Global Briefs: ‘Mamen Mayo’ Casting, ‘DWTS SA’ Return, ’20 Dance Street’ Greenlit

Sílvia Abril Leads SkyShowtime’s ‘Mamen Mayo’

Sílvia Abril, known for her role in Padre no Hay Más que Uno, has been tapped to lead the new SkyShowtime drama series Mamen Mayo. She will portray the titular character, starring alongside Pablo Capuz (Merlí. Sapere Aude), Mona Martínez (La Novia Gitana), and Clara Sans (Cardo). Abril’s character, an exceptionally intelligent inheritance mediator, is described as being at the peak of her career.

The series revolves around a team of mediators led by Mamen Mayo who work to resolve family inheritance disputes. The cast also includes Oscar de la Fuente, Francisco Reyes, Javier Pereira, and Toni Acosta, who will play Mamen’s sister, Rebeca Mayo. Mamen Mayo consists of eight half-hour episodes and is produced by Nostromo Pictures in collaboration with SkyShowtime. Eduard Sola serves as the creator and showrunner alongside Miguel Ángel Faura. This series marks SkyShowtime’s first original program from Spain, following its European launch in 2023.

‘Dancing With The Stars’ Returns To South Africa

Dancing with the Stars is making a comeback in South Africa for the first time since 2018. Primedia Studios has secured a licensing deal with BBC Studios-backed Rapid Blue to revive the dance competition, which has already been licensed in over 60 countries worldwide. The new South African edition will feature A-list local celebrities who will partner with professional dancers to perform routines in front of a live audience.

Ziyanda Ngcaba, Managing Director of Rapid Blue, expressed excitement about the return, saying, “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 first aired in South Africa on SABC in 2006 under the name Strictly Come Dancing, running for five seasons over three years. It returned in 2013 after a five-year hiatus for another three seasons and was most recently broadcast on M-Net in 2018.

European Toon Series ’20 Dance Street’ Greenlit

The animated series 20 Dance Street is set to enter production. Germany’s ZDF and ZDF Studios, France Télévisions, and Cottonwood Media have partnered to greenlight the series, with pre-production expected to begin this fall. RTBF in Belgium has already joined as a pre-buyer. The three entities have previously collaborated on successful projects like Find Me in Paris and Spellbound.

20 Dance Street targets children aged 6-11 and follows 11-year-old Maya, who moves from the Caribbean to join the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School, unaware that her destiny is about to change. The series is based on Elizabeth Barfety’s book series ’20 Allée de la Danse’. The project boasts Christel Gonnard as the writer, Romy Yao as the director, and David François as the designer. Cottonwood’s David Michel commented, “Following the success of Find Me in Paris and Spellbound, our high-profile live-action series, we felt the time was right to delve into the world of ballet through animation, targeting a slightly younger audience.”

Prime Video’s ‘The Mehta Boys’ to Premiere in Chicago

Prime Video’s Indian film The Mehta Boys is set to premiere on the opening night of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF) on September 20. Produced by Irani Movietone and Chalkboard Entertainment and directed by Boman Irani, the film explores the relationship between a father and son who are compelled to spend 48 hours together. The premiere will be followed by a discussion featuring Boman Irani, writer Alexander Dinelaris Jr., actors Avinash Tiwary and Shreya Chaudhry, producer Danesh Irani, and executive producer Ankita Batra.

On the following day, Irani and Dinelaris Jr. will lead a master class on the writing process behind The Mehta Boys. The CSAFF will take place from September 19-22, showcasing a range of South Asian cinema and talents.

Source: multiple sources