Grupo Globo, the biggest production force in Latin America, has sold the format of the major hit drama series “The Others” for Greece and German-speaking territories and the format for the anthology series “Justice” for Greece, Variety can exclusively announce.
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In Greece, “Justice: Life is Not Fair” will be produced by Primavisione and broadcast by Alpha. In “the case of The Others”, the agreement provides for production and exhibition by Alpha.
For German-speaking territories, ndF (neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft) takes over production on “The Others” and may add a partner for exhibition.
Created by Manuela Dias (“A Mother’s Love”), “Justice: Life is Not Fair” was nominated for the International Emmy for Best Actress with Adriana Esteves and for Best Drama Series. “The Others”, by Lucas Paraizo (“Under Pressure”), follows two neighboring couples who clash after their teenage sons’ fight with absurd and escalating consequences.
Angela Colla, head of international business and coproductions, told Variety of the sale: “More than being a producer of series and soap operas, we are storytellers. With the strength of our content, we bet on the sale of scripted formats as a way to amplify business possibilities and reach new audiences.”
“Adaptations don’t need to be carbon copies,” Colla continued. “With formats, adjustments can be made to adapt a story to a particular reality, maintaining the creative structure that is the essence of success. We are excited to see how these productions can be adapted to other cultures.”
“We recently had excellent results with Globoplay originals and are thrilled with their repercussion with Brazilian audiences. ‘Justice: Misconduct’ was the most streamed series on the platform within the first 30 days,” highlighted the exec. “More than being a producer of series and soap operas, we are storytellers. With the strength of our content, we bet on the sale of scripted formats as a way to amplify business possibilities and reach new audiences.”
“The Others,” slated to screen at this week’s Mipcom market in Cannes, is one of the most successful Globoplay original series to date and follows in the footsteps of Paraizo’s success with hit medical drama “Under Pressure,” sold to more than 60 countries.
“I am so happy that ‘The Others’ is having this international repercussion,” Paraizo told Variety ahead of flying to Cannes. “It is an immense joy to see that we have a show like it today in Brazil, with this level of buzz.”
The second season of “The Others” picks up on the cliffhanger of Marcinho’s (Antonio Haddad) disappearance at the end of Season 1, but moves its focus from the building block of the first season to a luxury residential complex nearby.
Adriana Esteves (“Brazil Avenue”), one of Brazil’s most prominent actresses, returns as Cibele. The returning cast also includes Eduardo Sterblitch, Gi Fernandes and Kênia Bárbara. Amongst the new cast for Season 2 are Luis Lobianco (“Porta dos Fundos”), Sérgio Guizé (“The Good Side of Life!”) and “Where My Heart Is” star Leticia Colin as the ultra-religious realtor Raquel.
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“There is a certain prejudice within Brazilian authors when it comes to religious representation. By 2030, evangelicals will make up almost half our country,” Paraizo said of his motivations for Raquel and exploring themes of religion in Season 2. “I worked with Gabriel Mascaro on ‘Divine Love’ and thought the themes explored in the film could be popularised. Raquel embodies my desire to render more complex the evangelical religion.”
Paraizo is aware of how the second season doesn’t necessarily cater to fans of the first but says the shift is “intentional.” “This season is a rupture, a controversial one at that because we leave the middle-class environment that more people could relate to and enter the more insular world of the upper class. We have a lot of freedom to play with genre and themes. It is a vertiginous show built upon unpredictability. For us, as writers, we always need to be one step ahead of the public.”
Despite a change of scene and characters, “The Others” continues to investigate themes of intolerance. This prodding at how society is shifting towards unyielding defensiveness—and particularly a focus on the dangers of firearms in Season 1—comes from Paraizo’s personal experience. At age 12, his father died of a gunshot to the head during a violent car robbery.
“It was a major trauma and I needed to give a voice to these victims, to people who have lost loved ones in that way. I am in favor of entertainment and find it fundamental as escapism, but having a purpose is essential.”
Intolerance will continue as a guiding theme in the third season of the show, which Paraizo is currently writing. Shooting will begin early next year, with the series also scheduled to air in 2025. Season 3 will see the show move out of the big city of Rio de Janeiro and into the countryside.
“What at first seems like an idyllic place, the character finds out, is also permeated by intolerance. I will bring in the relationship between humans and nature. I think the environment is something we need to bring into the universe of the series. The responsibility only increases from now on because I feel the pressure to surprise the audience.”
As for “The Others” screening at Mipcom, Paraizo says he is “thrilled” to represent Brazil on the international stage as it speaks to the reach of the show. “It’s incredibly important because it shows the world that, on top of producing excellent soap operas, we can also produce series that speak not only to Brazilian culture but other cultures around the world.”
He went on to highlight recent shows such as the Amazon Original “New Bandits” and Paramount+’s “Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva.”
“Streamers are concerned with bringing Brazil to the world in a very complex way with incredible shows that show the Brazilian reality through a universal language. I am so, so happy to see the space being carved out for us.”
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