Restless Global and Ten10 Films have announced that they had signed a development deal with broadcaster CANAL+ OVERSEAS on their TV series project THE TRADE.
Created by Restless Global’s Marie Lora-Mungai and Ten10 Films’ Tendeka Matatu, THE TRADE (10 x 1 hour) is a crime drama inspired by real facts and based on extensive on-the-ground research. The story follows a high-stakes investigation into the murky world of the West African drug trade, and is set mainly in Nigeria, Guinea Bissau and France.
Media veterans Tendeka Matatu and Marie Lora-Mungai, who also co-founded the Africa-focused talent agency Restless Talent Management, are banking on the roaster of A-list African talent that they represent to bring African content to another level. They are currently developing a broad slate of TV and film projects.
Thanks to the support of CANAL+ OVERSEAS, Restless Global and Ten10 Films are currently working on the first 3 scripts of THE TRADE with Nigerian screenwriter Kemi Adesoye (writer of the feature films FIGURINE and PHONE SWAP, and the TV series SHUGA Season 3, TINSEL, and HOTEL MAJESTIC).
“Our ambition with THE TRADE is to create a TV series set in Africa that can rival the best series in Europe or in the US, while bringing a world that has never been seen before on screen to global audiences,” said Lora-Mungai and Matatu. “THE TRADE is a sophisticated, complex story with a very wide scope, and we’re excited to have found such a committed and experienced partner as CANAL+ OVERSEAS on this project.”
The deal illustrates CANAL+ OVERSEAS’ commitment to support and invest in ambitious African projects that have the potential to travel beyond the continent to attract international audiences.
“As we expand in Sub-Saharan Africa, we look for high-end content from the continent. THE TRADE is an ambitious project with great story lines and we’re glad to be associated on it with Restless Global and Ten 10 Films,” said François Deplanck, SVP Channels and Content at CANAL+ OVERSEAS.
