"The Tunnel" To Receive MIPCOM Premiere

PARIS, Sept. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MIPCOM today announces that the thrilling new crime-drama, "The Tunnel," will receive MIPCOM 2013's World Premiere TV Screening on Monday 7 October in the Grand Auditorium of Cannes' Palais des Festivals at 18:15.

The 10x60' series is a Sky Atlantic HD and CANAL+ commission, distributed worldwide by Shine International and co-produced by Kudos, the BAFTA-winning producers of "Broadchurch" and "Utopia" and Shine France Films. "The Tunnel" will be broadcast in the UK on Sky Atlantic HD in October 2013 and in France on CANAL+ in November.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the stars and executive production team from the series, including leading actors Clemence Poesy ("Birdsong," "Harry Potter") and BAFTA-winning actor Stephen Dillane ("Game of Thrones," "Zero Dark Thirty"), together with Tom Bateman ("Da Vinci's Demons"), Cedric Vieira ("Lost Paradise") and Sigrid Bouaziz ("Nevers"). Following the premiere, the stars of "The Tunnel" will grace the red carpet at MIPCOM's Opening Night Party.

Organised by Reed MIDEM, MIPCOM will take place in Cannes, France, from 7-10 October 2013.

"The Tunnel" is adapted from the 2011 Danish/Swedish hit series, "Bron" ("The Bridge") and brings together a Franco-British production team. For Kudos, "The Tunnel" is executive produced by Jane Featherstone, Chief Executive of Kudos ("Broadchurch," "The Hour"), Manda Levin ("All The Small Things"), Karen Wilson ("Hustle") and Ben Richards ("Spooks"), alongside Nora Melhli, Director of Drama at Shine France Films and Lars Blomgren, Managing Director of Filmlance ("Bron"). The series is produced by Ruth Kenley-Letts ("The Hour").

Five directors are crafting the show's first season: Cesar-winning writer/director Dominik Moll ("With a Friend Like Harry"), Bafta-winning director Hettie Macdonald ("White Girl"), Thomas Vincent ("Borgia"), Udayan Prasad ("The Yellow Handkerchief") and Emmy and BAFTA-winning director Philip Martin ("Birdsong").

"The Tunnel" is set against the backdrop of Europe in crisis. When a prominent French politician is found dead on the border between the UK and France, detectives Karl Roebuck (Stephen Dillane) and Elise Wassermann (Clemence Poesy) are sent to investigate on behalf of their respective countries. The case takes a surreal turn when a shocking discovery is made at the crime scene, forcing the French and British police into an uneasy partnership. As the serial killer uses ever more elaborate and ingenious methods to highlight the moral bankruptcy of modern society, Karl and Elise are drawn deeper into his increasingly personal agenda.

"The Tunnel" has been commissioned by Anne Mensah, Head of Drama, for Sky and Fabrice de la Patelliere, Head of Drama, for CANAL+. The Kudos and Shine France Films production is a bilingual series – a first in broadcasting for both the UK and France.

"We're thrilled to welcome 'The Tunnel' as the MIPCOM 2013 World Premiere TV Screening," said Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM's Television Division. "Since its launch in 2010, the recurring success of the World Premiere TV Screenings at MIPCOM and MIPTV confirms the event's position as a premium showcase for leading television and film companies to screen outstanding programmes to the most influential buyers, industry players, and international media from over 100 countries."

Jane Featherstone, Chief Executive, Kudos, said: "It's a great honour for 'The Tunnel' to receive its official premiere at MIPCOM's opening night, in front of a truly international audience. The storyline and spirit of the production could not make it more relevant."

Nora Melhli, Director of Drama, Shine France Films added, "The MIPCOM premiere is a very prestigious occasion, both in France and globally. We are delighted to be able to present 'The Tunnel,' our first European co-production, to an international public of professionals and more generally TV series lovers."

"We're delighted that MIPCOM has given us the opportunity to promote CANAL+'s latest original creation on an international stage," said Fabrice de la Patelliere, Head of French Drama at CANAL+. "'The Tunnel' is a co-production that perfectly combines French and British talents in both writing and production. It encapsulates our objective of creating major series which stand out for their unique character."

"We are proud to be presenting this outstanding series at MIPCOM, which we co-produced with CANAL+, Kudos and Shine France Films," added Anne Mensah, Head of Drama at Sky Atlantic HD. "The series' gripping storyline about a serial killer with political undercurrents demonstrates Sky Atlantic's ambition to deliver compelling storytelling that can reach a worldwide audience."

About MIPCOM – MIPCOM is the year's most anticipated global market for entertainment content across all platforms. Each Autumn, the industry's international heavy hitters – from TV and film – converge in Cannes to create a new world of entertainment. MIPCOM turns every moment into an opportunity, transforming four days of meetings, screenings and conferences into deals – from blockbuster programming to ground-breaking partnerships. And the children's entertainment industry gets an early start at MIPJunior, where key international buyers, sellers and producers gather to present, discover and screen content at the world's showcase for kids programming.

Please visit www.mipcom.com

About Sky:
Sky is the UK and Ireland's leading home entertainment and communications company.  Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.  Sky is the UK's biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.3 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News. Around two-thirds of Sky's content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes.  More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week. Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator.  Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.   Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi.  NOW TV, Sky's second consumer brand, builds on the company's leadership in internet TV.  Sky is also the UK's fastest-growing home communications company and favourite 'triple-play' provider of TV, broadband and home phone.  Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts.  Sky employs 23,000 people, has annual revenues of £6.8 billion and is estimated to support a £5.4 billion contribution to UK GDP.  Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY).  www.sky.com/corporate 

About CANAL+ Group
CANAL+ Group is the leading broadcasting company in France. It is at the forefront in provision of premium-content and themed networks, as well as in bundling and distribution of pay-TV offerings. Taking into account its international activities in Africa, Poland and Vietnam, the group has a total subscriber base of 14.3 million.  

CANAL+ Group is a benchmark player in free-to-air television broadcasting, too, with its three national channels and advertising sales division.

Through its subsidiary STUDIOCANAL, CANAL+ Group is also a European leader in motion picture production and distribution.

About Shine International:
Shine international is the sales and distribution arm of Shine Group and is responsible for the distribution of more than 3,000 hours of broadcast content annually. Shine International focuses on exploiting worldwide intellectual property rights through scripted and non-scripted formats and tape. The company distributes programming from Shine Group's growing library of programming along with a broad array of programming acquired from independent producers and U.S. networks, to more than 150 countries worldwide. Shine International is a leader in handling global rights to television formats, including group formats The Biggest Loser (airing in 30 countries), The Family, One Born Every Minute, Clash of the Choirs and MasterChef, which through Shine International and Shine Network is now in production in over 30 countries and airing in 145 territories.

About Kudos:
Recent shows from Kudos include the UK's most watched new drama of 2013Broadchurch, to date sold to 32 territories including France, Russia, Germany and Latin America and which is set to be adapted by Fox for the US in 2014; Utopia, written by Dennis Kelly and recently re-commissioned for a second series by Channel 4; and BBC One's Mayday written by Ben Court and Caroline Ip. Forthcoming productions include The Tunnel for Sky Atlantic/Canal Plus, The Smoke for Sky One and From There To Here for BBC One. Best-known for era-defining television including Spooks, Hustle, Life on Mars, and Ashes to Ashes, Kudos has been regularly voted the 'UK's Best Independent Production Company' and the company most admired by its peers and won multiple BAFTAs, International Emmys and RTS awards.

SOURCE Reed MIDEM