Industry

At MIA (Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo) held in Rome last week from 16 to 20 October was lauched The Alliance, a drama partnership formed by European Pubsters Rai, ZDF and France Télévisions (FTV). The first project commissioned is mystery thriller Survivors (12x50' .
The project, which was pitched at MIA two years ago, is a copro between Rai Fiction, Italian prodco Rodeo Drive, French prodco Cinétévé and ZDF, together with France Télévisions. Filming is due to start early next year. The show will be aired both on RaiPlay and Rai due.

British actor Aiden Turner (Poldark, The Hobbit) will also play the lead role in historical drama series Leonardo, about the renaissance legend Leonardo Da Vinci, Italian actor Giancarlo Giannini will play Leonardo's mentor Verrocchio.
The series (8 episodes) is produced by Lux Vide with Frank Spotnitz' s Big Light Productions and Rai Fiction. Created by Spotnitz and Steve Thompson (Sherlock, Deep State). The director is Daniel Percival (The Man in the High Castle, Death Comes to Pemberley) and filming starts in December.

The pubcaster’s drama slate includes several high-profile projects, such as The Name of The Rose, Medici, which returns for a third season in December, and My Brilliant Friend. The second season in the latter HBO copro, titled My Brilliant Friend: The Story of a New Name, is due to launch in spring 2020.

The Alliance is working on six-part secret agent story Mirage, from French prodco Lincoln TV and Cineflix Media-owned Connect3 Media for France 2, ZDF, Canada’s Bell Media and Superchannel. The US$3m-per-episode series is due to launch next year.

Also in the works is the eight-part adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic Around the World in 80 Days, involving London-based Slim Film + TV and Paris-based Federation Entertainment. Greenlit earlier this year, the series also has Australia’s Seven West Media on board.