English Entertainment
Globo’s ‘Under Pressure’ to air at Toronto Festival
MUMBAI: The Globo series ‘Under Pressure’ will make its international debut during the 42nd edition of the Toronto International Film Festival – a renowned film festival held between September 7 and 17 in Toronto, Canada. The first two episodes will be aired at the third edition of Primetime – part of the festival dedicated to international TV productions from several countries, such as Germany, U.S., Brazil and Canada. The event will also feature the series’ art director, Andrucha Waddington, and director Mini Kerti, in addition to Lucas Paraizo, one of the screenwriters.
Featured as one of Globo’s highlights for the next edition of MIPCOM, ‘Under Pressure’ is an authentic Brazilian series that portrays the dramas and conflicts in the daily lives of a medical staff working in a precarious hospital in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. Aired in Brazil since July 25, in Globo’s late prime time, the series is a great hit with audiences, reaching an average of more than 38 million viewers per episode. The plot has also captured online audiences and topped the Social Wit List in July, as one of the most mentioned Latin American premieres on social media, and the third among world productions that premiered this month.
A co-production between Globo and Conspiração Filmes, Jorge Furtado’s series created by Luiz Noronha, Claudio Torres and Renato Fagundes, based on an original idea by Mini Kerti, who co-writes episodes with Lucas Paraizo, Antonio Prata and Marcio Alemão, the series draws inspiration from the feature film by Andrucha Waddington with the same title. ‘Under Pressure’ shows the everyday life of doctors who must face the harsh reality of a chaotic environment and struggle just to keep patients alive. Intensity is part of the innovative production, which featured recordings made in deactivated areas of a public hospital, guaranteeing even more realism to the story. Real cases researched by Jorge Furtado and the team of screenwriters in the public health system of the city of Rio de Janeiro were the inspiration to such amazing story lines, touching upon extremely relevant social issues, such as abuse, suicide, Aids, and abandonment. The production is also supervised by consulting physician Marcio Maranhão, author of the book “Sob Pressão – A rotina de guerra de um médico brasileiro” (Under Pressure – A Brazilian doctor’s war routine, in a loose translation), which inspired the feature film and the series, ensuring the accuracy of technical and medical elements.
By featuring ‘Under Pressure’ at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, Globo reinforces its long-standing expertise as a major producer of multiplatform content, developing different formats that leverage its creation, production and distribution structure, ultimately expanding its coverage in both the domestic and foreign markets. The Brazilian network has been attending renowned film festivals around the world, such as the recent MIPDrama Screenings, in France, where the series ‘Jailers’ was awarded; Berlinale 2017, in Germany; the 20th Punta del Este international film festival, in Uruguay; the 37th edition of Fantasporto, in Portugal; and the 8th edition of the Series Mania, in France.
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English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
