BeIN Media Group, a co-owner of U.S. indie studio Miramax, has taken distribution rights across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to the live-action pre-school series Saïd & Anna. The series has been nominated for this year’s Banff World Media Festival’s Rockie Awards.
Dutch sales agent Incredible Film has announced a MENA distribution deal with the group’s BeIN Neo unit on the show, which celebrates children’s autonomy and launched last year from Mip Junior.
Saïd & Anna, a unique co-production between three European public broadcasters—the Netherlands’ EO/NPO Zappelin, Germany’s SWR/Kika, and Belgium’s VRT/Ketnet—will now be available across MENA in Arabic, English, and French on free-to-air, pay-TV, and VOD.
“Saïd & Anna” follows best friends Saïd, 6, and Anna, 7. They hang out daily in a shop that offers a wide range of repair services. Besides celebrating friendship and children’s autonomy, the show also focuses on topics such as sustainability and diversity with what is described as a fresh style and a cinematic feel. The show’s premise is: “Everything and everyone deserves a second chance. Nothing is beyond repair.”
Expressing their excitement over the new agreement, Incredible Film CEO Daniëlle Raaphorst stated, ‘We are thrilled to announce this new partnership with BeIN Neo, which further underscores the global appeal of ‘Saïd & Anna’ and its ability to connect with young audiences worldwide.’
Underlining the significance of this new alliance, Incredible Film has also revealed that BeIN Neo will be responsible for the MENA distribution of select titles from their esteemed kids slate. This includes the highly anticipated feature ‘A Most Annoying Island’ and the captivating animated short form series’ Pim and Pom at the Museum ‘.
“A Most Annoying Island” is the story of a smart, shy and partially deaf 12-year-old boy who strives to break an ancient curse that makes every resident and visitor of a strange, small island “insufferable to be around,” according to the provided synopsis. “Pim and Pom at the Museum” is about two curious cats named Pim and Pom who take kids on a journey through the visual arts in the form of famous international art collections from Dutch museums.