Acorn TV has bought the rights to Porchlight Films’ Operation Buffalo for the UK and Ireland, with distributor About Premium Content (APC) also securing a range of other sales throughout Europe.
These include UPC in Switzerland, RTP in Portugal, NRK in Norway and Visasat World for Central and Eastern European territories.
Originally commissioned by the ABC, Operation Buffalo is written by Peter Duncan and produced by Porchlight Films’ Vincent Sheehan and Tanya Phegan, who co-created the series with Duncan.
A blend of espionage thriller and satire, the six-part series is set during the British nuclear tests in outback South Australia in the 1950s. Ewen Leslie, Jessica de Gouw and James Cromwell star.
On Sunday, the series was nominated for two early AACTA Awards, including Best Telefeature or Miniseries, and Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama for Leslie.
APC participated in the financing of the project and holds worldwide distribution rights. The series was made with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with the ABC and Create NSW, and with support from the South Australian Film Corporation.
APC joint CEOs and co-founders Laurent Boissel and Emmanuelle Guilbart said: “Operation Buffalo was a huge ratings success when it premiered in Australia in May and we are thrilled that broadcasters are now picking up the series in some key territories. We look forward to bringing the series to new international audiences and securing further deals for this highly entertaining spy thriller.”