“Every year, when the Academy announces these nominations, it is never lost on me just how hard our casts and crews have worked to receive these accolades,” said Christina Jennings, President and Chairman, Shaftesbury. “Their contributions are invaluable, and we could not be more pleased that they are being recognized today.”
Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Jennifer McCann, Jennifer Kassabian, Yannick Bisson and Robina Lord Stafford
Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC.
TORONTO, CANADA: September 8, 2023 – Shaftesbury is pleased to announce that Christina Fon, formerly the Vice-President/Executive Producer at Rezolution Pictures (Little Bird, Mohawk Girls, RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World), will join the company as VP, Strategic Partnerships and Scripted Content, effective September 11. Based out of Montreal and Toronto, Fon will be part of the Shaftesbury creative team that will source and develop a new slate of content and seek broadcast and distribution partners to finance these projects.
“I’m excited to embark on this new chapter with Shaftesbury and join forces with one of the industry’s most prolific and acclaimed production houses,” said Christina Fon. “After dedicating over 20 years to Rezolution Pictures, I’m thrilled to bring my experience and passion to a new environment in the world of television production. This opportunity allows me to contribute to an established team and continue my journey in helping to shape captivating content for audiences worldwide.”
“We are delighted that Christina Fon is joining Shaftesbury,” said Christina Jennings, Chairman and President, Shaftesbury. “Her passion for storytelling and excellence is well known in our business. She is a respected executive whose track record speaks for itself, including the most recent success with Little Bird.”
With over 27 years of industry experience, Fon has dedicated her career to helping creators tell stories that inspire and entertain audiences around the world. Most recently, she was executive producer on the CRAVE/APTN/Fremantle original series Little Bird, which received critical acclaim and was picked up for broadcast on PBS this October. She is the recipient of a Sundance and Peabody Award, received a nomination for an Emmy® Award in 2020 and has won multiple Canadian Screen Awards. She has orchestrated the greenlight on several projects including Mohawk Girls (streaming on Universal NBC’s Peacock), RUMBLE: the Indians Who Rocked the World (Netflix) and Reel Injun, now in the Academy Museum in LA.
About Shaftesbury Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC.
Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series Kirsten Rasmussen
AboutShaftesbury
Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC.
Canadian Screen Award-winner Shailyn Pierre-Dixon stars as Detective William Murdoch’s time-travelling great-great-great granddaughter
(TORONTO, October 12, 2022) – Shaftesbury announced today that production is now underway on Macy Murdoch (8×11), a new CBC Gem original tween series that follows the adventures of Detective William Murdoch’s time-travelling great-great-great- granddaughter. A spinoff of Shaftesbury and CBC’s hit long-running drama Murdoch Mysteries based on novels written by Maureen Jennings, the series is currently shooting in Toronto and will debut on CBC Gem in spring 2023.
Sixteen-year-old Macy is a forensic wunderkind who unravels a century-old mystery with the help of her two friends Zane and Billie. When a villain uses a time machine to frame famous Edwardian-era Detective William Murdoch for murder, Macy and her friends travel back in time to find the real perpetrator of the crime. Not only are the teens trying to crack a difficult case, but the trio are undercover, trying to solve a mystery in 1910 without the help of modern technology.
Macy Murdoch captures the playful, mystery-loving spirit of Murdoch Mysteries withCanadian Screen Award-winner Shailyn Pierre-Dixon (Pretty Hard Cases, The Book of Negroes) co-leading the series with Beau Han Bridge who plays Zane, and Raffa Virago as Billie. The series will have a special guest appearance by Spencer West, while Shanice Banton (“Mrs. Violet Hart”) and Lachlan Murdoch (“Constable Henry Higgins-Newsome”) from the beloved CBC series will appear in the series as guides to help the young detectives absolve Murdoch of a crime he did not commit.
“Macy Murdoch is as much about time travel and solving a 112-year-old mystery, as it is about searching for identity and belonging,” says Christina Jennings, Chairman and President of Shaftesbury. “It’s exciting to extend the world of Murdoch Mysteries and bring fans of all ages into a present-day setting.”
“We’re incredibly proud to bring this series to CBC Kids,” says Jennifer McCann, Executive Producer and Vice President of Kids & Family. “Our talented cast of fresh faces, brilliant showrunners, writers, director and crew have created an exciting series that will make for a great co-viewing experience.”
“Macy Murdoch will engage young viewers on CBC Gem with fresh, relatable teen characters and an all-new mystery set in the hit Murdoch Mysteries universe,” said Marie McCann, Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids. “We look forward to sharing the series with tween audiences next year.”
The digital series is directed by Laurie Lynd, and showrunners are Jennifer Kassabian and Robina Lord-Stafford. The series was initially developed by JP Larocque and Jessica Meya. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual and Sports; Marie McCann is Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids; and Lisa Cinelli is Executive in Charge of Production, Children’s and Youth Programming.
About Shaftesbury Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC. shaftesbury.ca.
About CBC/Radio Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
Toronto and Kitchener ON | Thursday, October 6 – Shaftesbury, the production company behind Murdoch Mysteries, and THEMUSEUM are excited to announce Murdoch Mysteries: The Experience beginning Friday, November 11, 2022, and running through mid February 2023.
From Cambridge to Kitchener’s Walper Hotel, Waterloo Region has been a favourite spot to film the hit television show, now in its 16th season. The three-month long event will give fans a behind the scenes glimpse of the hit Canadian-made show.
Festivities kick off at Centre in the Square on Friday, November 11 with host, Detective William Murdoch himself, Yannick Bisson for an evening of Murdoch Music presented by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Breakfast with Murdoch on Saturday November 12 and Sunday November 13 will feature Christina Jennings, Chairman and President of Shaftesbury, along with Yannick Bisson, Thomas Craig, Arwen Humphreys, Daniel Maslany, and several other cast members. Guests who attend the breakfast panel will be among the first to see the Murdoch Mysteries themed exhibition.
“These events provide a rare opportunity for devoted fans of one of Canada’s longest running drama series to experience the music, costumes, inventions, props and set recreations that have been essential elements of the Murdoch universe,” said Christina Jennings.
David Marskell, CEO of THEMUSEUM said: “I personally am a fan of the show and of the wonderful partnership we have developed with everyone at Shaftesbury. We are so pleased to bring this attraction to our community first as it will draw visitors to our hotels, restaurants and bars helping to reboot the local economy.”
This exhibition represents the second event in a schedule of upcoming Murdoch Mysteries brand extensions that began with two sold-out 7-day tours where fans from as far away as Australia visited locations including Kingston, Dundas, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Peterborough, along with an on-set visit to watch the series being filmed. Other brand extensions include an augmented reality game Crime Nights set to launch in mid-October, and a live orchestral performance with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in March 2023.
Murdoch Mysteries: In Concert – Tickets available at kwsymphony.ca
Friday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m.
Canada’s #1 drama comes to musical life! See Detective Murdoch, Dr. Julia Ogden, Inspector Brackenreid, Constable George Crabtree, and the entire cast on the big screen accompanied by Robert Carli’s score performed live by the KWS in sync to ‘Murdoch Ahoy’, one of the most beloved and musically rich episodes of the series. Hosted by Yannick Bisson, you’ll also get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the episode.
Breakfast with Murdoch: A Morning Panel with a Q&A Session – at THEMUSEUM.
Saturday, November 12 & Sunday, November 13 at 9:00 a.m.
Join the cast of Murdoch Mysteries for two unique panels on Saturday and Sunday morning. Grab breakfast and settle in for an intimate conversation with various cast and crew. Learn about how the show is made, what to expect from the upcoming season and have your questions answered live.
Investigating Murdoch Mysteries: The Exhibition
Opens November 12 at THEMUSEUM at 10:00 a.m.
Murdoch Mysteries: The Exhibition, transports you behind the scenes of this internationally acclaimed show. Step behind the camera and immerse yourself in the series’ fascinating history, science, and fashion. Explore what it takes to bring the world of Murdoch Mysteries to life through beautiful costumes, steampunk-style inventions, authentic set recreations, and entertaining interactive experiences.
Season 16 of Murdoch Mysteries is now airing in Canada, Mondays at 8:00 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem.
We are THEMUSEUM – ONEWORDUPPERCASE. We are a new kind of experiential museum – one of maverick ideas and unexpected intersections. No dusty objects and no velvet ropes. We are a premier cultural destination dedicated to presenting fresh, inspired content from around the globe in unique and immersive ways designed to showcase art & technology at play.
ABOUT SHAFTESBURY Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC. shaftesbury.ca.
