BeIN Media Group, a Qatar-based company that co-owns Miramax, has acquired the distribution rights for “Saïd & Anna,” a live-action pre-school series that has been nominated for the Rockie Awards at this year’s Banff World Media Festival. The distribution rights cover the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Dutch sales agent Incredible Film has announced a MENA distribution deal with the group’s BeIN Neo unit on the show, which celebrates children’s autonomy and launched last year from Mip Junior.
Saïd & Anna, a unique co-production between three European public broadcasters—the Netherlands’ EO/NPO Zappelin, Germany’s SWR/Kika, and Belgium’s VRT/Ketnet—will now be available across MENA in Arabic, English, and French on free-to-air, pay-TV, and VOD.
“Saïd & Anna” follows best friends Saïd, 6, and Anna, 7. They hang out every day in a shop that offers a wide range of repair services. Besides celebrating friendship and children’s autonomy, the show also focuses on topics such as sustainability and diversity with what is described as a fresh style and a cinematic feel. The show’s premise is: “Everything and everyone deserves a second chance. Nothing is beyond repair.”
“We are delighted to announce this new deal with BeIN Neo, which further reflects the international appeal of ‘Saïd & Anna’ and its ability to resonate with young audiences around the world,” Incredible Film CEO Daniëlle Raaphorst said in a statement.
As part of their new partnership, Incredible Film further announced that BeIN Neo will also handle MENA distribution of select titles from their kids slate, including the feature “A Most Annoying Island” and the animated short-form series “Pim and Pom at the Museum.”
“A Most Annoying Island” is the story of a smart, shy and partially hearing-impaired 12-year-old boy who strives to break an ancient curse that makes every resident and visitor of a strange, small island “insufferable to be around,” according to the provided synopsis. “Pim and Pom at the Museum” is about two curious cats named Pim and Pom who take kids on a journey through the visual arts in the form of famous international art collections from Dutch museums.
