Riveria to debut in Cannes as Japan creates Crisis

Somewhat aptly, MIPTV will host the worldwide debut of Riviera, Sky’s Côte d’Azur-set crime drama, while Japan’s Crisis will feature as the event’s first Asian World Premiere TV Screening.

Buyers will get their first chance to watch mystery drama Riviera on Monday, April 3 at 6.30pm local time in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals, Cannes, with stars Julia Stiles (Bourne Identity), Lena Olin, Adrian Lester and Dimitri Leonidas attending.

Executive producers Liza Marshall and Paul McGuinness, the latter of whom had the original idea for the show, plus series producer Foz Allen will also be in town to promote the screening and sales effort of distributor Sky Vision.

“Thank you to the organisers of MIPTV for selecting Riviera for the World Premiere TV Screening at this year’s festival,” said Sky Vision managing director Jane Millichip. “The series is set on the French Riviera and radiates glamour, style and quality. How fitting, it is making its debut at a festival in Cannes.”

Set in the opulent Côte d’Azur, Riveria follows Stiles as a Midwestern US women turned resourceful wife of a billionaire art collector, who is killed onboard the yacht of a mysterious Russian oligarch, leading her is uncover a world of “lies, double-dealing and criminality”.

Archery Productions and Primo Productions are producing for pay TV channel Sky Atlantic in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany and Austria.

Also premiering at MIPTV in Cannes is Japanese drama Crisis, which will take place at 11.45am on Tuesday, April 4 at the Palais des Festivals.

Co-star Hidetoshi Nishijima will appear, along with executive producers Takahiro Kasagi and Takashi Hagihara.

The drama is based on a story from writer Kazuki Kaneshiro, and focuses on two specialist members of a secret arm of the national police force.

The series is for Fuji Television Network, and comes from the broadcaster’s in-house production team. Fuji Creative Corporation, Fuji’s international arm, is distributing.

In related news, Japanese doc Tokyo Phoenix: The Rise of the Modern Japan is premiering at MIPDOC on the eve of MIPTV. The NHK Arte France and CC&C coproduction will screen at the JW Marriott Grand Theatre.