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Global Bulletin: Netflix Doubles Down in Nigeria, Scooping Four New Originals

In today’s Global Bulletin, Netflix picks up four originals in Nigeria, Amazon Prime Video gets Noggin in several major European markets, Walter Presents buys three Polish series, and IWC Schaffhausen and the BFI announce finalists and jury for this year’s Filmmaker Bursary Award.

STREAMING

Netflix has announced a slate of new original series and films from Nigeria, doubling down on its commitment to finding and promoting talent on the African continent.

One new series and three Nigerian films were secured by Netflix in various stages of production, with some ready to debut immediately.

Far From Home” is a six-part series created by Chinaza Onuzo and Dami Elebe, who double as executive producer and writer. Produced by Inkblot Productions, It follows Ishaya, a teenage artist who wins a scholarship that launches her from her humble surroundings into the world of Nigeria’s 1%. Actor-producer Funke Akindele is confirmed for a lead role.

Films from three of Nigeria’s best-known directors, Mo Abudu (“Life 101”), Kunle Afolayan (“Phone Swap”) and Kemi Adetiba (“King of Boys”) were also announced, each featuring high-profile Nigerian casts.

Abudu’s “Òlòtūré” is the story of a young female journalist who goes undercover as a prostitute to expose a human trafficking syndicate and will launch on the platform Oct. 2. Afolayan’s “Citation,” available Nov. 6, follows a young university student who bonds with her charismatic professor, who exploits his position to sexually harass her, seemingly with impunity. And “King of Boys II” is the sequel to Adetiba’s popular 2018 crime thriller.

*****

Amazon Prime Video has picked up Noggin, Nick Jr.’s popular learning subscription service for pre-school aged children, for markets across Europe including the U.K., France, Germany and Austria.

A subscription to the service comes with the option to stream or download long and short-form Nick Jr. programming, dubbed in local languages, offering parents a massive catalog of educational content featuring Nick’s most popular IP, such as “Dora the Explorer,” “Shimmer and Shine,” “Paw Patrol” and many others.

In the U.K., Noggin will replace More Milkshake!, which will continue as a separate brand within Noggin, offering programming such as “Peppa the Pig” and “Shane the Chef.”

ACQUISITIONS

Highly curated streaming service Walter Presents has picked up rights to three high-profile Polish series in a multi-territory deal with Polish broadcaster TVN Discovery.

Having found previous success with Polish series “The Border” and “The Teacher,” Walter Presents has gone back to the well and come up with legal drama “The Disappearance,” organized crime thriller “The Sins of the Fathers” and murder mystery “Angel of Death.”

The series, totalling 28 hours of new content, will be available to Walter Presents subscribers in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

AWARDS

The IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI has announced the three filmmakers which make up this year’s shortlist of finalists for the £50,000 ($64,300) prize, now in its 5th year.

This year’s finalists are writer-directors Cathy Brady (“Wildfire”), Aleem Khan (“After Love”) and Francis Lee (“Ammonite”).

Also announced today, this year’s panel of judges will be headed by award-winning actor, director, screenwriter, producer and poet Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You,” “Black Earth Rising,” “Black Mirror”). She will be joined by BFI chief executive Ben Roberts and IWC Schaffhausen CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr.

Created to support the future careers of exceptional U.K. talent, this year’s prize will be awarded on Oct. 18 at the closing of the BFI London Film Festival.

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