ABOUT KITCHENER-WATERLOO SYMPHONY Innovative, inspiring, and ever-evolving: this is the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. As one of Waterloo Region’s largest arts and cultural organizations, we continue to push boundaries, build community, and welcome and cultivate world-class talent in our community. Who we are and how we approach our work is a reflection of the innovative and entrepreneurial culture which abounds in this Region. Today, the KWS is one of Canada’s outstanding orchestras, presenting a diverse and rich concert season and garnering national and international attention for its artistry, musicianship and innovative programming. Its education and outreach programs serve its evolving community and a continuum of ages. The KWS continues to be the largest employer of artists and cultural workers and the most significant cultural asset for Waterloo Region.
TORONTO (June 23, 2022) – Shaftesbury has named award-winning producer Liz Levine, Senior Producer and Vice President, Television.
Reporting to Christina Jennings, Chairman and President of Shaftesbury, Levine will oversee all aspects of Shaftesbury’s scripted slate as properties leave development and move into production.
“It’s wonderful to have a producer with Liz’s breadth of experience on our team to take stories from the page to the screen,” says Jennings, Chairman and President. “Her writing and journalism career combined with her years as an independent producer means that she thoroughly understands the entire process of storytelling for the screen.”
“The team at Shaftesbury has supported me throughout my career and taking on this job feels a lot like coming home,” says Levine, Senior Producer and Vice President, Television. “It’s an exciting time to be at Shaftesbury and I look forward to helping shepherd a new generation of stories through production and to audiences both in Canada and abroad.”
Levine has over two decades of experience in film and television, spanning a myriad of platforms and genres. She started in the business in Toronto with Moses Znaimer’s CITY-TV. Since that time, she has worked as a writer and journalist, and as a development executive and producer in Canada and the US. She has developed and produced films such as Kyra Sedgwick’s directorial debut Story of a Girl, starring Kevin Bacon (DGA Nomination) and Across My Land (Palme D’or nominated, Cannes). She has developed and/or produced television for CBS, CW, Disney Channel, Sony Pictures Entertainment and TBS. Recently, she executive produced seasons 2 and 3 of the multi-award-winning anthology series Two Sentence Horror Stories for CW/Netflix. Levine holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of British Columbia and has written for the National Post, The Walrus, Playback, and The Vancouver Sun. Her memoir Nobody Ever Talks About Anything But the End (Simon & Schuster 2020) received critical acclaim, made the must-read lists of The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Quill and Quire and CBC, and was shortlisted for the 2021 Hubert Evans Nonfiction Prize.
About Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rexfor Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed six-part event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC.
Shaftesbury has a growing roster of Kids & Family programming, bringing fresh content to a new generation of children, tweens, and young adult viewers. With over 150 hours of award-winning content, Shaftesbury’s current slate includes: Ruby and the Well, a popular series heading into its second season on BYUtv and WildBrain/Family Channel; What the Stink?, based on the Stinky Science books by Edward Kay; Mary & Flo on the Go!, based on the period drama Frankie Drake Mysteries; The Infinite Worlds of Ella Jane, a scripted podcast in partnership with Wattpad; and Life with Luca, based on the long-running, global hit series Life with Derek.
Current digital projects include two seasons of Slo Pitch, an award-winning, mockumentary series about a queer, underachieving beer league softball team for IFC and OUTtv, and Topline for CBC Gem, an acclaimed musical dramedy about growing up, that follows 16-year-old Tala, a reclusive singer/songwriter who is discovered online. For more information, go to shaftesbury.ca.
TORONTO, June 16, 2022 – All aboard! Global is set to launch Season 2 of event thriller Departure on Wednesday, July 13 at 9 p.m. ET, with an encore presentation Friday, July 15 at 8 p.m. ET on Global and Monday, July 18 at 9 p.m. ET on Showcase. Departure stars Emmy Award® winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy Award® winner Christopher Plummer, in his last onscreen role. The intense conspiracy series follows the ensuing investigation into a mysterious crash of a controversial new high-speed train travelling between Toronto and Chicago. Back for an action-packed all-new six-episode season, Departure was a Top 20 hit with total viewers and the #1 Canadian series across all key demos when it premiered in 2020.
