Mediawan chief eyes ‘very attractive’ UK market

Mediawan Pictures chief exec Elisabeth d’Arvieu has talked up the UK market and pointed to growth in English-language series as a key reason for its acquisition of See-Saw Films.

The French company, which is backed by private equity firms including KKR and Atwater Capital, bolstered its UK operations earlier this year with the high-profile acquisition of the producer behind Apple TV+ hit Slow Horses and feature One Life.

D’Arvieu said the London and Sydney-based firm, which is led by Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, offered an opportunity to expand its expertise across series and film, but also provided it with another gateway into the US.

“Both artistically and strategically, many things matched with See-Saw, so the discussions came about organically,” she told Broadcast International, adding that the company had been talking to them “for a long time.”

Mediawan and See-Saw had shared history prior to the acquisition – the latter has worked with film talent from the Mediawan family such as Florian Zeller with The Son and Plan B on David Michôd’s The King – as well as similar artistic and strategic outlooks.

See-Saw recently set up sub-label Fanboy - led by Heartstopper exec Patrick Walters – which produced Sky’s dark dramedy Sweetpea, while Netflix’s Australian drama series Apple Cider Vinegar was produced with its Samantha Strauss led joint-venture, Picking Scabs.  

“Their strategic vision of the market is also consistent with ours. The company doesn’t just rely on its two founders, but they’ve developed a team of independent producers who each have their own line-ups allowing them to diversify in different genres and be more relevant in their own expertise.

“They started with cinema and have become leading series producers. In our territories, we are also aiming to be multi-genre.”

Mediawan has been ramping up its English-language output of late, selling Sally Wainwright’s latest series Riot Women from its UK label Drama Republic, while Plan B was attached to Netflix hit, Adolescence.

D’Arvieu said the country continued to be “very attractive” and pointed to See-Saw’s bases in the UK and Australia as key factors in the acquisition.

“In the UK, we were strong in scripted fiction via Drama Republic. Now, we can reinforce our commitment to premium series and movies in the English language, but also have the capacity for development and production in the UK and Australia and potential for co-productions with our US and European affiliates.”

D’Arvieu added that English-language shows are a key focus for the company as it looks to expand, pointing to buzzy series Kabul – about the US pull-out from Afghanistan – as an example of the strategy.

“The English language is key because it helps the sales and therefore the exposure on the international market. Kabul was made in both the local language of Dari and in English – it was a choice to give it a chance to resonate internationally.

“The UK is a very attractive territory because there is immense writing talent and that’s what series are based on, so there is an extraordinary talent pool and also because it is a territory ripe for co-productions – we see it as a natural link between the US market and Europe.”