eOne Lands Rights to Helium’s Paper Dolls

Entertainment One (eOne) has picked up the international distribution rights outside of Australia to Helium Pictures’ Paper Dolls.

The eight-part drama follows the meteoric rise and fall of the fictional manufactured girl group Harlow. The five young women of the group, who were put together on the music reality TV show Pop Rush, must navigate the dark side of the glamorous music industry.

Emalia (Australian Gangster), Naomi Sequeira (Evermoor Chronicles), Miah Madden (Redfern Now), Courtney Clarke (Last King of The Cross) and Courtney Monsma (Frozen The Musical) star in the lead roles.

Paper Dolls is based on an original concept by Belinda Chapple and created and written by Ainslie Clouston (Amazing Grace) for Network 10, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW. The writing team also includes David Hannam (Darby and Joan), Marieke Hardy (Heartbreak High), Jenna Purcell, Sara Khan (Heartbreak High) and Thomas Wilson-White (Heartbreak High). Tenika Smith (The Heights), Nina Buxton (Summer Love) and Erin White (Wellmania) are directors.

Series producers are Jessica Carrera (Seriously Red) and Kerrie Mainwaring (Bali 2002), with Mark Fennessy (Last King of The Cross) and Chapple executive producing. Alexander Pettaras (Last King of The Cross) is associate producer.

“Paper Dolls reaches deep into the drama inherent to this area of the music business: immense highs, hopes and dreams, but also manipulation and significant psychological and physical pressure,” said Noel Hedges, executive VP of acquisitions at eOne. “We are so excited to bring the show to international audiences.”

Mark Fennessy, founder of Helium, added, “Equal parts gritty and aspirational, Paper Dolls is a deeply fascinating, female driven story that pulls back the curtain of overnight success to reveal a compelling insight into the darker side of the music industry. We’ve assembled a stellar young ensemble cast alongside an incredibly talented creative team at Helium Pictures. We’re particularly pleased to be working with global distributor eOne who we know will take the engaging story of Harlow and their exploits out to a worldwide audience in the coming months.”