Platinum Fund support for another extraordinary NZ story

Platinum Fund support for another extraordinary NZ story

NZ On Air has given the greenlight to another quality local drama project for TV One’s Sunday Theatre.

Supported through the Platinum Fund is a telefeature Catching The Black Widow. It will tell the extraordinary true life story of Lee-Anne Cartier’s crusade for justice as she exposed the poisoning murder of her brother, Christchurch man Philip Nisbet.

Catching The Black Widow will be made by Wellington production company KHF Media who also recently made Belief – The Possession Of Janet Moses. Belief will screen on TV ONE next year and was honoured to be selected as part of the 2015 NZ International Film Festival.

The 2015 Sunday Theatre series included four NZ On Air-funded features, all receiving critical and audience acclaim. How To Murder Your Wife, Venus And Mars, Abandonedand The Monster Of Mangatiti averaged a 5-plus audience of 340,000.

“The Platinum Fund ensures the very best of local story-telling appears on our screens in prime time. It is at the very core of why NZ On Air exists, engaging audiences with compelling local stories. These are important projects, that are too risky and expensive for broadcasters alone to fund,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson.

TVNZ’s GM Commissioning, Production & Acquisitions Andrew Shaw says the success of its 2015 Sunday Theatre lineup is testament that New Zealand audiences are seeking quality local content.

“Catching The Black Widow will be another high quality New Zealand production that delves into a very challenging criminal case of recent relevance to us all.“

Funding details

Catching The Black Widow, 1 x 120mins, KHF Media for TV One, $2,039,843 (Platinum Fund)

ENDS

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