Cineflix Rights Brings a Diverse Catalog Aligned with CEE Viewers Preferences
Cineflix Rights has made a name for high-quality content which enjoys steady popularity among CEE viewers. Lucy Rawson, VP, Sales, Benelux, CEE, and Southern Mediterranean, tells TVBIZZ Magazine about the latest titles in the catalog, the distributor’s strategy to track the evolving preferences of their clients and the breakthru of reality format Tempting Fortune in Greece and Romania, and pretty soon in other countries in the region.
Sunny Nights
Lucy, how would you describe Cineflix Rights’ overall content strategy for the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region? Are there specific genres that perform particularly well in the region?
We have a breadth of new programming and long-running hits that spans scripted alongside a wide range of factual genres which appeals to broadcasters and streamers across the region. Engineering and history remain strong especially for public broadcasters, World War II in particular plays well, and our key brands such as Mayday: Air Disaster will often work for multiple windowing opportunities, especially in markets like Poland.
Strippable daytime lifestyle, such as cookery and property does really well. Our well-known Property Brothers brand is always in demand, and I’m looking forward to launching a new, recently announced show in the franchise, Property Brothers: Commitment Issues.
Long-running UK brands Château DIY and Help! We Brought a Village have already had traction in the region, and we’re excited to launch the latest seasons. Pan-regional and local channels are always looking for true crime with titles like Crime Scene Investigators and Spring Break Murders, and our buzzy Lifetime biopic movie I Was Honey Boo Boo which will also launch to buyers at NATPE.
Which countries in the CEE region are your top priorities, and why? Do you adjust your sales approach for different markets based on local broadcaster preferences?
Poland has always been a key territory, largely due to the sheer market size and scope. Our content finds a home on one of the many channels and streamers there from premium pay, through to a number of secondary windows across free TV and the established VOD market. Hungary and the Czech Republic are also key across both the factual and lifestyle space. Despite local productions being strong and often forming the backbone of schedules in all these regions, international series from our slate are always in demand.
We are seeing a lot of growth in the Baltics as well, where there has been a rise in digital platforms. True crime, lifestyle and factual entertainment are all popular across linear and streamers.
We always tailor our pitches to reflect the varying programming needs across regions, but content preferences are constantly evolving. That’s why maintaining close relationships is essential and markets like NATPE provide valuable opportunities to stay aligned with buyers’ shifting priorities. While some operate closely within their financial year cycles, others are more flexible and able to acquire content on short notice. Being agile and responsive is crucial to meeting these differing demands effectively.
Can you share some of the latest titles in your catalog that you believe have strong potential in CEE? What makes them a good fit for broadcasters and platforms in the region?
Sunny Nights (8x60’, Jungle Entertainment and Echo Lake Entertainment in association with Cineflix Rights for Stan, Australia) is a darkly comedic crime drama directed by Trent O’Donnell and starring Will Forte as a strait-laced American who teams up with his loose cannon sister played by D’Arcy Carden, to set up a spray tan business in Sydney. Procedural dramas consistently rank high on buyers’ wishlists in the region, though there’s also growing interest—particularly among streamers—in serialized crime content. Sunny Nights offers a unique blend of both, combining a comedic twist with recognizable Hollywood talent. We›re aiming to build on the strong international momentum the show has already achieved in other territories.
Trace, Track, Get My Car Back! (16x30’, Rare TV for BBC, UK) is an eye-opening series following the specialist police recovery teams who combine the latest tracking technology with boots-on-the-ground detective work to swipe stolen vehicles back from under the noses of the crooks who stole them. Blue light, fast-paced, male-skewing content is a performer on the pan-regional channels, as well as it being a genre that often windows with local commercial broadcasters. Plus, the series provides volume to strip for daytime.
Help! We Bought a Village (Seasons 1-3, 80x60’, True North for Channel 4, UK), follows couples and families as they restore abandoned villages across Europe. It’s a high-rating Channel 4 lifestyle series, long-running, bingeable, and set in beautiful European locations, but also with historic experts featured and great takeaways, so it appeals to both public and commercial channels. We’ve sold it to a number of territories in the region including Hungary and the Baltics but still have availability. It is also gaining traction as a format.
Choir Games (4x60’, Husk Media and Spacific Films for Sky, New Zealand and Super Channel, Canada) is an inspiring series from award-winning filmmaker Leanne Pooley following the teenagers and conductors of two remarkable choirs— the Young People’s Chorus of New York City and New Zealand’s Kaitāia Community Voices—as they embark on a life-changing journey to the 2024 World Choir Games, the largest choral competition on Earth. At a time when the world seems to be pulling apart, this series shows how the power of music brings people together. A compelling documentary series, it taps into the universal appeal of human stories—consistently a priority for buyers, particularly among public broadcasters.
