Entertainment One Secures Worldwide Distribution Rights to WWII Mini-Series, Tokyo Trial
Series Nominated for International Emmy Award for Best TV Movie or Mini-Series
Co-produced by NHK (Japan), Don Carmody Television (DCTV) of Canada, and FATT Productions of the Netherlands
LONDON – Sept. 29, 2017 – Global independent studio Entertainment One (eOne) secured the worldwide distribution rights to the mini-series TOKYO TRIAL, depicting the post-WWII trial of Pacific War Criminals by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East.
The series has been nominated for Best TV Movie or Mini-series in the highly prestigious International Emmy Awards. The awards recognize excellence in television produced outside of the United States, with broadcasters and producers from over 18 countries. The winner will be announced in New York on November 20, 2017.
Tokyo Trial is a four-part historical drama recreating the trial that began in 1946, combining authentic trial footage with dramatic enactments based on true events. Immediately following WWII, 11 judges from allied nations were called to Tokyo to engage in a landmark trial that would determine the outcome for 28 Pacific military and political leaders who were charged as War Criminals. This story follows the two-and-a-half-year struggle between the judges as they take on the unprecedented task of finding verdicts for each of the accused while balancing political, professional and personal conflicts with their cultural differences and fair justice.
The compelling series stars Tim Ahern (Lilyhammer), Paul Freeman (Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark), Serge Hazanavicius (The Monuments Men), Marcel Hensema (The Marathon, Simon), William Hope, Jonathan Hyde (The Strain, Titanic, Jumanji), Michael Ironside (Terminator Salvation, Total Recall, Top Gun), Bert Matias (Fred Claus), Stephen McHattie (Watchmen, 300), Hadewych Minis (Borgman), David Tse (The Grid), Julian Wadham (The English Patient), and Irrfan Khan (Jurassic World, Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire).
Based on the original idea by NHK, the limited series was co-directed by Pieter Verhoeff (The Moving True Story of a Woman Ahead of Her Time) and Rob W. King (Something More, Hungry Hills). Script was written by Kees Van Beijnum, Rob W. King, Max Mannix, and Toru Takagi. Cinematography by Rolf Dekens (Secrets of War, Code M). Production design by Harry Ammerlan (Antonia’s Line, Love Is All) and Naoji Kawaguchi of NHK. Costume design by Brenda Shenher (Between, Corner Gas, Strained). Music composed by Rob Carli (Murdoch Mysteries, Cracked) with additional music composed by Nobuyuki Nakajima (Yae no Sakura). Editing by Daryl Davis (Surveillance, Dolan’s Cadillac).
Tokyo Trial is available as a four-part mini-series and as a 105-minute feature film. The feature began its festival tour with a red-carpet premiere at the Netherlands Film Festival earlier this week. Tokyo Trial is produced by Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK of Japan), FATT (Netherlands) and Don Carmody Television (DCTV) (Canada) in association with Netflix. Shinsuke Naito and Takashi Enjo (NHK), Hans De Weers (FATT), and Don Carmody and David Cormican (DCTV) serve as Executive Producers for the program. Originally commissioned by NHK in Japan and Netflix globally the miniseries launched last year.
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About Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The Company’s diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, the Company delivers the best content to the world.
Entertainment One’s robust network includes film and television studio The Mark Gordon Company; content creation venture Amblin Partners with Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment, Alibaba Pictures and Universal Filmed Entertainment; newly-launched Makeready with Brad Weston; leading feature film production and global sales company Sierra Pictures; unscripted television production company Renegade 83; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; and award-winning digital agency Secret Location.
The Company’s rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 100,000 hours of film and television content and approximately 40,000 music tracks.
About NHK
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) is Japan’s public broadcaster established in 1925. Funded by receiving fees from Japanese households, it has a reputation for impartial, high-quality programming. Through its four nationwide TV channels, NHK reaches about 50 million households. Recent award-winning productions include Life Force, Deep Ocean, Discover Science and What You Taught Me About My Son.
About FATT Productions (FATT)
FATT Productions is an international Film, Arts, Television and Theatre producer based in Amsterdam.
The core business is producing feature films and TV-drama. Made with high quality and aiming for a worldwide audience. Like a popular Dutch saying, we aim for an audience “from here to Tokyo.” Or as we like to say it: “From Amsterdam To Tokyo.”
Producers Hans de Weers and Elwin Looije joined forces since FATT’s start in 2013. De Weers produced numerous international co-productions, including Mindhunters (Renny Harlin), Mrs. Dalloway (Marleen Gorris), Jacky (Antoinette Beumer), Stricken (Reinout Oerlemans), with many among them becoming award-winning features, including Academy Award® Best Foreign Language Film Antonia’s Line and Bluebird, a Crystal Bear winner in Berlin. Over the years, De Weers produced multiple drama series, with the most recent being the Netflix mini-series Tokyo Trial.
Looije has worked as a line producer all over the world prior to his position at FATT developing, financing and producing. Looije’s extensive international experience accompanies FATT’s ambition to put international co-productions front and centre.
About Don Carmody Television (DCTV)
Don Carmody Television (DCTV), established in 2013, is a partnership between intrepid entrepreneurs Don Carmody and David Cormican. Carmody, one of North America’s most successful producers of premium content since 1980, has produced 100+ projects for cinema including Best Picture Academy Award-winner® Chicago, Polytechnique, and Goon, to the Resident Evil, Boondock Saints and Silent Hill film franchises, and include wins at the Golden Globes, Academy Awards® and Emmys®. Carmody and Cormican’s combined creative forces allow a unique and unparalleled offering in the industry; pairing an industry titan with a next-generation luminary.
With a keen eye for story, coupled with an ability to attract talent and navigate international co-productions with ease, DCTV productions include the Emmy® nominated historical mini-series Tokyo Trial for Netflix and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), Between, an original series for Netflix and City, and ShadowHunters for Freeform and Netflix, along with the multi-Emmy® nominated mini-series The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe for Lifetime. DCTV’s first feature film, Tulipani, Love, Honour & A Bicycle directed by two-time Academy Award® winner Mike van Diem, bowed at the 2017 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival.