Kingfisher Film & Blinder Film In Association With Southern Light Films Announce New Six Part Drama Series THE GONE

Starring Richard Flood (Grey’s Anatomy, Shameless, Crossing Lines) &
Acushla-Tara Kupe (Under the Vines, Mr Corman)

with

Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones, Gangs of London, Fortitude)

Carolyn Bracken (The Quiet Girl, You Are Not My Mother, Dublin Murders)

Wayne Hapi (The Dark Horse, The Dead Lands)

Manu Bennett (Muru, Arrow)

Aaron Monaghan (Assassin’s Creed, Hidden Assets)

Vanessa Rare (The Tender Trap, The Sounds)

Liam Carney (The Virtues, Harry Wild)

Scott Wills (Cowboy Bebop, Boogeyman)

Ireland’s Richard Flood and New Zealand’s Acushla-Tara Kupe will lead the cast of THE GONE, a gripping new mystery series from Kingfisher Films and Blinder Films, in association with Southern Light Films (NZ) for RTÉ and TVNZ. THE GONE is made with support from Te Puna Kairangi, the New Zealand Government’s Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund and New Zealand’s Screen Production Grant, Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann, RTÉ, TVNZ, NZ On Air and the BAI Sound & Vision Fund. Global distribution is by Red Arrow Studios International.

Flood stars as Theo Richter, an Irish detective who teams with Kiwi cop Diana Huia (Kupe: Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Unu, Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga*), to find a young Irish couple who have vanished from an infamous rural North Island New Zealand town. Amidst the search and a race against time, the pair have to contend with a community’s growing disquiet that the disappearances may be linked to a series of historical murders.

Michelle Fairley, Carolyn Bracken, Liam Carney and Aaron Monaghan join the cast along with Aotearoa New Zealand’s Wayne Hapi (Tūhoe, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou), Manu Bennett (Te Arawa, Ngāti Kahungunu), Vanessa Rare (Ngāti Pu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāpuhi) and Scott Wills.

The six-part New Zealand/Ireland co-production commenced principal photography on location in Auckland and Te Aroha, New Zealand this week with further shooting in Dublin, Ireland in late 2022.

Richard Flood most recently appeared in several seasons of ABC’s long running hit, Grey’s Anatomy, and two seasons of Showtime’s Shameless. His earlier credits include the international production of the series Crossing Lines, Killing Kennedy, and the Irish series, Red Rock. Richard is represented by More Medavoy Management, Denton Brierley, and Gersh. Acushla-Tara Kupe played Susan Corman in the Apple TV+ series Mr Corman, alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt and will soon be seen in season 2 of Acorn TV and TVNZ’s comedy-drama series Under the Vines. She also recently starred in the Māori-language children’s series Te Pāmu Kūmara. Acushla-Tara is represented by Gail Cowan Management (NZ) and Rigmarole Management (UK).

The series’ writers are Michael Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue: In Dark Places, Better the Blood, the novel) and Anna McPartlin (Striking Out, Holby City) with direction from Peter Meteherangi Tikao Burger (Ngāi Tahu, Rangitāne: One Lane Bridge, Until Proven Innocent, Resolve) and Hannah Quinn (Vikings Valhalla, Blood, The Stranger).

Executive Producers are Karl Zohrab for Kingfisher Films, Yvonne Donohoe (Striking Out, Extra Ordinary) and Katie Holly (Mr Malcolm’s List, Love & Friendship) for Blinder Films, with producer Timothy White for Southern Light Films, producer Reikura Kahi (Waikato, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Kuki Airini) and Executive Producer Greg Bailey. The series was created by Simone Nathan (Our Flag Means Death, Kid Sister) and Karl Zohrab and developed by Anna McPartlin, Michael Bennett and Yvonne Donohoe.

Executive Producer Karl Zohrab says: “What an adventure it's been so far, working across Aotearoa New Zealand and Ireland with our colleagues at Blinder Films on the development of this gripping mystery. We can’t wait to see these scripts brought to life by series directors Peter and Hannah, along with our terrific cast and crew." 

Executive Producer Yvonne Donohoe says: "The process of bringing THE GONE to screen has been a true international cultural collaboration & a journey of learning, challenging, sharing stories & ideas; merging brilliant writing, directing, acting & creative talent from Ireland & New Zealand, two countries full of beauty, complexity & with many similarities. We’re so thankful for the immense support from all our partners & we can’t wait for audiences to spend time with our characters, fall into the mysterious web of our story & be immersed in the two contrasting worlds of the series."

Producer Reikura Kahi says, "THE GONE series transports us to a picturesque small town with characters and storylines that reflect how culturally unique Aotearoa is. Te reo Māori is weaved organically through the series, reflective of a nation which is on a journey towards embracing the Māori language.” 

“RTE is really excited to be working once again with Blinder, together with Kingfisher and Southern Light, on THE GONE. It promises to be a cracking drama and one which will hopefully have viewers glued to their seats both in Ireland and New Zealand. We are particularly happy to be working with our fellow national broadcaster, TVNZ and with Red Arrow, who will be distributing this high-end drama to international broadcasters and platforms,” says Dermot Horan, Director of Acquisitions & Co-Productions at RTÉ.

“We’re delighted to be continuing our commitment to co-productions to bring the very best premium content to TVNZ. THE GONE is a thrilling concept that is sure to resonate with our viewers across TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+,” says Cate Slater, TVNZ Director of Content.

