BBC Scores German, Mexican Dramas from Fremantle

Fremantle has licensed to the BBC the Spanish-language thriller Señorita 89 and the German drama KaDeWe—Our Time is Now for launch in the U.K. later this year.

KaDeWe—Our Time is Now, produced by Constantin Television and UFA Fiction with ARD Degeto and RBB, follows four friends at Berlin’s famous Kaufhaus des Westens department store in the 1920s. The six-part period drama was created by filmmaker Julia von Heinz.

Señorita 89 is an eight-part thriller from Fremantle and the Oscar-winning producers Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín. Created and directed by Lucia Puenzo, it is set against the backdrop of a Mexican beauty pageant in the 1980s and previously launched on Pantaya in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and on STARZPLAY in Spain and Latin America.

“It is always special to partner with the BBC when bringing world-class, premium drama to U.K. audiences,” said Jamie Lynn, executive VP of co-production and distribution for EMEA, international, at Fremantle. “BBC have always been both trailblazers and tastemakers when selecting the very best of what the international drama world has to offer, and these two exceptional, filmic series are case in point. Despite being set in two very different times in history, Señorita 89 and KaDeWe—Our Time is Now both address important topical issues surrounding women, beauty, culture and identity that still resonate today. The spectacular talent, both behind and in front of the camera, bring the powerful stories to life and I’m confident both series will make a lasting impression on viewers.”

Sue Deeks, head of program acquisition at the BBC, added, “Señorita 89 and KaDeWe are examples of incredible international talent, both in front of and behind the camera. They each have their own unique flavor, but both are truly remarkable—we are delighted to bring them to BBC viewers.”