CANNES, FRANCE –April 8, 2019 – On the first day of MIPTV, Nippon Television Network Corporation (NipponTV), the leading commercial broadcast network, production powerhouse in Japan, and ratings champion for five consecutive years, announced today Incognita Films, one of France’s leading production companies, has finalized a deal for the scripted French-language format rights to Nippon TV’s award-winning drama series Mother(60 min eps.) andWoman – My Life for My Children – (60 min eps.). The announcement was made jointly today by Mr. Atsushi Sogo, President of International Business Development for Nippon TV, and Mr. Edouard de Vésinne, CEO of Incognita.
Comment from Mr. Atsushi Sogo, President, International Business Development, Nippon TV
“We are delighted that our highly successful scripted formats are being adapted in France. This marks the first time that these formats will be created in Europe, and we are looking forward to watching our dramas gain a new life and presence in France. France is the ‘Country of Honour’ at this upcoming MIPTV, and I’m proud to announce this deal at this time. We can’t wait to see the French version and the French viewers are in good hands with Incognita Films and their remarkable production quality. Of course, we will extend all our expertise in making it the best drama series for the French audience.”
Comment from Mr. Edouard de Vésinne, CEO of Incognita
“We are thrilled to develop the French remakes of hit Japanese series Mother and Woman – My Life for My Children –. Both shows are emotional and suspenseful dramas led by strong female protagonists which explore the full range of human emotions and revolve around the universal themes of love, family, and what it ultimately means to be a mother. We have found great partners in Nippon TV and we can't wait to treat French audiences with these extraordinary stories. We are actively working to adapt both shows for the French market and we plan to shoot the first one in 2020.”
Mother follows an aloof woman who works reluctantly as an elementary school teacher and notices bruises on her first-grade student. Initially, like everyone else, she looks the other way. But the student’s wretched desperation soon awakens a passion and determination in this caring teacher. Together they skip town and embark on a risky journey pretending to be mother and child.
This scripted format was adapted in Turkey asAnneby Medyapim, which became a mega-hit on Star TV, and airs in 34 countries. It also captured the hearts of the Korean drama audience in 2018, when it was produced by CJ E&M, created by Studio Dragon, and aired on tvN in 10 Asian countries at the same time.
For additional detailed information on Mother, please visit: http://www.ntv.co.jp/english/pc/2011/03/mother.html
An award-winning drama, Woman – My Life for My Children – depicts a woman’s fight to survive in a difficult world while shedding light on problems rooted in modern society. This story unfolds the daily life of a young family lead by a single mother with two young children, trying to find peace and happiness without any help, in a world of harsh reality. This format, adapted by Turkey’s Medyapim as Kadin, has also been a huge success in Turkey and is now in its second season, being the ratings champion on the day that it airs on FOX Turkey, and sold to 25 countries and territories.
For additional detailed information on Woman – My Life for My Children –, please visit: http://www.ntv.co.jp/english/pc/2013/07/woman.html
ABOUT EDOUARD DE VESINNE and INCOGNITA
Edouard de Vésinne is a French producer, the founder and CEO of Incognita, since its creation in 2009. He has produced overall more than 50 movies, TV movies and prominent series, both French and international.
He has won an International Emmy Award and a French TV Producer of the Year Award, among multiple awards.
His credits include a dozen feature films including Et Les Mistrals Gagnants, Coexister, and the upcoming Ni Une Ni Deux for TF1 Studio-Mars, and Les Goûts et les Couleurs for Netflix.
In television, Edouard de Vésinne has produced several international series including Taken, XIII, Flight of the Storks, Taxi Brooklyn, and French shows such as No Limit, Les Bleus, Section Zéro, Nuit Noire, Marion 13 ans pour toujours.
Prior to becoming a producer, Edouard was at M6 head of TV and Feature film productions between 1997 and 2002. In 2002, he co-founded the production company Cipango, which was acquired by Europacorp in 2010. He left Europacorp in 2017 to focus on Incognita.
ABOUT NIPPON TV
Nippon TV is recognized as Japan’s viewer ratings champion having topped all timeslot categories for five consecutive years. One of the biggest successes for the nation’s finest producer of all genres of programming is Dragons’ Den, a globally successful business show format that has more than 35 versions in territories across all continents of the world. The Emmy award-winning version, Shark Tank, airs in the US. Following closely is the success of Mother, a scripted format that has become a mega-hit in Turkey and has sold into more than 34 territories around the world, and Woman –My Life for My Children- which became an even bigger hit in Turkey and currently sold to over 25 territories. With well-established businesses that range from eSports, android creation, digital mixed reality, animation, movies, events, to fitness clubs, Nippon TV is leveraging its coveted platform to revolutionize digital media in an ever-changing industry. Launching a channel in Southeast Asia named GEM through a joint venture with Sony Pictures Television Networks and leading the digital content market through Hulu Japan---a subsidiary that boasts the largest SVOD subscriber base in the country, Nippon TV is steadily solidifying its presence and brand as a global media powerhouse.
