Ahead of its screening in competition at France’s Series Mania today, co-producer and distributor About Premium Content (APC) has inked a series of international sales for Aquarius Films’ The Unusual Suspects across Europe, North America and New Zealand.
The title has sold to Hulu for the US, Bell Media for Canada, streaming service Rialto in New Zealand, OCS in France, Filmin in Spain, AMC Networks International Southern Europe in Spain and Portugal, and Streamz and Proximus in Belgium.
Originally commissioned by SBS, The Unusual Suspects is a female-led heist caper starring Miranda Otto, Aina Dumlao and Michelle Vergara Moore.
When a $16 million necklace is taken from self-made businesswoman Roxanne Waters’ (Vergara Moore) home in an elaborate heist, the ensuing police investigation exposes cracks in Eastern Sydney’s sparkling façade. With the stakes higher than ever, can the masterminds stop themselves from turning on each other, or will they discover a friendship worth more than diamonds?
Also starring on the ensemble cast are Otto and Moore’s real life partners, Peter O’Brien and Toby Leonard Moore, Matt Day, Lena Cruz, Susana Downes, Ari Boyland, Heather Mitchell, James Lugton, Renee Lim, Susie Porter, Sandy Gore, Megan Smart and Andrea Demetriades.
Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford produced the four-part series with Vonne Patiag as associate producer. Scripts were penned by creator Jessica Redenbach, Roger Monk and Patiag, with Margarett Cortez as script consultant. Directors are Natalie Bailey and Melvin Montalban.
The Unusual Suspects will screen at Series Mania in the International Panaroma section, alongside fellow Aussie title, Jungle Entertainment’s Wakefield. Other local projects at the French festival include Porchlight Films’ Fisk in the comedy strand and web series Iggy & Ace.
“The Unusual Suspects is a series with huge momentum and a rapidly expanding audience, thanks to our fantastic global network of partners,” said APC joint-CEOs and co-founders Laurent Boissel and Emmanuelle Guilbart.
“We are delighted to be announcing this on the eve of the project premiering internationally at the prestigious Series Mania festival in Lille.”
Major production investment for The Unusual Suspects came via Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW and About Premium Content, which also handles international distribution. Post-house Cutting Edge also put up finance.