Banijay Rights Signs Package Deal with Canal+ Group

Banijay Rights has secured a comprehensive scripted package deal with Canal+ Group in France for its Polar+ channel.

Including relicenses, the deal will give Polar+ subscribers access to more than 85 hours of Banijay Rights’ scripted shows and TV movies. It covers a full slate of titles that includes the new dramas Wisting, Public Enemy, Rebecka Martinsson and GR5: Into the Wilderness.

GR5: Into the Wilderness, a psychological thriller new to the Banijay Rights catalog, is co-produced by Zodiak Belgium and Red Balloon for VRT and ZDF Neo. Shot entirely on location, the series takes viewers through the dark woods and landscapes of the Alps in search of the truth as to what happened to a missing girl.

The Norwegian crime drama Wisting, starring Sven Nordin and Carrie-Anne Moss, follows the titular homicide detective as he wrestles with a case involving a wanted American serial killer. It is produced by Cinenord and Good Company Films, in co-production with Viaplay, Degeto Film, TV3 Norway and Ripple World Pictures.

A Yellow Bird production for TV4 Sweden, Rebecka Martinsson is based on Åsa Larsson’s best-selling crime novels. Centering on the lawyer Rebecka Martinsson, who leaves behind a great career in Stockholm for her small hometown to investigate the murder of a close childhood friend, she’s pulled into a hunt for the murderer who may kill again.

The Belgian crime thriller Public Enemy, a co-production between Entre Chien et Loup and Playtime Films for RTBF, tells the story of Guy Béranger, a dangerous child murderer at the end of his prison sentence.

GR5: Into the Wilderness will be on Polar+ later this year, as will season two of Rebecka Martinsson. Meanwhile, Wisting, along with season one of Rebecka Martinsson and Public Enemy, are currently available on the Polar+ replay service, which is accessible via myCANAL.

Isabelle Queme, VP of sales at Banijay Rights, said: “We are sure that the range and depth of the titles acquired and relicensed by Canal+ Group will be well-received by their audience and will help to maintain the Canal+ Group reputation as the go-to platform for high-end scripted content.”

Jean-Marc Juramie, senior executive VP of pay-TV content at Canal+ Group, added: “We are thrilled at Canal+ Group to offer the best of thriller series to Polar+ subscribers who are eager to discover new stories and talents from all over Europe.”