Alongside Panjabi (The Good Wife) and Plummer (Knives Out), Season 2 features an all-star ensemble cast including Kris Holden-Ried (TheUmbrella Academy), Jason O’Mara (The Man in the High Castle), Karen LeBlanc (The Kings of Napa), Donal Logue (Gotham), Mark Rendall (Versailles), Etienne Kellici (Murdoch Mysteries), Kelly McCormack (A League of Their Own), Wendy Crewson (Frankie Drake Mysteries), Charlie Carrick (Reign), Dion Johnstone (Sweet Magnolias), David Hewlett (The Shape of Water), Greg Bryk (Mary Kills People) and Florence Ordesh (Dublin Murders). The gripping drama is directed by Canadian Screen Award winner T.J. Scott (Orphan Black, Star Trek: Discovery) and created by Vincent Shiao (Ransom).
“Departure is a proven hit with international audiences, and we are thrilled it is back this summer to take Canadians on an all-new adventure like no other,” said Lisa Godfrey, Senior Vice President of Original Content and Corus Studios. “Archie Panjabi returns as expert investigator Kendra Malley, and while it will be bittersweet for audiences to bid farewell to the late Christopher Plummer, we look forward to celebrating the internationally-renowned Canadian acting legend in his final television performance as Malley’s mentor Howard Lawson.”
Departure Season 2 is a six-part event series that follows the investigation into the derailment of high-speed train The Apollo. Brilliant investigator, Kendra Malley (Archie Panjabi), heads to the U.S. to find the cause of the devastation in rural Michigan. With the eyes of the entire world on her, Kendra and her team unravel a series of interconnected threads, which lead to a number of mysterious motives. Was it the tech mogul inventor of the train’s automation software? Was it a mysterious member of a Mexican drug cartel? Was it a disgruntled employee resisting new technology? Working in conjunction with the FBI, Kendra must race to uncover the truth behind the crash and help to heal the damage caused by the terrible tragedy.
Departure Season 2 is a Canada/Ireland Co-Production from Shaftesbury (Canada) and Deadpan Pictures (Ireland), in Association with Corus Entertainment, Starlings Television and Red Arrow Studios International. Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Malcolm MacRury, Jackie May, T.J. Scott, Paul Donovan, Ailish McElmeel, and Archie Panjabi are Executive Producers. Vincent Shiao and Chris Moreton are Co-Executive Producers. Patrick Cassavetti is Producer. For Corus, Kathleen Meek is Production Executive; Rachel Nelson is Vice President, Original Content, Drama, Kids and Factual; Lisa Godfrey is Vice President of Original Content, Corus Entertainment. Chris Philip and Karine Martin are Executive Producers for Starlings Television, along with Propagate Content’s Ben Silverman. Carlo Dusi and Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia are Executive Producers for Red Arrow Studios International. David A. Stern and Matt Geller are Executive Producers for Sleeping Giant.
Global is a Corus Entertainment Network and is available through all major TV distributors, including: Shaw, Shaw Direct, Rogers, Bell, Videotron, Telus, Cogeco, Eastlink, SaskTel and STACKTV, available via Amazon Prime Video Channels, Rogers Ignite TV and Ignite SmartStream. The Global TV App is available on iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TVs, Roku streaming players, Roku TV™ models, and at watch.globaltv.com.
Source: Numeris PPM Data, Total Canada, FL’20 (Sep 14 – Dec 20/20), 3+ airings, AMA(000), CDN CONV COM ENG National Networks, Total Viewers = Ind. 2+, Key Demos = Ind. 2+ A25-54, F25-54
Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that develops and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. Engaging audiences since 1999, the company’s portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass 33 specialty television services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, a suite of digital and streaming assets, animation software, technology and media services. Corus is an internationally-renowned content creator and distributor through Nelvana, a world class animation studio expert in all formats and Corus Studios, a globally recognized producer of hit scripted and unscripted content. The company also owns innovative full-service social digital agency so.da, lifestyle entertainment company Kin Canada, leading 2D animation software supplier Toon Boom and children’s book publishing house, Kids Can Press. Corus’ roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, Magnolia Network Canada, The HISTORY® Channel, Showcase, Adult Swim, National Geographic, Disney Channel Canada, YTV, Global News, Globalnews.ca, Q107, Country 105, and CFOX, along with broadly distributed Canadian streaming platforms STACKTV, Nick+, the Global TV App and Curiouscast. For more information visit www.corusent.com.
About Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries for CBC, ITV Studios and UKTV, and five seasons of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, both are available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include: the acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher on Shudder and Hollywood Suite, with Emmy® Award-winner Eric McCormack starring in the upcoming fifth season; three seasons of the acclaimed event series Departure for Global starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy® Award-winner Christopher Plummer; and SisterS, a new Irish-Canadian co-production by and starring Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley, for Crave, RTÉ and IFC. For more information, go to shaftesbury.ca.
About Starlings Television
Starlings Television is a division of Starlings Entertainment, a global group of companies that develops and produces award-winning film and television. Starlings’ expanding TV slate includes the award-winning drama series Departure, now in post-production for its third season. The first two seasons had a successful launch on Peacock in the U.S. and strong sales worldwide.
Other Starlings Television offerings include the YA sci-fi action series Pandora, with two seasons on The CW and now headed into its third season worldwide; Sherlock’s Daughter, offering a new take on the classic sleuth from EP/Showrunner James Duff (The Closer, Major Crimes) and creator/writer Brendan Foley (Cold Courage, The Man Who Died); and, with Athena Pictures, Shadowland from Creator Jacqui Barcos, Director Darnell Martin (American Rust, The Good Lord Bird, Cadillac Records) and Executive Producer Peter Elkoff (Sons of Anarchy, Chance, The Resident), with global streamer Viaplay nabbing pre-sales for multi-territory rights.
About Red Arrow Studios International
Red Arrow Studios International is a world-leading TV distributor of scripted, formats and factual shows from a global network of in-house production companies, outstanding third-party producers and digital-content partners. With offices in Munich, London and Los Angeles, Red Arrow Studios International co-produces and finances global entertainment, and distributes acclaimed content to over 200 territories worldwide. Red Arrow Studios International is part of Red Arrow Studios, which is comprised of an acclaimed network of international production companies and labels in seven territories, as well as digital studio, Studio71. Red Arrow Studios is a ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE company, one of Europe’s leading media groups. For more information, please visit: redarrowstudios.com/international
Irish-Canadian Co-Production Produced by Peer Pressure and Shaftesbury, in Association with Mermade and Gaze Pictures
TORONTO, ON(June 9, 2022) – Crave, AMC Networks’ IFC and RTÉ today announced the greenlight of the new original comedy-drama series, SisterS, created by, written by and starring Emmy Award-nominee Sarah Goldberg (Barry) and Susan Stanley (Hotel Amenities). The series has been in development with Peer Pressure, Shaftesbury, RTÉ and Emmy Award-nominee Declan Lowney (Ted Lasso, Alan Partridge). Lowney is the establishing director and is set to direct the first three episodes of the six-episode, half-hour series.
SisterS is a dark comedy-drama about two women, born continents apart, in Canada and in Ireland, who discover they are half-sisters and embark on a road trip to find their alcoholic father. Real-life best friends Goldberg and Stanley make their writing debuts and star.
An Irish-Canadian co-production, the Crave, IFC and RTÉ original series is produced by Peer Pressure and Shaftesbury, in association with Mermade and Gaze Pictures. Crave holds the Canadian rights to the series, AMC Networks’ IFC and streaming service Sundance Now hold the US rights, with RTÉ in Ireland. Fremantle will distribute the series in all other territories. Filming is currently underway on location in Ireland, continuing through June 28, 2022, with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
“We are thrilled to be making SisterS, a character-driven comedic drama about how the absence of a parent in childhood can affect life in your thirties, and the macabre humour that can come with trauma,” said co-creators and co-stars, Sarah Goldberg and Susan Stanley.
“I am beyond myself with excitement at the thought of spending time with Susan and Sarah,” said director Declan Lowney. “I look forward to the thrilling balancing act required to bring the drama and comedy of these beautiful scripts to life. SisterS is a gift of a show for any director, and I’m so thrilled to be part of their family.”
“From the moment we read the script, met Sarah and Susan and saw the chemistry between them, we knew this project was very special and that we wanted to collaborate with them, to bring their story to the screen,” said Richard Cook and Angela Squire, Directors of Peer Pressure. “It is an accolade to their fresh and completely authentic writing that Declan Lowney joined us in the development of SisterS. We are excited for Peer Pressure to debut in the scripted space as emerging creative writing duo, Sarah and Susan, make their TV writing debut.”
“I am thrilled to be partnering with Peer Pressure to support the impressive writing debuts of creators and stars, Sarah Goldberg and Susan Stanley,” said Shaftesbury Chairman and President Christina Jennings. “SisterS is as darkly hilarious as it is personal, featuring exceptional Canadian and international talent and a tour de force creative team.”
