SBS Australia Takes on The Five, Section Zéro, Baron Noir

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LONDON: STUDIOCANAL has signed a package deal with SBS in Australia for three dramas: The Five, Section Zéro and Baron Noir.

The thriller The Five comes from acclaimed author Harlan Coben. It will make its free-to-air debut in Australia on SBS 1 during the third quarter of this year. Additionally, New Zealand free-to-air network Prime picked up The Five, to debut in the country on June 12.

Section Zéro is a political thriller from writer and director Olivier Marchal (Braquo). Baron Noir is a political drama from creators and writers Eric Benzekri and Jean-Baptiste Delafon (Maison Close).

All three series will become available on SBS’s VOD service, SBS On Demand, starting June 30.

Marshall Heald, the director of TV and online content at SBS Australia, said: “Australians love high-quality drama series and we’re committed to bringing them the very best the whole world has to offer—hand-picked and curated by our team of experts here at SBS. Gritty crime thrillers like The Five, political dramas like Baron Noir and dark sci-fi series like Section Zéro bring something fresh and exciting to our world drama slate. We’re thrilled to offer these three leading dramas from STUDIOCANAL to Australian audiences as part of SBS’s world drama package, free, in full and exclusive to SBS On Demand.”

Karen Bieleski, Sky TV’s head of general entertainment and Prime, added: “We’re excited to premiere Harlan Coben’s gripping new series, The Five, on Prime this month. Packed full of suspense, intrigue and action, this is high-quality drama that Prime’s audience will enjoy.”

Katrina Neylon, the executive VP of sales and marketing at STUDIOCANAL, commented: “We’re very pleased to see leading broadcasters in Australia and New Zealand picking up this selection of our latest new content. With their compelling blend of contemporary, globally relevant story lines and high-quality production values, these series have attracted strong interest in the international market since their recent launch, underlining our position as the go-to distributor for prime-time drama content.”

Elizabeth Trotman, the CEO of STUDIOCANAL Australia/New Zealand, added: “All three series offer fantastically gripping drama showcased by some of the world’s leading talent both on and off screen, and we know they will keep viewers hooked from the very start. International scripted drama continues to be in strong demand across Australia and New Zealand, and I’d like to thank Tim Stuart, our executive VP of digital and TV Asia Pacific, for brokering these deals for three titles that represent some of the best new content available in the global market.”