Cape Carnage: Killer Catch (10x60’, McAvoy Media for Seven Network Australia, UKTV, TVNZ) which follows Captain Bruce and the Davey family, who make a living from one of the most dangerous and remote jobs on earth: hand-line fishing in the treacherous waters of northern Australia. A brilliant adrenalin filled dangerous jobs series that would typically appeal to male-skewing channels in the region, but with the whole Davey family joining it has co-viewing appeal.
Let’s focus a bit more on Tempting Fortune which has now been adapted in Greece and Romania. Are you satisfied with the result of the show in these markets and are you seeing interest in other CEE countries for the format?
Feedback has been great for the series which have aired – Acun Medya produced for Skai in Greece and Kanal D Romania. For Kanal D in Romania it was the 2 show nationally when it premiered, exceeding the slot average by +48%. We were thrilled with how Acun Medya adapted the format for these regions to include more gameplay than the UK version, and more episodes too without losing the pace/excitement. Several other markets in the region have shown interest with options in place in a number of them. With first seasons in production for NRK in Norway and already airing on Sky Italia, together with Season 2 for TV Azteca in Mexico airing, we are confident we will be announcing more CEE versions shortly. Stay tuned.
How important is NATPE Budapest in your calendar, and what are your main objectives when attending the market this year?
NATPE Budapest is a strategic moment in the calendar—falling between the London Screenings and MIPCOM—making it an ideal platform to showcase new launches and offer a preview of what’s to come, particularly in drama. I’ll be introducing The Walsh Sisters to buyers in Budapest ahead of its official debut at MIPCOM. In addition to our new slate, I’ll also be presenting fresh seasons of our key returning brands.
How does Cineflix Rights differentiate itself from other distributors in the CEE space? What unique advantages does your catalog offer to regional buyers?
Cineflix Rights is the UK’s largest truly independent distributor so we can select the best content from creative producers all over the world to sell to a wide range of buyers. With more than 6,000 hours of shows spanning scripted and a very wide range of factual genres, we have the scale to offer programming solutions that suit every platform across the region.
What novelties can buyers expect from Cineflix Rights in the future? What is in development?
I’m excited about our new BBC / RTÉ comedy drama series, The Walsh Sisters, which we’ll be launching at MIPCOM. It’s based on the characters from Marian Keyes’ bestselling novels, a chaotic, dysfunctional but deeply loveable family of five sisters, their mother and bemused father, set in their Dublin hometown.
Another upcoming title is drama series Hildur based on the well-known novels – which is a perfect example of the increasingly popular Nordic Blue genre – a thriller with strong characters unravelling a complex case, but combined with warmer themes of love and friendship, humor and mysticism, all set against the beautiful backdrop of one of the world’s most scenic locations.
On the factual side, we have a number of new shows launching in the run up to MIPCOM spanning history, documentaries, crime, lifestyle and more, which I will tease at NATPE Budapest!
We have a breadth of new programming and long-running hits that spans scripted alongside a wide range of factual genres which appeals to broadcasters and streamers across the region. Engineering and history remain strong especially for public broadcasters, World War II in particular plays well, and our key brands such as Mayday: Air Disaster will often work for multiple windowing opportunities, especially in markets like Poland.
Strippable daytime lifestyle, such as cookery and property does really well. Our well-known Property Brothers brand is always in demand, and I’m looking forward to launching a new, recently announced show in the franchise, Property Brothers: Commitment Issues.
Long-running UK brands Château DIY and Help! We Brought a Village have already had traction in the region, and we’re excited to launch the latest seasons. Pan-regional and local channels are always looking for true crime with titles like Crime Scene Investigators and Spring Break Murders, and our buzzy Lifetime biopic movie I Was Honey Boo Boo which will also launch to buyers at NATPE.
Which countries in the CEE region are your top priorities, and why? Do you adjust your sales approach for different markets based on local broadcaster preferences?
Poland has always been a key territory, largely due to the sheer market size and scope. Our content finds a home on one of the many channels and streamers there from premium pay, through to a number of secondary windows across free TV and the established VOD market. Hungary and the Czech Republic are also key across both the factual and lifestyle space. Despite local productions being strong and often forming the backbone of schedules in all these regions, international series from our slate are always in demand.
We are seeing a lot of growth in the Baltics as well, where there has been a rise in digital platforms. True crime, lifestyle and factual entertainment are all popular across linear and streamers.
We always tailor our pitches to reflect the varying programming needs across regions, but content preferences are constantly evolving. That’s why maintaining close relationships is essential and markets like NATPE provide valuable opportunities to stay aligned with buyers’ shifting priorities. While some operate closely within their financial year cycles, others are more flexible and able to acquire content on short notice. Being agile and responsive is crucial to meeting these differing demands effectively.
Help! We Bought a Village
Can you share some of the latest titles in your catalog that you believe have strong potential in CEE? What makes them a good fit for broadcasters and platforms in the region?
