Immigration doc set for MIPTV launch

Orange Smarty will launch Immigration: Tearing My Family Apart to buyers in Cannes after picking up the doc from French prodco Pernel Media.

The one-off doc was made by Pernel for Channel 5 in the UK, marking the first time the Viacom-owned net had ordered a show from a French prodco.

The film follows families that are separated because of UK immigration rules. It focuses on four families struggling to live together

The doc will go out on Channel 5 in the UK next month.

CEO Karen Young said: “We are thrilled to be working so closely with such an exciting company whose content sits right in the heartland of our catalogue.”

Orange Smarty is based in Brighton and Pernel in Paris and London, and the Immigration: Tearing My Family Apart deal marks the first time the indie distributor and indie prodco have worked together.

Samuel Kissous, president of Pernel Media said: “We are delighted that a smart up and coming distributor like Orange Smarty has shown such a strong interest for our first UK commission and we are sure that they will do a great job selling it internationally”.