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GoQuest Media signs international distribution rights for RATS
MUMBAI: Global independent content distributor GoQuest Media has partnered with Czech production company Heaven’s Gate to take the international distribution rights for the gripping crime thriller RATS (6 x 55') – a bold, hard-hitting drama about the Czech drug trade.
Based on true stories and made in collaboration with the national anti-drug centre of the Czech Republic (DEA), RATS was created and written by talented young Czech screenwriter Miro Šifra (Rédl) and directed by multi-award-winning Viktor Tauš (Vodnik, Clownwise, Dom) of Heaven’s Gate and Matěj Chlupáček (Terapie) of Barletta productions in association with Czech TV and MD4. RATS aired in spring 2020, during primetime on Ceska Televize to unprecedented critical acclaim and multi-generational ratings success.
RATS is set in the evolving world of the Czech-Vietnamese meth syndicates which are led by an immigrant mafia, funded by cryptocurrency and monitored by the DEA, who have to change their traditional tactics in order to adapt to the new order. But change begets mistakes, which often cost lives and nobody wants to end up as a rat for the DEA, but David (Cyril Dobrý) didn’t have a choice. After cracking under the interrogation of Major Jan Blažek (Václav Neužil), spilling the secrets of the syndicate and betraying his best friend, becoming an informant might be his best chance to survive.
Only now he’s being targeted by the police and the mafia, with only the ambitious police analyst Petra Vávrová (Lenka Krobotová) to back him up. In a world where nobody trusts him and he can trust nobody, David is learning to make up the rules as he goes along.
Boasting a stellar Czech cast including Cyril Dobrý (Das Boot, Ulice) Lenka Krobotová (Díra u Hanušovic), Václav Neužil (Bába z ledu) and new-comer Miloslav Pechácek, RATS will screen at numerous festivals this autumn including Serial Killer, Odessa and the International Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) where it has been nominated for the Golden Eye for Best International TV Series.
GoQuest Media Europe and north America head Paula McHarg said, “From the first frame of RATS until its gripping conclusion we were nothing short of transfixed. Globally launching such an outstanding series from a region that’s currently bubbling over with potential is truly an honor and we have no doubt that the international marketplace will respond with as much enthusiasm as we have.”
Heaven's Gate CEO Viktor Taus added, “I believe that part of the reason for the global resonance is, paradoxically, the local specificity. Besides its thrilling content, a crime mini-series in 2020 also has to be an authentic report of the state of the world when the story takes place. RATS is like that. This is the world we live in. I’ve never met with such a deep interest to understand the story, its heroes, and the meaning of the storytelling visuality as with Paula and her team at GoQuest Media. Through them RATS has been awarded a distributor with the same passion as the team we told the story with.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