“Sarah and Susan have captured a brilliantly honest and darkly comedic take on family relationships, both estranged and present. We are excited to take viewers on a wildly funny and entertaining ride,” said Kira Carstensen, Global Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Mermade.
“I am thrilled to join the team to realise the debut of Susan and Sarah’s SisterS,” said Ruth Coady, Film & Television Producer and Founder of Gaze Pictures. Their bold exploration of a complicated, passionate and extremely funny ‘sister’s’ dynamic is magnificent. I am excited for the audience to be introduced to these two superb female characters.”
About Sarah Goldberg and Susan Stanley Goldberg, born and raised in Vancouver, was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work as “Sally Reed” in HBO’s award-winning dark comedy series Barry, which recently returned for its long-awaited third season. Goldberg is also known for her stage work, having earned an Olivier Award nomination for her portrayal of “Betsy/Lindsey” in The Royal Court’s production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Clybourne Park. She went on to play the role in both the West End and on Broadway. She is represented by UTA, Mosaic, B-Side Management and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
Stanley was born in Dublin, moving to London to train at LAMDA. It is here that she and Goldberg first met. She is an award-winning actress playing leading roles in plays such as Portia Coughlan and The Beauty Queen of Leenane. She has also worked with new writers in acclaimed London theatres (Hampstead, Bush). She has appeared in a number of short films, including Hotel Amenities, winning Best Actress at the Malaga Film Festival in 2013. Along with Goldberg, she has written a screenplay for Focus Features. SisterS is her first piece of writing for TV. She is represented by The Lisa Richards Agency.
About Peer Pressure
Peer Pressure has a strong track record in the area of entertainment and has produced many award-winning documentaries and comedy programmes. These include IFTA award-winning In the Name of the Fada, Joy in the Hood, Hanging with Hector, The State of Us, Chasing the Lions and Des Bishop: Breaking China. DirectorsRichard Cook and Angela Squire have a long history working with comedy performers and writers as well as developing and nurturing talent from an early stage. SisterS marks the company’s move into scripted comedy drama. For more information:www.peerpressure.ie
About Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is an award-winning creator and producer of original content for television, film, and digital, established in 1987 by Christina Jennings, Chairman and President. Shaftesbury’s current Primetime slate includes 16 seasons of the international hit series Murdoch Mysteries and five seasons of Hudson & Rex, which are both available in over 120 countries worldwide. Other projects include five seasons of the critically acclaimed horror anthology series Slasher, starring Eric McCormack and David Cronenberg, and three seasons of Departure, starring Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi and the late Academy Award-winner Christopher Plummer. For more information: www.shaftesbury.ca
About Mermade
Mermade is the digitally-focused sister company of award-winning production company Merman (Catastrophe, This Way Up, There She Goes), specializing in the creation of content of all shapes and sizes for social and streaming platforms, brands and publishers. It combines the best elements of storytelling, creative excellence and groundbreaking content you would expect from Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman, with a focus on fostering and developing emerging talent from across the globe. Recent projects include Down From London for Topic, Chloe Combi’s podcast You Don’t Know Me, and social comedy sketch show Big Juice for Channel 4. Kira Carstensen, Global Managing Partner of Merman leads all efforts for Mermade in the US and UK, Joshua Buckingham is UK Managing Director, and Melanie Donkers runs development for Mermade USA. For more information: www.hellomermade.com
About Gaze Pictures
Founded in 2021 by Producer Ruth Coady, Gaze Pictures is a production house discovering, developing and producing bold scripted content. In her previous 20 years in independent production, Coady was an executive producer on Studio Canal’s Last Letter from your Lover, starring Shalene Woodley and Felicity Jones, directed by Augustine Frizzelle. She executive produced Darklands for Virgin Media UK & Ireland and co-produced My Salinger Year starring Sigourney Weaver and Margaret Qualley, directed by Oscar-nominated Director Philippe Falardeau. Alongside Amy Baer and Alan Moloney, Coady produced Mary Shelley starring Elle Fanning, directed by Haifaa Al Mansour, she also produced The Delinquent Seasonstarring Cillian Murphy and Andrew Scott, written and directed by Mark O’Rowe and co-produced The Siege of Jadotville for Netflix starring Jamie Dornan.