About Kingfisher Films
Founded by independent producer Karl Zohrab, Kingfisher Films has developed and produced a number of New Zealand projects, starting with the short films including Water and A New Way Home (Official Selection: Sundance, Edinburgh and Melbourne Film Festivals). 
 
Zohrab’s debut feature production - The Devil Dared Me To (directed by Chris Stapp) premiered at SXSW alongside Official Selections at Sitges, Fantasia and Frightfest. Kingfisher also produced the acclaimed documentaries The Forgotten General and New Zealand Women in Rock, and the TVNZ scripted half hour comedy Talent.  
 
Prior to Kingfisher, Zohrab was a development executive at Great Southern Television, where he contributed to a slate of shows including crime drama One Lane Bridge, also repping the company as their executive in L.A.  Zohrab was also production executive at General Film Corporation where he served as Co Producer on the feature films Dean Spanley (Peter O’Toole, Sam Neill, Jeremy Northam, Bryan Brown) and Love Birds (Sally Hawkins, Rhys Darby). 
 
With offices in New Zealand and L.A., The Gone is Kingfisher’s first full length drama series. 

About Blinder Films
Dublin based Blinder Films is a multi-award-winning film and TV production company owned by producer Katie Holly. Current film productions include Sunlight, directed by Claire Dix, written by Alibhe Keoghan and starring Barry Ward, Mr Malcolm’s List, directed by Emma Holly Jones and starring Freida Pinto, Zawe Ashton, Sope Dirisu, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Theo James and Ashley Park; which was funded by Bleecker Street, levelFilm, Screen Ireland and Ingenious Media; and About Joan, a French/German/Irish co-production by Laurent Larivière, starring Isabelle Huppert which had its world premiere in Berlinale 2022.

Past productions include Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman’s Extra Ordinary, starring Maeve Higgins and Will Forte (SXSW 2019, Galway Film Fleadh 2019 – Best Irish Feature Film, Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival – Narcisse Award – Best Feature Film, Audience Award), Whit Stillman’s Love & Friendship starring Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny (Sundance 2016); and two series of IFTA-winning drama Striking Out, starring Amy Huberman, Neil Morrissey and Maria Doyle Kennedy, which was funded by RTE, Acorn TV and sold internationally by DCD Rights. 

About Southern Light Films
Southern Light Films was established in 2004 by veteran New Zealand producer Timothy White. The company’s first feature film No2, starring Ruby Dee, won the World Cinema Audience Prize at Sundance Film Festival in 2006.

Southern Light Films has been involved in producing a number of critically acclaimed feature films, including: Out of the Blue (winner Best Film 2008 NZ Film Awards); The Boys are Back, starring Clive Owen; Mr Pip, directed by Andrew Adamson and starring Hugh Laurie; The Dark Horse (winner Best Film 2014 NZ Film Awards), starring Cliff Curtis; Son of a Gun, starring Ewan McGregor and Alicia Vikander.
 
Southern Light Films produced I Am Mother, starring Hilary Swank, Clara Rugaard and Rose Byrne (Sundance 2019 and acquired by Netflix), The Furnace (Venice 2020), Seriously Red (SXSW 2022) and the BBC One TV series The Luminaries, starring Eve Hewson, Himesh Patel and Eva Green.
 
About TVNZ
TVNZ is New Zealand’s state-owned, commercially funded broadcaster. Our purpose is to inspire the conversations of Aotearoa and enrich the lives of New Zealanders by sharing the moments that matter to our communities, regions and people. Each day, TVNZ reaches more than 2 million Kiwis through channels TVNZ 1, 2, DUKE and online entertainment platform, TVNZ+. For more information, visit: tvnz.co.nz.
 
About RTÉ
RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) is Ireland's national public-service media organisation. RTÉ commissions a broad range of high-quality programming and content to meet the needs of multiple audiences. Further information can be found here: https://www.rte.ie/about/en/how-rte-is-run/2014/0310/601244-about-rte/. For more information, visit: https://www.rte.ie/.
 
About Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland
As the national agency for the Irish film, television drama, animation and documentary industry, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is the creative partner to the sector, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise.  We are inspired by original storytelling that will emotionally move audiences at home and abroad. Through a wide range of practical funding supports across development, production, distribution, promotion and skills development, Screen Ireland supports the sector at every stage. We support filmmakers in their creative pursuit to share valuable artistic, cultural and commercial stories on screen. 
 
About the BAI Sound & Vision Scheme
Sound & Vision 4 is a programming support scheme operated by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and funded through the television licence fee. A key objective of this Scheme is to support the creation of accessible programming that reflects Irish culture, history, language and diversity, programming that has a cultural and/or community purpose for a diversity of Irish audiences.

About Te Puna Kairangi Premium Productions Fund (NZ)
The Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund (Te Puna Kairangi Premium Fund) supports the Aotearoa New Zealand production sector recovery from COVID-19 by supporting high-quality productions that tell New Zealand stories for global audiences. 
 
About Red Arrow Studios International
Red Arrow Studios International is a world-leading TV distributor of scripted, formats and factual shows from outstanding production companies, third-party producers and digital content partners.  With offices in Munich and London, Red Arrow Studios International co-produces and finances global entertainment, and distributes hit content to over 200 territories worldwide.
 
Red Arrow Studios International is part of Red Arrow Studios, which is comprised of an acclaimed network of production companies in Germany and other key European territories and the world-leading digital media and entertainment company, Studio71. Red Arrow Studios is a ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE company, one of Europe’s leading media groups.

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