Sebastian Koch and Al Munteanu on Adapting Israeli Series ‘Your Honor’ for Germany

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix’s Director of Local Language Originals for the CEE, Anna Nagler, has outlined the streamer’s ambitions in region, as its biggest drama series from the region, High Water, launches globally today.

In 2017, “Inglorious Basterds” star Diane Kruger teamed up with German director Faith Akin for “In The Fade” to great success. Kruger won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival that year for her portrayal of a woman out for revenge after her husband and son are killed in a racially motivated terrorist attack.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Iceland’s leading production company Sagafilm Nordic has teamed with Swiss banner C-FILMS on “Codeword: Rubicon,” an espionage thriller series inspired by the infamous CIA operation involving the firm Crypto AG. Created by Hungarian director-writer Balazs Juszt(“I Love You, Too”), the eight-episode series has been commissioned by broadcaster Swiss Television (SRF). The show chronicles the story of how Crypto AG, a Swiss family-owned company manufacturing code-making machines founded in 1952 by a Swedish mathematician was secretly owned and operated by the CIA in partnership West German Intelligence services. From decades, the Swiss company sold equipment to more than 120 countries, including Iran and nuclear rivals India and Pakistan, and even the Vatican, according to the Washington Post. The role of the U.S. and West German intelligence was revealed by the Crypto Leaks.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix EMEA TV boss Larry Tanz has claimed the streamer is defying subscriber teething problems by continuing to grow investment in the region, standing by commitments and helping crews and talent as he prepares to welcome a wealth of prospective hits including Dark creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese’s 1899.

Ben Croll Franco-German broadcaster Arte and Paris-based Miam! Distribution have backed the animated documentary “Boys Boys Boys,” with the European broadcaster set to air the upcoming series next autumn as Miam! handles global sales. Still in production, the project is slated for delivery in mid 2023. Directed by Valentine Vendroux and Clawdia Prolongeau and produced by Melting Productions, the 2D computer animated series will address a young adult and adolescent crowd in order to puncture myths about masculinity. Based on an original idea from Florent Guimberteau, the project won attention at Annecy’s Mifa Pitch Forum in 2020 while winning the prize for best pitch at the Rennes Animation Festival later that year.

A favourite of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here viewers has left the show ahead of its upcoming series. The hit ITV reality show returns to screens later this year with Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly returning to Australia for the first time in two years.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Continuing to tap top series from Spain, Munich-based Beta Film has snapped up international distribution rights to “Simple,” the new dramedy by Anna R. Costa, the co-creator of Movistar Plus+‘s most-binged series, “Arde Madrid.” Costa’s directorial debut, “Simple” world premiered earlier this week in San Sebastian as a Movistar Plus+ world premiere. Produced by Movistar Plus+ in collaboration with Destrucción y Salvación, “Simple” turns on four young women in their twenties and thirties, who have reached a milestone in their lives: Sharing an apartment as truly independent adults. The series follows the flat mates, all of whom have disabilities, as they navigate the pressures of adulthood and the absurd norms imposed on them by society.

England are gearing up to take on Italy in the Nations League on Friday and Gareth Southgate's troops will be hoping the avenge their humiliating 4-0 defeat to Hungary in the previous Group A3 clash. The Three Lions sit at the foot of the table in the group that consists of Hungary, Germany and Italy.

Ben Croll Capping an Iberian flavored edition that featured eight pitch projects and a spotlight on the national industry, Spanish outfits GoldBee and Peekaboo Animation won tributes at this year’s Cartoon Forum, with the Barcelona-based GoldBee named Investor/Distributor of the Year and indie production house Peekaboo Animation claiming the Producer prize. Rounding out the tributes with continental flair, Germany’s KiKA was awarded Broadcaster of the Year. Founded in 2013 and now boasting a catalogue over 2,500 titles strong, GoldBee specializes in half-hour children’s and family content, distributing animation and live-action productions to partners around the world. Projects like the Mexican-Spanish co-production “Cleo & Cuquin” and the British chiller “Scream Street” are but some of GoldBee’s notable titles. In keeping with German-Spanish pas-de-deux of this year’s tributes, the Barcelona-based GoldBee has found particular success with ZDF Studios productions “Ziggy and the Zootram” and “Henrietta.”

This. Is. Brilliant.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent An English-language reimagining of the world of Sergio Corbucci’s cult 1966 spaghetti western “Django,” which launched the career of Italian icon Franco Nero, is set to launch from the Rome Film Festival in October. The high–concept TV series, titled “Django,” will play in 2023 exclusively on Sky and its streaming service NOW in all countries where Sky operates, including the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Germany and Austria. It will also air on Canal+ in France, Switzerland, Benelux and Africa. The Rome Film Festival runs from Oct. 13-23. The 10-episode “Django” show stars Matthias Schoenaerts (“Rust and Bone,” “Bullhead”) as the iconic gunman who is the title character, alongside Nicholas Pinnock (“For Life”) as John Ellis, described as the “visionary founder” of the town of New Babylon. Lisa Vicari (“Dark”) plays Django’s daughter Sarah and Noomi Rapace (Millennium Trilogy) has the adversarial role of John’s powerful and ruthless enemy Elizabeth Thurman. 

K.J. Yossman Adjoa Andoh is narrating “Chasing the Rains,” an upcoming four-part docuseries on African wildlife, Variety can exclusively reveal. Andoh is perhaps best know as “Bridgerton’s” Lady Danbury and has also appeared in “The Witcher” and “Silent Witness” as well as numerous theatrical productions. Produced by Love Nature and Sky Nature and created by Maramedia (“Stormborn”), the docuseries promises to take viewers “into one of the most majestic, unspoiled and rarely filmed areas in Africa” in an exploration of how wildlife – including cheetahs, hyenas and elephants – survive the cycles of draught and rainfall.

Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji has explained the differences between playing in the Premier League and the Bundesliga following his top flight debut at Wolves.

Ulrich Seidl has canceled his trip to San Sebastian for the premiere of his latest film Sparta following a report in German magazine Der Spiegel that raised concerns about the treatment of younger cast members during the production.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Austrian director Ulrich Seidl has cancelled his visit to San Sebastian for the Sept. 18 world premiere of “Sparta,” amid allegations of impropriety and child exploitation made against the director. The world premiere will still go ahead at San Sebastian with the film playing in main competition contending for San Sebastian’s Gold Shell. Seidl’s decision comes after the Toronto Film Festival pulled “Sparta” and on Sept. 14, FilmFest Hamburg announced that it would no longer be giving Seidl its Douglas Sirk Award, though it would be screening “Sparta.”

Adapted from Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel of the same name, Edward Berger’s take on “All Quiet On The Western Front” is a chilling piece of anti-war filmmaking with a star-making turn from Felix Kammerer in the lead role of young Paul Bäumer, who learns the hard way that war is hell. Although it’s hard not to compare and contrast this new version to Lewis Milestone’s Best Picture-winning 1930 film starring Lew Ayres, it’s equally wild that it took nearly 100 years for a German adaptation given it’s the novel’s country of origin.

Amazon has unveiled its 2022-23 German originals slate as it up investment in the country, with new Prime Video comedy shows and the latest All or Nothing soccer doc among the highlights. At the same time, Prime Video Channels will soon offer Discovery+ and Paramount+ as add-ons.