Fleming and the Curse of James Bond (1 x 91 minutes and 2 x 45 minutes) has been directed by Adam Low (Alan Bennett’s Diaries) and is being produced by Embankment Films and Lone Star Productions.
It debuts 21 May at 9pm on Sky Arts and explores the enduring appeal of the world Fleming created and how the books and the character of James Bond reflect his own life and his work during World War 2.
The film also establishes the importance of Jamaica in Fleming’s life, with all the James Bond books written at Goldeneye, his house on the island.
The doc features rare archive footage of Fleming, as well as contributions from Ralph Fiennes, William Boyd, Kate Mosse, Nicholas Shakespeare and Marlon James, plus readings by Helena Bonham Carter.
Producers are Martin Rosenbaum (Artificial Thing) and Embankment’s Nick Taussig (McQueen), with Henry Farrington assisatnt producer. Night Train Media supported financing and exec producing.
Sphere Abacus is handling global distribution outside of the UK and Ireland, and picked up the doc alongside two dramas from Night Train: The Hairdresser Mysteries and The Trio (excluding Nordics and Netherlands).
The Hairdresser Mysteries (6 x 60 minutes) is a Mill Bay Media production for the BBC and stars Sally Phillips (Veep). The cosy crime drama tracks how a high-end hairdresser moves to a small town where she uses gossip to solve local secrets.
The Trio (6 x 60 minutes), meanwhile, is based on the novel by Johanna Hedman and is produced by SF Studios for Paramount and NBC Universal-owned streamer SkyShowtime.
The show, which explores themes of love, sex and passion, stars Felix Sandman (Quicksand), August Wittgenstein (Das Boot), Seth Manteus, Nina Zanjani and Rebecka Harper.
The deals come a month after Herbert Kloiber’s Night Train Media restructured its operations by selling its stake in distributor Eccho Rights and production duo BossaNova and Curve Media to private equity outfit Serafin Group.
Serafin had previously invested in Germany-based Night Train, but will now own its stake in the three companies directly.
Herbert L. Kloiber, chief exec at Night Train Media, said: “Following the recent restructures with Night Train Media, we are excited to be working once again with Sphere Abacus to bring both our new and existing series to the international market.”
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