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ATF: Blue Ant Secures Asian Sales For Crime-Themed Content

Canada-based global distribution group Blue Ant International has notched up sales of crime-themed content to several Asian platforms, coming into the Asian Television Forum (ATF) in Singapore.

The ATF runs as part of the Singapore Media Festival.

Pan-Asian linear network, A+E Networks Asia has picked up season five of Arrow Media and Saloon Media’s “See No Evil,” a series about how real crimes are solved with the help of surveillance cameras.

In Thailand, linear broadcaster, True Visions has acquired season one of Spring Films’ “Prison,” a docu-series that explores the issues facing prison staff and prisoners, via exclusive access to the male English jail HMP Durham.

The biggest haul is by Chinese SVOD service, Huan Xi Shou Ying, which has licensed multiple crime series including season one and two of “Prison,” where the second season shifts focus to female offenders in HMP Foston Hall; Woodcut Media’s “The Killer in My Family,” a series that examines crimes through the lens of the killer’s family members; Cream Productions’ “BTK: A Killer Among Us,” a docu-series that provides an in-depth look at notorious killer Dennis Rader’s horrible legacy; and two seasons of Bob Brown Productions’ “Fraud Squad: The Hunt,” a series that follows a team of investigators whose job is to catch and convict theft from public coffers.

Huan Xi Shou Ying’s acquisitions also include Woodcut’s “Our Toughest Cases,” which explores criminal activities that devastated communities, defined careers and took their toll on even the most experienced officers; Spring Films’ “How to Stay Out of Jail,” which follows an elite police team whose mission is to give criminals a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reform and cancel out their crime by joining a tough 16-week scheme; Flint TV and Lambent Productions’ “Women on the Force,” which follows the struggles of women in a U.K. police force’ and season five of “See No Evil.”

The sales were brokered over the last six months by Kate Blank, senior director, international sales, Blue Ant International.

“The contemporary storytelling and universal appeal of our crime programming is resonating with buyers in Asia, who have incredibly high standards for this genre,” said Ludo Dufour, the company’s SVP of international co-productions and sales. “This collection of crime-themed deals tops off a phenomenally successful year with Asian clients, in which we’ve strengthened relationships with linear broadcasters and streaming services across Asia.”

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