CONTENTS / EVENTS
Ambitious Slate of Nine New Projects Reinforces Studio’s Status As Leading Global Content Creator
From left to right: Federico Cuervo, SVP Head of VIS; Dario Turovelzky, SVP Global Content VIMN America; Pierluigi Gazzolo,President VIMN Americas; Mercedes Reincke, VP Content Development; Juan “JC” Acosta, EVP, COO VIMN Americas; Guillermo Borenzstein, VP Sales and Co Production.
Presented its new slate of content at the 2019 LA Screenings today, while unveiling a ‘first look’ development and production deal with one of Latin America’s foremost filmmakers, Juan José Campanella in front of an audience of more than 200 industry executives at the Intercontinental Hotel in Century City, California.
Amongst the projects presented by VIS were high-quality premium series, daily-scripted programming, films and short-form series, covering a range of genres including comedies, thrillers, horror, dramas, comedy dramas and teen series. The newly announced projects will be produced across a range of different territories and, in many cases, in alliance with proven international partners including Atresmedia Studios, Mediapro Studios, Ay Yapim, and Convergence Entertainment.
“When we launched Viacom International Studios a year ago today, we made a commitment to partner with the best and most diverse talents in the industry to generate content that crosses all borders,” said Pierluigi Gazzolo, President of Viacom International Media Networks Americas. “Today we continue aligning ourselves with strong alliances that complement us and support our ambition to be the best story makers in the industry.”
The following new VIS slate was presented by Federico Cuervo, Head of Viacom International Studios Americas:
- Thriller, El Aesino del Olvido (Before I Forget), an adaptation of a successful Turkish series and created by acclaimed producer, Ay Yapim, tells the story of a man affected with Alzheimer’s who seeks justice for a murder that occurred 20 years ago.
- Innovative comedy drama, Victoria Small, developed in partnership with Mediapro Studios, is a daily scripted series about the story of four women with strong motherly instincts, intertwined in raising little Victoria in a modern family.
- O Pacto (The Deal), is a black comedy series developed and created by Porta Dos Fundos, the leading YouTube comedy channel in Brazil, which tells the tale of a couple who can’t seem to get a break and decide to make a pact with the devil.
- La Casa de las Sombras (Spirit House), created by Jeffrey Reddick, the creator of the film franchise, Final Destination, is a series that presents a new vision of horror.
- Planet Marcia is a scripted Nickelodeon series for teens, in which Marcia achieves her dream to enter Space Camp to train as an astronaut, but before she can take part in a mission to Mars she must solve the mystery of where she is from and reveal a secret that will change humanity.
- El Celular Fantastico (The Fantastic Cell Phone) is a crazy comedy that chases the lives of two friends connected through a cell phone.
- Mala Gente (Bad People), a co-production with the producers of La Casa de Papel, ATRESMEDIA Studios, tells the story of four friends and yoga partners who accidentally kill a stalker and decide to start a criminal career eliminating all those abusive and macho people that make the world a terrible place.
- Punto Rojo (Red Dot), a thriller produced in Spain, begins when a person wakes up in a coffin in an unknown and dangerous place. From there, he will have to face different unexplained phenomena to recover his life.
In addition to these projects, and in support of its strategy to expand its output for theatrical release, VIS also officially announced a ‘first look’ deal with the Oscar-winning director, screenwriter and producer, Juan José Campanella and his production company 100 Bares, to develop and produce global premium content. To coincide with the announcement, the partners unveiled El Cuento de las Comadrejas (The Weasels’ Tale), a comedy film to be directed by Campanella.
At the event in Century City the VIS Americas team also announced the acquisition of the rights to two books. Entre Mi Hijo y Yo, La Luna (In Between My Son and I, The Moon) by renowned artist and musician, Carlos Páez Vilaró, is a diary of his 72-day search for his son in the Andes following a tragic plane crash in 1972 that shocked the world. 38 Estrellas (38 Stars), a New York Times’ best-seller by Josefina Licitra, tells the fascinating true story of 38 female political prisoners who make a bold escape from prison in Uruguay.
“It is an honor to present the best content, produced in a variety of countries with a premiere cast of talent, while we will continue to look for the best existing content wherever they are, to adapt to different formats,” said Dario Turovelzky, Senior Vice President of Global Content for Viacom Americas. “Our essence is to be storytellers and it is present in everything we do”
Since 2018, the Viacom International Studios has produced more than 900 hours and sold 4,500 hours of content in 60 countries, with 20 VIS formats sold.