Federation Entertainment links with Essential in Oz for ‘Aftermath’ drama

Pascal Breton

France’s Federation Entertainment is working with Kew Media’s Australian prodco Essential Media Group on a new crime drama.

Aftermath (8 x 52 minutes) is in advanced development and will be co-produced by the two companies, with the story set in Australia in 1992 and the present day. It has been created by director, Erin White, whose credits include Sando, Doctor Doctor and Squinters.

The story follow two estranged high school best friends in their 40s who reunite when they attempt to find out who murdered one of their former teachers almost 30 years previously. The case is further complicated, however, because one of the pair has already confessed to the crime and spent 10 years in prison for it.

The series will be produced by Michelle Hardy, VP of scripted at Essential Media and is set to be presented to buyers at Content London next week.

White said: “It’s no secret that the experiences of women as victims has received great attention in recent times, and now a new wave of understanding of the lives of women has arisen.

“In trying to interpret this new understanding as a generator of story, I want to express the strength and power of women to rise above victimization. That’s the key emotional driver of the story.”

Federation, which has offices in Paris, LA, Rome and Madrid, was founded in 2013 and is run by Pascal Breton, with its slate including Canal+ espionage series The Bureau, Netflix drama Marseille and Bad Banks, a financial thriller for ZDF and Arte.

Essential Media, meanwhile, has been behind shows including Rake, Jack Irish, Doctor Doctor, The Principal and the Disney movie Saving Mr Banks. Last year it launched a scripted arm following the company’s acquisition by Kew, while more recently it emerged that Essential’s CEO Chris Hilton would be leaving the firm amid a restructuring of the prodco.