Fremantle's UFA Launches Stand-Alone Documentary Unit

Fremantle has recruited Mandy Chang, a commissioning editor for the BBC’s Storyville strand, to lead a newly-created global documentary unit.

Manori Ravindran International EditorMandy Chang, the head of BBC documentary strand Storyville, is stepping down after four years in the role to join super-indie Fremantle as global head of factual.Chang, whose role was officially commissioning editor of Storyville and acquisitions, will stay in the post until August, though recruitment for the role will begin in due course.

Brooke Smith, who played Merrilee Legarski on the ABC series Big Sky, has launched her own Emmy campaign and she says the network won’t include her in their official FYC campaign.

EXCLUSIVE: In response to the devastating Covid wave currently ravaging India, Aditya Chopra, Chairman and MD of leading Bollywood production house Yash Raj, is launching the Yash Chopra Saathi Initiative, which aims to provide financial support to thousands of film industry workers.

Model Devon Windsor has launched the Spring Summer 2021 collection of her Devon Windsor Swim line and you can see all of the campaign photos here!

Jamie Lang L.A.-based Spanish-language streaming platform Pantaya and global streamer Starzplay have revealed that production is underway on the period new drama series “Señorita 89” from Fremantle and the Larraín brothers’ Fabula, the latest co-production stemming from a first-look deal between the two, dating back to 2019.The first fruit of that combined labor was global hit series “La Jauria,” available on Amazon Prime Video in Latin America and HBO Max in the U.S.

Naman Ramachandran The nascent Basketball Africa League (BAL), a partnership between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), is set to get its own documentary series.Fremantle, “True Detective” executive producer Richard Brown and sports marketing company Infront have teamed with the BAL to produce an original documentary series telling the story of its launch and inaugural season.

Fremantle and Passenger, the company founded by True Detective producer Richard Brown, are teaming with sports marketing company Infront to make a documentary series about the launch of the NBA-affiliated Basketball Africa League.

Vivienne Chow Retrospectives tributes to German director Volker Koepp and Takamine Go from Japan are featured in the upcoming Taiwan International Documentary Festival, which will kick off on Friday and run until May 9, 2021.The Filmmaker in Focus section will include 11 films by Koepp and the festival claims that the program is one of the most comprehensive showcases of the director’s work in Asia.

EXCLUSIVE: Jon Meacham, the Pultizer Prize-winning historian, is expanding his relationship with Cadence13 with the launch of his own podcast studio.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorFacebook just won its first Oscar.“Colette,” from the social giant’s Oculus VR group and EA’s Respawn Entertainment, picked up the trophy for documentary short subject Sunday at the 93rd Academy Awards. The 24-minute film follows former French Resistance member Colette Marin-Catherine as she travels to Germany for the first time in 74 years.

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin YouTube Originals sets England soccer team manager Gareth Southgate documentary; Firebird options debut novel “Wahala”; Vice Distributions sells programming to streamer Pluto TV; and the BBC’s women’s representation 50:50 Project proves successful.“Raise Your Game with Gareth Southgate,” a feature documentary on England soccer team manager Gareth Southgate, will launch in June as part of YouTube’s Originals series, ahead of the Euro 2020 soccer

Casey Wasserman today unveiled Wasserman Music, an amalgamation of his existing business that has been bolstered by the acquisition of Paradigm Talent Agency’s North American live music representation business. The deal has been in the works for a while.

Queen Elizabeth has released a statement on Wednesday (April 21) – her 95th birthday.

After walking in the procession for Prince Philip’s funeral, Prince Harry sat by himself in St George’s Chapel for the services due to COVID-19 protocols.

Queen Elizabeth was a lonely figure as she sat alone during the funeral of Prince Philip.