About Crave
Delivering more Oscar®-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning programming than any other service, Crave is Canada’s prestige entertainment offering, with HBO, SHOWTIME®, Starz, Hollywood-hit movies, a superior collection of kid’s movies and programs, and thousands of hours of acclaimed television series, specials, factual programming, and originals that can’t be found anywhere else. Crave is the exclusive home of HBO in Canada, delivering HBO’s current slate of signature dramatic and comedic programs, documentaries, films, and live specials, as well as titles from HBO’s extensive off-air library. Crave is also home to current SHOWTIME series and specials, and past SHOWTIME hits. Crave Original hit series include comedies Letterkenny and New Eden; Cravings: The Aftershow with Lainey Lui; Healthy is Hotwith Chloe Wilde; candid interview series Much Studios Presents: Mike on Much in Conversation With…; a series of original stand-up specials; the upcoming competition series Canada’s Drag Race; and the upcoming apocalyptic original comedic documentary series We’re All Gonna Die.
About IFC
IFC is the home of offbeat, unexpected comedies. Acclaimed series Documentary Now!, Brockmire, Sherman’s Showcase and Baroness von Sketch Show air alongside fan-favorite movies and comedic cult TV shows. IFC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., and available across multiple platforms. IFC is Always On, Slightly Off.
About Sundance Now
AMC Networks’ Sundance Now offers cross-genre escapism for insightful viewers seeking fresh perspectives, thought-provoking experiences and transportive journeys to far-off places. With a rich selection of engrossing dramas and romance, imaginative fantasy, gripping mysteries, to riveting true crime and intelligent thrillers, Sundance Now programming features empowered characters telling one-of-a-kind of stories from around the world – all streaming commercial-free. Sundance Now houses critically-acclaimed and award-winning original and streaming exclusive series including popular supernatural thriller A Discovery of Witches (Matthew Goode, Teresa Palmer), highly anticipated UK adaptation of the French hit Call My Agent!, Ten Percent, (Jack Davenport, Jim Broadbent), multi-Emmy winner State of the Union (Rosamund Pike, Chris O’Dowd; Patricia Clarkson, Brendan Gleeson), glamourous coastal drama Riviera (Julia Stiles), incomparably clever comedy Back (David Mitchell, Robert Webb), British true crime thriller Des (David Tennant), hit mystery The Drowning (Jill Halfpenny), French spy drama The Bureau, Australian psychological thriller The Secrets She Keeps (Laura Carmichael), acclaimed Swedish drama The Restaurant, British thriller The Cry (Jenna Coleman), Liar (Joanne Froggatt, Ioan Gruffudd), Motherland (Anna Maxwell Martin, Lucy Punch, Joanna Lumley), Next of Kin (Archie Panjabi, Jack Davenport), and Total Control (Rachel Griffiths, Deborah Mailman), to name a few; alongside riveting true crime series including The Night Caller, Secrets of a Psychopath, The Suspect, The Dakota Entrapment Tapes, ThePreppy Murder: Death in Central Park, No One Saw a Thing and Killing for Love featuring the Amanda Knox podcast.
Sundance Now can be enjoyed for $6.99/month or $4.99/month with an annual membership. No cable subscription is needed. Facebook: @SundanceNow – Twitter: @sundance_now
About RTÉ
RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) is Ireland’s national public-service media organisation. RTÉ commissions a broad range of high-quality programming and content to meet the needs of multiple audiences. Further information can be found here: https://www.rte.ie/about/en/how-rte-is-run/2014/0310/601244-about-rte/
About Fremantle
Fremantle is one of the world’s largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of Entertainment, Drama & Film and Documentaries. Operating in 26 territories we are a proudly independent group of content creators. We produce and deliver high-quality multi-genre IP including some of the biggest entertainment formats, most watched international dramas, award winning films and hard-hitting documentaries, amplifying local stories on a global scale. From Too Hot to Handle toMosquito Coast, Game of Talents to The Hand of God, Farmer Wants A Wife to ‘Got Talent’, Family Feud to My Brilliant Friend and The Investigation to Arctic Drift, our focus is simple – we create and deliver irresistible entertainment. We are also a world leader in digital and branded entertainment with more than 480 million fans across 1,600 social channels and over 40 billion views per year across all platforms. Fremantle is part of RTL Group, a global leader across broadcast, content and digital, itself a division of the international media giant Bertelsmann. For more information, please visit Fremantle.com, follow us @FremantleHQ or visit our LinkedIn and Facebook pages.
