RTÉ AND ACORN TV COMMISSION NEW IRISH DRAMA

RTÉ AND ACORN TV COMMISSION NEW IRISH DRAMA, HIDDEN ASSETS, FROM SOHO MOON AND SAFFRON PICTURES

In association with Screen Ireland and Screen Flanders, RTÉ and AMC Networks’ Acorn TV are announcing a new six-part Irish drama Hidden Assets. Produced by Irish production company Saffron Moon and co-produced by leading Belgian producer Potemkino & Canada’s Facet 4, it will air on RTÉ Television this autumn. Written by Peter McKenna (Kin, Red Rock) and Morna Regan, Hidden Assets stars Angeline Ball (Keeping Faith, The Commitments), as DS Emer Berry, along with Simone Kirby (His Dark Materials, Jimmy’s Hall) and Peter Coonan (Love/Hate, Cold Courage).

Hidden Assets will broadcast on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player this autumn, and as an Acorn TV Original on Acorn TV in the United States and on Super Channel in Canada in 2022. DCD Rights has global distribution rights excluding Ireland, Benelux and North America.

Hidden Assets is about family, power and the corrosive effects of boundless greed – a story set in Co Clare, small town Ireland and the world’s diamond capital, Antwerp. A routine raid sees the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) expose a link between a wealthy Irish family, a stash of rough diamonds and a series of deadly bombings in Belgium. But nothing is as it seems, as by the book Belgian Chief Inspector Christian De Jong and unexpected CAB Detective Emer Berry are thrown together in a heart-pounding race to halt a further horrifying terror attack in Antwerp.

The taut thriller is directed by Emmy-nominated Thaddeus O’Sullivan (Into The Storm, Silent Witness) and leading Belgian director Kadir Balci (Cold Courage) who have just completed the first 8 weeks of the shoot in Belgium. Written by Peter McKenna (Kin, The Musketeers) and Morna Regan who was recently named on the BBC New Talent Hotlist, Hidden Assets is produced by Siobhán Bourke and Kathryn Lennon (Whistleblower, Acceptable Risk) and Anna-Sue Greenberg (Acceptable Risk) and co-produced by Peter De Maegd (Cold Courage) and Tom Hameeuw.

Hidden Assets which was recently filming in Antwerp, Belgium, and now begins filming in Co. Clare, Ireland, boasts a stellar Irish and international cast led by Irish actress Angeline Ball (Acceptable Risk, The Commitments), Simone Kirby (His Dark Materials, Jimmy’s Hall), Peter Coonan (Peaky Blinders, Love/Hate), Charlie Carrick (Abandoned, Angelique’s Isle), Wouter Hendrickx (Blackout, Cordon), Cathy Belton (Red Rock, Miss Scarlet and the Duke), Michael Ironside (The Alienist, Angel of Darkness) and Sophie Jo Wasson (Rialto).

Shane Murphy, Head of Drama & Comedy, RTÉ said: “We’re very happy to be partnering with Saffron Moon and Acorn TV again to commission Hidden Assets. To have Peter McKenna and Morna Regan on board as writers, Thaddeus O’Sullivan directing and cast at the level of Angeline Ball, Simone Kirby, Michael Ironside & Peter Coonan bodes extremely well for the series.”

Catherine Mackin, Managing Director, Acorn Media Enterprises, said: “Acorn Media Enterprises is excited to work with our friends at RTÉ to commission another high-quality production. With a riveting script and wonderful international cast led by Angeline Ball, Hidden Assets is sure to intrigue Acorn TV subscribers.”

Producer Siobhán Bourke said: “Saffron Moon is delighted to partner with Facet4 and Potemkino to co-produce Hidden Assets in Antwerp and Co. Clare. Our amazing cast, led by Angeline Ball, along with directors Thaddeus O’Sullivan and Kadir Ferati Balci, together with writers Peter McKenna and Morna Regan, have created a compelling series, which we’re really looking forward to sharing with audiences in Ireland and internationally.”

Andrew Byrne, Fís Eireann / Screen Ireland, Television Manager said: “Hidden Assets is an important project on our ever-expanding TV drama slate. We are delighted to be championing Irish talent both in front of and behind he camera. Filming in Limerick, this series will further support local jobs opportunities and is one of a wide number of Screen Ireland projects which have filmed on the West coast this year. The show has garnered huge interest internationally, bringing Irish creative voices and locations to TV screens worldwide.”