Ovation to Co-Fund Kudos Film’s 'We’ll Take Manhattan'

CANNES -- U.S. cable network Ovation will co-fund Shine-owned Kudos Film’s We’ll Take Manhattan, the companies said Monday.

The deal represents Shine International’s push to secure co-production deals and build a domestic U.S. business to finance scripted programming with an international feel.

The news comes as Shine insiders expect News Corp.’s $675 million deal to acquire Shine to complete within days.

Charting the tempestuous love affair between 60s supermodel Jean Shrimpton and photographer David Bailey, the 90-minute scripted television movie stars Karen Gillan from the current run of Doctor Who as the iconic model.

Arts and culture network Ovation has full national coverage under deals with DirecTV and DISH Network. It will premiere the TV movie and the U.S., with the U.K. window airing on drama biopic heavyweight channel BBC4.

Shine International president Chris Grant said the move into co-producing scripted fare with a U.S. partner was the next logical step for the Shine International, which is also touting Abi Morgan’s glossy BBC/ BBC America- financed 1950s espionage thriller The Hour to buyers at MipTV.

“As Shine International continues to grow, we’re fully focused on not only expanding our scripted slate, but also identifying the best scripted content produced overseas to sell in to U.S. cable networks,” said Grant.

Written and directed by John McKay, Manhattan tells the love story between two of Britain’s most glamorous lovers based around a Vogue shoot they worked on in 1962.

Claire Parker, John McKay and Ruth Kenley-Letts will exec produce.