WorldScreenings: GoQuest Media

From espionage thrillers set in Serbia and Estonia to a series about the Czech drug world and a dramedy about divorce, GoQuest Media has on offer for the global market a truly international slate of compelling content. “We have an exciting selection of critically acclaimed and award-winning titles whose international appeal lies in the fact that they are fresh and unique perspectives on universal stories,” says Vivek Lath, founder and managing director of GoQuest.

Starring Tambet Tuisk, Traitor sees an official at the Estonian Ministry of Defence become an agent for Russian intelligence when Estonia joins NATO in a story inspired by the country’s recent spy scandals. Also from Estonia, Divorce in Peacecenters on a middle-aged couple as they complete ten tasks given to them by a therapist in an attempt to end their 20-year marriage amicably.

Civil Servant provides a peek into the world of the Serbian intelligence agency, the BIA, through Lazar, a handsome and enigmatic patriot who will do anything to protect his country. Shining a light on the meth trade in Europe, Rats tells its story from three different perspectives: the family of a young drug dealer, a woman detective on the beat and a Vietnamese meth syndicate.

Rats, which has been licensed by SBS Australia, is currently streaming on SBS On Demand. The Serbian spy series Civil Servant has been licensed to Globoplay in Brazil, while MX Player in India has acquired the Ukrainian dramas Ruby Ring and I’m On Your Side. “We are currently closing some more deals and should be announcing them soon,” says Lath.

Two developments across the international media landscape that have changed the game for GoQuest have been digital platforms’ increased spending on original content and the unprecedented interest in non-English-language titles. “As more and more streaming platforms emerge, the demand for global content will grow; platforms are already doubling down on original content compared to ready content,” says Lath. “It’s an excellent opportunity for companies like ours to bring international formats for adaptation to global players.”

As for evidence of the contemporary success of foreign-language titles, Lath points to the Korean series Squid Game, which became a bona fide hit with Netflix’s international audience and has been renewed for a second season. Lath, who notes that non-English dramas were the biggest trend at this year’s MIPCOM, adds that GoQuest is “at the perfect place at the perfect time, thanks to our strategically curated catalog of the best international dramas from around the world.”

Opportunities for growth ahead abound for GoQuest, according to Lath, who says that “the demand for scripted formats and finished tapes of 30-plus episodes is increasing. Interestingly, with platforms looking to reduce their content costs without compromising on the production value, there is a strong case for cross-border co-productions and distributors to work with global development teams.”

Facilitating the anticipated growth in GoQuest’s future and fostering its relationships within the international industry is its commitment to only offering to the market quality, carefully curated content, featuring top talent and international appeal.

“We aim to bring the best stories to worldwide audiences through a stellar team that takes them to the right platforms and networks and has those stories travel far and wide,” says Lath.

See GoQuest Media’s Winter 2021 Showcase here.