“Bali 2002” has been picked up by the U.K.’s ITV to screen on its new streaming service ITVX next year.
The deal was secured at MIPCOM by Banijay Rights and is the first international sale for the drama series.
The four-part show was co-produced by Banijay labels Endemol Shine Australia and Screentime for Stan and the Nine Network in Australia.
The drama series tells the story of the everyday heroes directly impacted by the October 2002 terrorist attacks in Bali 20 years ago. It features Rachel Griffiths (“Total Control”), Richard Roxburgh (“Rake”) and Claudia Jesse (“Bridgerton”).
Chris Stewart, senior VP of sales for the U.K. and Eire, negotiated the deal. He said: “It was exactly 20 years ago last week when these devastating terrorist attacks rocked the paradise island of Bali – the impact of which is still being felt by victims, survivors and their families today. “Bali 2002” is a tribute to them – sensitively capturing those inspirational stories to emerge out of the darkest of days. It’s an honour to be able to take this landmark series to a wider audience through this deal with ITV and ITVX.”
Sasha Breslau, ITV’s head of content acquisitions, added: “It’s a privilege to bring these personal stories of the brave people of Bali to U.K. viewers, and we look forward to premiering the series on ITVX in 2023.”
Peter Newman, CEO of Endemol Shine Australia, was full of praise for the series.
“Twenty years on from an event that shocked the world, Bali 2002 is a story of resilience and heroism born from the darkest tragedy. This is a gripping four-part series that is evocative, sensitive and reflective of the stories that have been told directly from those impacted by this event,” he said.
The series received major production investment from Screen Australia, in association with Screen NSW.
