Austrian television is awash with crime, mystery and historical drama, and the country’s biggest hits and new productions are heading to MipTV.
Among this year’s most anticipated titles is the upcoming “Kafka,” starring Swiss actor Joel Basman as the famed Bohemian writer.
The six-part series is currently shooting in Vienna and Salzburg and is set to premiere on Austrian pubcaster Orf and Germany’s Ard early next year, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Franz Kafka’s death.
“Kafka” is produced by Ard, Orf and John Lueftner and David Schalko’s Vienna-based Superfilm. Schalko is directing and co-writing the series with bestselling author and screenplay writer Daniel Kehlmann (“Measuring the World”), based on the Kafka biography by Reiner Stach, who is also
advising the production.
Sold internationally by Orf-Enterprise, the public broadcaster’s commercial subsidiary, the series’ ensemble cast includes David Kross (“Davos”), Nicholas Ofczarek (“Pagan Peak”) and Liv Lisa Fries...
Among this year’s most anticipated titles is the upcoming “Kafka,” starring Swiss actor Joel Basman as the famed Bohemian writer.
The six-part series is currently shooting in Vienna and Salzburg and is set to premiere on Austrian pubcaster Orf and Germany’s Ard early next year, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Franz Kafka’s death.
“Kafka” is produced by Ard, Orf and John Lueftner and David Schalko’s Vienna-based Superfilm. Schalko is directing and co-writing the series with bestselling author and screenplay writer Daniel Kehlmann (“Measuring the World”), based on the Kafka biography by Reiner Stach, who is also
advising the production.
Sold internationally by Orf-Enterprise, the public broadcaster’s commercial subsidiary, the series’ ensemble cast includes David Kross (“Davos”), Nicholas Ofczarek (“Pagan Peak”) and Liv Lisa Fries...
- 4/17/2023
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
David Schalko’s post-war drama “Big Bones” is headed to Series Mania after coming out on top at the Berlin Co Pro Series pitching event. Schalko’s gangster series in-the-making had already fared well in Berlin, landing an international distributor, and it is now headed to France after being selected by the Series Mania team following its Drama Series Days pitch.
“Big Bones” was one of ten scripted projects being presented at the Co Pro Series 2019 event, part of the Efm and Drama Series Days, in Berlin. The organizers have an exchange whereby one series is chosen to be taken to Series Mania drama event in Lille and presented to finance and production partners again.
In a lineup heavy on noir series and crime thrillers, Vienna-set drama “Big Bones” prevailed. Beta Film had already recognized its potential and swooped for international rights the day before the pitching session.
“We have...
“Big Bones” was one of ten scripted projects being presented at the Co Pro Series 2019 event, part of the Efm and Drama Series Days, in Berlin. The organizers have an exchange whereby one series is chosen to be taken to Series Mania drama event in Lille and presented to finance and production partners again.
In a lineup heavy on noir series and crime thrillers, Vienna-set drama “Big Bones” prevailed. Beta Film had already recognized its potential and swooped for international rights the day before the pitching session.
“We have...
- 2/12/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin — Attendees of Berlinale’s Drama Series Days followed a busy and wide-ranging program on Monday with a packed opening reception, supported by Film- und Medienstiftung Nrw, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and the Norwegian Film Institute, and with Variety as a media partner.
After a lively day of panel discussions and sessions focused on the future of television, guests partied at the chic Super Concept Space just steps from the red carpet of Zoo Palast. Among those in attendance were Film- und Medienstiftung Nrw CEO Petra Müller, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg managing director Kirsten Niehuus, Efm director Matthijs Wouter Knol, and Berlinale Series program manager Solmaz Azizi.
The growing excitement around the Berlin Film Festival’s popular TV strand, which moved to Zoo Palast last year to concentrate both screenings and industry activities in a single hub, is part of a natural evolution in the industry, according to Knol.
The Efm topper said that five years ago,...
After a lively day of panel discussions and sessions focused on the future of television, guests partied at the chic Super Concept Space just steps from the red carpet of Zoo Palast. Among those in attendance were Film- und Medienstiftung Nrw CEO Petra Müller, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg managing director Kirsten Niehuus, Efm director Matthijs Wouter Knol, and Berlinale Series program manager Solmaz Azizi.
The growing excitement around the Berlin Film Festival’s popular TV strand, which moved to Zoo Palast last year to concentrate both screenings and industry activities in a single hub, is part of a natural evolution in the industry, according to Knol.
The Efm topper said that five years ago,...
- 2/12/2019
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
As Berlin’s TV coproduction event gets underway, Beta Film has boarded one of the prestige projects being pitched. It has snagged rights to “Big Bones,” the gritty post-war crime series set in Vienna, Austria, and will take the series to market.
The deal reunites Beta and writer-director David Schalko. Beta is already launching his Frtiz Lang-inspired “M – A City Hunts a Murderer” in Berlin where the series is part of the Drama Days official selection.
“Big Bones” is a co-production between Austria’s Satel Film and Superfilm. Schalko will be the showrunner and producer alongside Satel Film’s Heinrich Ambrosch and Superfilm’s John Lueftner.
The series will follow four small-time crooks caught by the Nazis. They end up in a concentration camp where they rise to the post of overseers, the henchmen of the camp’s guards. The quartet build a network for when the war is over...
The deal reunites Beta and writer-director David Schalko. Beta is already launching his Frtiz Lang-inspired “M – A City Hunts a Murderer” in Berlin where the series is part of the Drama Days official selection.
“Big Bones” is a co-production between Austria’s Satel Film and Superfilm. Schalko will be the showrunner and producer alongside Satel Film’s Heinrich Ambrosch and Superfilm’s John Lueftner.
The series will follow four small-time crooks caught by the Nazis. They end up in a concentration camp where they rise to the post of overseers, the henchmen of the camp’s guards. The quartet build a network for when the war is over...
- 2/12/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin — A desperate city hunts for a child killer in the six-part drama series “M – A City Hunts a Murderer,” a modern-day interpretation of Fritz Lang’s iconic film which world premieres Feb. 12 as part of the Berlin Film Festival’s TV strand, Berlinale Series.
The six-hour limited series is a Superfilm production by John Lueftner and David Schalko for Austrian public broadcaster Orf and Germany’s TV Now, the new streaming service of the Rtl Mediagroup. Directed by Schalko, the series stars well-known German actors Udo Kier (“Downsizing”), Moritz Bleibtreu (“Atomised”), and Lars Eidinger (“Personal Shopper”).Beta Film is handling global sales.
Schalko spoke to Variety about the inspiration behind “M,” and how he faced the daunting challenge of reimagining Lang’s 1931 classic for the modern age of prestige TV.
In adapting Fritz Lang’s “M,” you’ve chosen to interpret and reimagine one of the landmarks of cinematic history.
The six-hour limited series is a Superfilm production by John Lueftner and David Schalko for Austrian public broadcaster Orf and Germany’s TV Now, the new streaming service of the Rtl Mediagroup. Directed by Schalko, the series stars well-known German actors Udo Kier (“Downsizing”), Moritz Bleibtreu (“Atomised”), and Lars Eidinger (“Personal Shopper”).Beta Film is handling global sales.
Schalko spoke to Variety about the inspiration behind “M,” and how he faced the daunting challenge of reimagining Lang’s 1931 classic for the modern age of prestige TV.
In adapting Fritz Lang’s “M,” you’ve chosen to interpret and reimagine one of the landmarks of cinematic history.
- 2/11/2019
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
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