Sunny Nights (8x60’, Jungle Entertainment and Echo Lake Entertainment in association with Cineflix Rights for Stan, Australia) is a darkly comedic crime drama directed by Trent O’Donnell and starring Will Forte as a strait-laced American who teams up with his loose cannon sister played by D’Arcy Carden, to set up a spray tan business in Sydney. Procedural dramas consistently rank high on buyers’ wishlists in the region, though there’s also growing interest—particularly among streamers—in serialized crime content. Sunny Nights offers a unique blend of both, combining a comedic twist with recognizable Hollywood talent. We›re aiming to build on the strong international momentum the show has already achieved in other territories.
Trace, Track, Get My Car Back! (16x30’, Rare TV for BBC, UK) is an eye-opening series following the specialist police recovery teams who combine the latest tracking technology with boots-on-the-ground detective work to swipe stolen vehicles back from under the noses of the crooks who stole them. Blue light, fast-paced, male-skewing content is a performer on the pan-regional channels, as well as it being a genre that often windows with local commercial broadcasters. Plus, the series provides volume to strip for daytime.
Help! We Bought a Village (Seasons 1-3, 80x60’, True North for Channel 4, UK), follows couples and families as they restore abandoned villages across Europe. It’s a high-rating Channel 4 lifestyle series, long-running, bingeable, and set in beautiful European locations, but also with historic experts featured and great takeaways, so it appeals to both public and commercial channels. We’ve sold it to a number of territories in the region including Hungary and the Baltics but still have availability. It is also gaining traction as a format.
Choir Games (4x60’, Husk Media and Spacific Films for Sky, New Zealand and Super Channel, Canada) is an inspiring series from award-winning filmmaker Leanne Pooley following the teenagers and conductors of two remarkable choirs— the Young People’s Chorus of New York City and New Zealand’s Kaitāia Community Voices—as they embark on a life-changing journey to the 2024 World Choir Games, the largest choral competition on Earth. At a time when the world seems to be pulling apart, this series shows how the power of music brings people together. A compelling documentary series, it taps into the universal appeal of human stories—consistently a priority for buyers, particularly among public broadcasters.
Choir Games
Cape Carnage: Killer Catch (10x60’, McAvoy Media for Seven Network Australia, UKTV, TVNZ) which follows Captain Bruce and the Davey family, who make a living from one of the most dangerous and remote jobs on earth: hand-line fishing in the treacherous waters of northern Australia. A brilliant adrenalin filled dangerous jobs series that would typically appeal to male-skewing channels in the region, but with the whole Davey family joining it has co-viewing appeal.
Let’s focus a bit more on Tempting Fortune which has now been adapted in Greece and Romania. Are you satisfied with the result of the show in these markets and are you seeing interest in other CEE countries for the format?
Feedback has been great for the series which have aired – Acun Medya produced for Skai in Greece and Kanal D Romania. For Kanal D in Romania it was the 2 show nationally when it premiered, exceeding the slot average by +48%. We were thrilled with how Acun Medya adapted the format for these regions to include more gameplay than the UK version, and more episodes too without losing the pace/excitement. Several other markets in the region have shown interest with options in place in a number of them. With first seasons in production for NRK in Norway and already airing on Sky Italia, together with Season 2 for TV Azteca in Mexico airing, we are confident we will be announcing more CEE versions shortly. Stay tuned.
How important is NATPE Budapest in your calendar, and what are your main objectives when attending the market this year?
NATPE Budapest is a strategic moment in the calendar—falling between the London Screenings and MIPCOM—making it an ideal platform to showcase new launches and offer a preview of what’s to come, particularly in drama. I’ll be introducing The Walsh Sisters to buyers in Budapest ahead of its official debut at MIPCOM. In addition to our new slate, I’ll also be presenting fresh seasons of our key returning brands.
How does Cineflix Rights differentiate itself from other distributors in the CEE space? What unique advantages does your catalog offer to regional buyers?
Cineflix Rights is the UK’s largest truly independent distributor so we can select the best content from creative producers all over the world to sell to a wide range of buyers. With more than 6,000 hours of shows spanning scripted and a very wide range of factual genres, we have the scale to offer programming solutions that suit every platform across the region.
Cape Carnage
What novelties can buyers expect from Cineflix Rights in the future? What is in development?
I’m excited about our new BBC / RTÉ comedy drama series, The Walsh Sisters, which we’ll be launching at MIPCOM. It’s based on the characters from Marian Keyes’ bestselling novels, a chaotic, dysfunctional but deeply loveable family of five sisters, their mother and bemused father, set in their Dublin hometown.
Another upcoming title is drama series Hildur based on the well-known novels – which is a perfect example of the increasingly popular Nordic Blue genre – a thriller with strong characters unravelling a complex case, but combined with warmer themes of love and friendship, humor and mysticism, all set against the beautiful backdrop of one of the world’s most scenic locations.
On the factual side, we have a number of new shows launching in the run up to MIPCOM spanning history, documentaries, crime, lifestyle and more, which I will tease at NATPE Budapest!
