Sílvia Abril’ Leads SkyShowtime‘s ‘Mamen Mayo‘
Sílvia Abril (Padre no Hay Más que Uno) has been cast to lead SkyShowtime drama series Mamen Mayo. She will play the title character act opposite fellow leads Pablo Capuz (Merlí. Sapere Aude), Mona Martínez (La Novia Gitana) and Clara Sans (Cardo). Abril’s character is billed as an “extremely intelligent inheritance mediator, who is at the pinnacle of her career.” She leads a team of mediators who in each episode attempt to resolve the conflicts of interest within families entangled in inheritance disputes. Also cast are Oscar de la Fuente, Francisco Reyes, Javier Pereira, and Toni Acosta as Rebeca Mayo, Mamen’s sister. The eight-part, half-hour series comes from Nostromo Pictures in association with SkyShowtime. Eduard Sola is the creator, and serves as showrunner alongside Miguel Ángel Faura. Mamen Mayo is streamer SkyShowtime’s first original program out of Spain. SkyShowtime is a Comcast and Paramount joint venture that launched in Europe in 2023.
‘Dancing With The Stars‘ Returns To South Africa
Dancing with the Stars is returning to South Africa for the first time since 2018. Primedia Studios has struck a licensing deal with BBC Studios-backed Rapid Blue to bring back the dance competition, which has been licensed to more than 60 countries globally. The new South African version will include “A-list local celebrities,” who will team up with professional singers to perform routines in front of a studio audience. “Dancing with the Stars has seen SA’s very own superstars performing and judging on versions across the world, with Oti Mabuse, Motsi Mabuse, Johannes Radebe, Keo Motsepe and Cameron Lombard showcasing SA’s immense dancing talent,” said Ziyanda Ngcaba, Managing Director of Rapid Blue. “It’s time to celebrate our local dancers, celebrities and love of dance. With the incredibly talented team at Primedia Studios, we will bring the Dancing with the Stars sparkle back to South African homes.” Dancing with the Stars was first on air in South African on SABC back in 2006 as Strictly Come Dancing, running to five seasons in total over three years, and returned in 2013 after a five-year gap for another three runs. It most recently played on M-Net as Dancing with the Stars in 2018.
European Toon Series ‘20 Dance Street‘ Greenlit
Animated series 20 Dance Street is set to go into production. Germany’s ZDF and ZDF Studios, France Télévisions and producer Cottonwood Media have teamed to get the series greenlit, with pre-production set to begin this fall. RTBF in Belgium is already a pre-buyer. ZDF, France Télévisions and Cottonwood have previously teamed for the likes of Find Me in Paris and Spellbound. 20 Dance Street, aimed at 6-11s, centres around 11-year-old Maya who leaves the Caribbean to join the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School, unaware her destiny is about to change forever. It’s based on Elizabeth Barfety’s children’s book series ’20 Alleé de la Danse.’ Christel Gonnard is the writer and Romy Yao is the director. David François is the designer. “Following the success of Find Me in Paris and Spellbound, our high-profile live-action series, we felt it was time to explore the world of ballet through animation, reaching a slightly younger audience. Et voilà.”
Prime Video‘s ‘The Mehta Boys‘ To Premiere In Chicago
Prime Video’s Indian movie The Mehta Boys will premiere on the opening night of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF) on September 20. The Irani Movietone and Chalkboard Entertainment production, directed by Boman Irani, is based on a father and son at odds with each other, who find themselves compelled to spend 48 hours together. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Irani, writer Alexander Dinelaris Jr., actors Avinash Tiwary and Shreya Chaudhry, producer Danesh Irani and executive producer Ankita Batra. The next day, Irani and Dinelaris Jr will conduct a master class on the writing process of The Mehta Boys. The CSAFF runs from September 19-22.
