Mumbai: Global independent content distributor GoQuest Media has acquired two award-winning drama series from Estonian pubcaster ERR.
The deal announced today gives GoQuest Media exclusive worldwide distribution rights to the spy thriller, Traitor(6 x 58’) which premiered on ETV in September 2020 and Divorce in Peace (20 x 28’), a dramedy series. Traitor and Divorce in Peace are both produced by Estonian production company Kassikuld OÜ, directed by Ergo Kuld and produced Martin Algus and Ergo Kuld.
Inspired by recent spy scandals in Estonia, Traitor is a captivating thriller which begins in 2004 just before Estonia joined NATO and became a top target for Russian intelligence. Greed and the need for recognition leads new recruit Alfred Vint (played by Tambet Tuisk who received the Best Actor Award at EFTA 2020, Estonian Film and TV Awards) to cooperate with Russian intelligence, leading to a thrilling cat-and-mouse game with determined young Estonian counter-intelligence officer Marko Arrak (Veiko Porkanen).
The series premiered at Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival in November 2019, was showcased as part of Serial Killer’s festival program at Berlinale Film Festival 2020, was selected as part of the competition program at Prix Europe 2020 and nominated for the Best TV drama at EFTA 2020, the Estonian Film and TV Awards.
Divorce in Peace is a dramedy about a married couple who have grown apart. Businesswoman Laura (Liina Vahtrik) wants to end her marriage to music teacher Aksel (Jan Uuspõld) after twenty long years. He’s a whining conservative, she’s a liberal and enterprising. As total opposites, they can’t find common ground even in the most trivial of things. Laura takes Aksel to a relationship therapist who compiles a divorce plan for them consisting of ten tasks. Every episode frames the completion of one of the tasks, with the purpose of growing apart painlessly by saying goodbye to their love and marriage.
The series which won the Best TV Drama at EFTA 2020 was a resounding success, reaching a market share of 28% when it aired during primetime on ETV, the main tv-channel of ERR. Season Two premiered in January 2021. Lativian TV acquired the adaptaion rights and the remake under the title ‘Project: Divorce” aired on LTV in October 2020.
Commenting on the deal Marje Tõemäe, Head of Programs at ETV said, “We are excited to enter into the global market with two very special dramas Divorce in Peace and Traitor. Both of these series received a warm welcome from local audiences and by hitting the top of the rating lists, we hope that they will achieve the same success across the borders and surprise international audiences with their storyline”.
Akshit Sandhu, Manager – Acquisitions at GoQuest Media added, “Our partnership with ETV is another step towards our international growth and distribution strategy. With some incredible dramas coming out of Eastern Europe, we are on track to offer compelling content such as Traitor and Divorce in Peace – two fantastic and successful series with their own unique themes, which will appeal to global audiences”.
