Five major international projects are being created with Bavarian participation: Komplizen Film, Elation Pictures and Rabbit Track Pictures are producing the theatrical adaptation Foxfinder with writer and director Aoife McArdle. The series Hamburg Days by W&B Television, Turbine Studio, ZDF/BBC with showrunner Christian Schwochow and the series remake Pope Joan by Constantin Film directed by Katrin Gebbe will also be filmed in Bavaria. Two projects will receive line producer funding: the feature film Ghostwriter (AT), in which Rise FX South is involved, and the Prime Original series Superior (AT), which Zodiac Pictures is realizing almost entirely in Bavaria in co-production with MMC Zodiac with a Bavarian team.
Media Minister Dr. Florian Herrmann: “With funding commitments amounting to 4.2 million euros for five international projects with Bavarian participation, the importance of Bavaria as a film location is confirmed. It shows: Bavaria is highly attractive internationally. The Free State is a powerhouse for national and international productions. The industry is now receiving an additional tailwind from the agreement on film funding at federal level: at last there is more reliability and planning security – and Bavaria can further expand its international appeal.”
Writer and director Aoife McArdle, known for the Apple TV series Severance, is shooting the majority of her next film with FFF funding in Bavaria. Foxfinder will adapt the play of the same name by British playwright Dawn King. The screenplay was written by Aoife McArdle and Dawn King. Komplizen Film is producing the material together with its English partners Elation Pictures and Rabbit Track Pictures as well as the Munich-based company Trimafilm. Janine Jackowski is the executive producer. The FFF Bayern is supporting Foxfinder with 1.4 million euros.
FFF Bayern is supporting the six-part series Hamburg Days by W&B Television and Turbine Studios (UK) with 1 million euros, based on an idea by Benjamin Benedict. It tells the incredible story of a young band from Liverpool who, in the early 1960s, are given the unique opportunity to prove their talent in the clubs of Hamburg’s Reeperbahn before the whole world falls in love with them, the Beatles, forever. Hamburg Days is also the story of the young German artist couple who befriend the boys before they become the most influential band in the world. Christian Schwochow is the showrunner and also directs alongside Mat Whitecross, based on the screenplays by Jamie Carragher (Head author). Almost half of the filming is planned to take place in Bavaria. The series is being produced as a German-English co-production with the participation of AGC Studios, ZDF and the BBC. Producers are Benjamin Benedict, Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann from W&B Television, Andrew Eaton and Justin Thomson from Turbine Studios as well as Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz and Miguel A. Palos Jr. Executive producers are Katharina Haase and Isabel Haug from W&B Television.
Constantin Film is remaking the story of Donna Woolfolk Cross’ bestseller The Pope as a six-part series. Pope Joan tells the story of one of the greatest deceptions in history: a woman in men’s clothing rises to become the most powerful figure in the Christian empire: the Pope. The leading role is played by Jella Haase. The film is directed by Katrin Gebbe from scripts by head writer Liz Lake and Nicki Bloom. The project is being made as a German-Czech co-production, with ARD Degeto on board as the German broadcasting partner. Bavaria is one of the filming locations. The FFF Bayern is also supporting this series with 1 million euros.
FFF Bayern is supporting two projects in the International Films and Series/ Line Producer/ Digital Imaging funding area: The Munich-based studio Rise FX South is involved in the digital image design of the feature film Ghostwriter (AT), which is being directed by J.J. Abrams, with 500,000 euros in funding going to the project. The Prime Original series Superior (AT), directed by Franziska Margarete Hoenisch and based on scripts by creator and head writer Adrian Spring as well as John Hendrik Karsten and Ruth Rehmet, is produced by Zodiac Pictures in co-production with MMC Zodiac. Executive producers are Jessica Hefti, Lukas Hobi and Reto Schaerli. The project is being made almost entirely in Bavaria with a Bavarian team, and the FFF Bayern is supporting it with 300,000 euros.