Beyond Rights Unveils Fall Slate

Beyond Rights has revealed its fall slate, launching more than 200 hours of fresh content and plenty of returning series from the factual and kids’ genres.

Its fresh content includes the new kids’ show Nina & Olga, based on the best-selling book series Olga the Cloud from Nicoletta Costa, which follows little kids as they get acquainted with themselves and learn about the world.

Nina & Olga is also part of Beyond Rights’ MIPCOM catalog.

“The delightful stories about friendship and navigating new things in everyday life are universal and timeless with enduring appeal,” says Sarah McCormack, senior VP of acquisitions and co-productions. “The fact that the characters are learning to manage their emotions and feelings makes it also feel very current and of the moment.”

Also in Beyond Rights’ MIPCOM catalog are The World According to Grandpa and Turbozaurs. The World According to Grandpa blends live action and animation, following as grandpa whisks his grandchildren away to exciting new worlds from his couch. The preschool series Turbozaurs, meanwhile, features a rescue team of friendly dinosaurs who can transform into machines.

McCormack notes that “MIPCOM commemorates the first anniversary of Beyond Rights, and it has been a great year for the business.”

Leading Beyond Rights’ factual slate is Facing Monsters, from sister company Beyond West. The documentary sees free surfer Kerby Brown take on some of the world’s deadliest slab waves.

“It is intensely personal, seeing a man on a journey following his dreams, and captures the impact his obsession has not only on his own life but also those close to him,” says Connie Hodson, head of partnerships and business development at Beyond Rights.

Another feature documentary, MILKED, led by activist Chris Huriwai, exposes the whitewash of New Zealand’s multi-billion-dollar dairy industry. It features interviews with Dr. Jane Goodall, environmentalist and former actress Suzy Amis Cameron and Cowspiracy co-director Keegan Kuhn.

“Premium factual is an important part of business, so we are especially proud to launch two such compelling and intelligent new feature documentaries as Facing Monsters and MILKED,” Hodson added. “With a wealth of new opportunities on linear channels and a constant demand from SVOD platforms for unique and powerful stories told in-depth, we are confident these two remarkable and memorable films will readily find new homes in the international marketplace this autumn.”

In the new series Motor MythBusters, produced by Beyond Rights’ sister company Beyond Media Rights, former MythBusters presenter Tory Belleci, mechanic Faye Hadley and engineer Bisi Ezerioha put car-related pop culture under the microscope.

On Beyond Rights’ history slate is Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom, based on Iain Ballantyne’s best-selling book, telling the story of the WW2 battle in the North Atlantic between Germany and Britain following Bismarck’s sinking of HMS Hood.

Canada’s West Coast: An Untold Story is another upcoming history title, which tells a variety of stories—from early Indigenous resistance to the fight for equality by immigrants—that helped turn British Columbia into a center for social activism.

Beyond Rights’ travel and adventure titles include Race for the Future, which sees James Levelle raise awareness about climate change by traveling from the U.K. to Chile in a fossil fuel-free way. Another travel title, Expedition Asia follows Ryan Pyle as he explores trekking destinations across the continent.

Other new factual titles are Animal Emergency, produced by Scratch Films and set in Ireland’s premier vet hospital; Pooch Perfect USA, the American version of the competitive dog-grooming series, hosted by Rebel Wilson; and Britain’s Biggest Families, produced by One Tribe TV and following three of Britain’s largest families.

“We have crystallized our offer in the marketplace, put partnerships front and center of our business and have successfully grown our catalog,” Hodson notes.

Returning series include Abandoned Engineering; Massive Engineering Mistakes; Bangers and Cash; Flipping Bangers; Ultimate Rides; Highway Thru Hell; Ice Vikings; Train Trucks; Undercut: Wooden Treasure; Monkey Life; Love It or List It; Pati’s Mexican Table; Extreme Treks; Inside British Airways; and Underground Worlds.

“During a year that has seen both production hiatuses and reduced commissions, we are thrilled to launch such a healthy slate this autumn, welcoming a number of new producer partners to the Beyond Rights business, as well as supporting our existing partners with their successful returning series,” Hodson said.