As a sign of the long lasting golden age of TV drama, world distributors of high end Nordic scripted content reported healthy business at MIPCOM in Cannes (October 5-8) thanks to strong demand from traditional and new online broadcasters.

DR Sales reported healthy sales and activity across its ecclectic slate. The highly anticipated financial crime show Follow the Money was the subject of multiple offers from the bigger territories (including the US) and Helene Aurø, Sales and Marketing Director said her team was going to evaluate the best offers at home before finalising the deals. A new sale was closed with Israel on top of the existing deals with the UK (BBC), Benelux (Lumiere) and Australia for DVD.

The crime series Norskov currently airing on TV2 DK was being negotiated for Poland and Germany (other broadcasters than ARTE that pre-bought it). “More than 40 countries are screening it now and we have high expectations on the show,” said Aurø.  Benelux’s Lumiere has also acquired Norskov, alongside Broke that was introduced at MIPCOM in its new 8x48’ format (instead of the 16x28’ aired on DR).

Outside the crime genre, the multiple winning family drama The Legacy continues to attract interest and a new deal was closed with New Zealand on Season 2, while a sale to ARTE - via Nadcon - was confirmed for Season 1. Season 3 will be delivered in 2017.

Shows for younger audiences such as the fantasy series Heartless was sold to French pubcaster France Television while the Christmas calendar Time Travel was sold to ARTE.

The political drama Borgen continues its world tour with Mongolia, via a new stop over on French pay TV.

Last but not least, DR Sales started to pitch at MIPCOM a brand new comedy series about family, love, sex and happy divorce, produced by Happy End for TV2. The serialised character-driven series Splitting Up Together is created and written by Mette Heeno and directed by Hella Joof (All Inclusive). Delivery date is set for spring 2016.

Dynamic Distribution’s Klaus Zimmermann who represents Baltasar Komákur’s crime series Trapped was extremely satisfied with world buyers’ reactions. “The Icelandic show has been sold practically everywhere, including China and Japan and the spectacular deals closed with major players such as the BBC in the UK and The Weinstein Company for the US - even before the show’s airing at home – would have been unthinkable three years ago,” notes the veteran distributor based in Paris.

Trapped will be broadcast in France in February via France Televisions, after its national launch on RUV in December. According to Dynamic’s managing director, numerous broadcasters have expressed interest in a Season 2.

Zimmermann who produced other high end European TV dramas such as Borgia and executive produced the Swedish/US crime show 100 Code (sold by Red Arrow International) is eyeing other co-production and distribution opportunities with Scandinavian partners. “I have a new drama based on a true story, being developed with Danish and Norwegian partners. Just like Trapped, it will be an organic co-production where we will contribute early on in the artistic and financial aspects,” said Zimmermann who plans to announce details in a months time. 

ZDF Enterprises that was heavily promoting The Bridge/Bron Season 3 at MIPCOM, alongside the Swedish thriller The Fourth Man, announced in Cannes multiple deals with the newly launched UK on-demand foreign language drama service Walter Presents, set up by Channel Four with Global Series Network.

Three Scandinavian TV series and co-productions were part of the deal totalling 44 hours of TV drama. Those include the crime series The Team, and Swedish political thriller Blue Eyes and family crime drama Thicker than Water.

The series Blue Eyes produced by Strix Drama for SVT will be part of Walter Presents’ launch programming in January 2016, alongside the Belgian black comedy drama Clan