‘At Home With The Furys’ Producer Appoints New Head of Talent-Led Programming

At Home with the Furys producer Optomen has established a new role for a Head of Talent-led Programming, aimed at spearheading innovative documentaries and reality shows for both the UK and U.S. markets. Becky Cadman, who recently departed from Lime Pictures after its London office closure, will take on this pivotal position. Her focus will be on developing premium, talent-driven content that resonates with audiences in these regions. At Lime, Cadman contributed to projects such as Vinnie Jones in the Country for Discovery+ and Caroline Flack: Her Life and Death for Channel 4. Optomen has enjoyed recent successes, including Netflix’s At Home with the Furys and the BBC’s Sort Your Life Out. Company leaders Tina Flintoff and Nick Hornby expressed their enthusiasm, stating, “Talent-led programming has become increasingly important to our business, and we are thrilled Becky has agreed to join us to focus on the opportunities in this space. She has a fantastic eye for talent and a real flair for creating entertaining and original formats.”

Disauthority Wraps Production on Supernatural Drama ‘Homonym’

London-based production company and post house Disauthority has successfully completed filming on their supernatural horror project, Homonym. The shoot took place from January 17-19 in East London and was directed by Lily Howkins, known for her work on EastEnders. The cast features Nykiya Adams (Bird), Anna Burnett (Darkest Hour, Falling), Tristan Sturrock (Doc Martin, Poldark), and Louis Martin (Secret Level, The Sandman). Set against the backdrop of police negligence in the late 1990s, the narrative follows a woman who is compelled to seek social housing due to inexplicable and dangerous events in her home. This production aims to serve as a proof of concept for a feature film. Disauthority CEO Marcus Hundsnes remarked, “It poses the question of how institutions might respond to a seemingly impossible story and how life-changing the effects can be for a victim whose testimony simply is not believed. It’s a valuable addition to our slate and a crucial subject to give a platform to amidst the global rise of violence against women.”

Screen Producers Australia Appoints First Council Chair

Kate Carnell has been appointed as the inaugural Chair of Screen Producers Australia (SPA) council. Renowned for her advocacy of small- to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), she will champion Australian producers and drive essential policy initiatives. Many SPA members are SMEs facing challenges in a market flooded with international productions, which often overshadow the difficulties local producers encounter, such as declining tariffs and cautious broadcasters amid a fluctuating global economy. SPA Council President Tracey Vieira stated, “Kate’s unparalleled experience in championing SMEs and her deep connection to the screen sector make her the ideal choice as our inaugural Chair. At a time when our industry faces significant challenges — particularly in securing a fair opportunity in the new online streaming era — Kate’s leadership will be critical to ensuring our members’ voices are heard and that Australian stories continue to thrive.”

Italian Comedy-Drama ‘Il Mammo’ Set for Polish Remake

Italian dramas are gaining traction in Central Europe, with Il Mammo (Mr. Mom) being remade for Polish television by TVP, with Brand Trust Partners serving as executive producer for the adaptation. Two episodes have already been completed. Originally produced in Italy by RTI for Canale 5 as a sitcom, Il Mammo follows a stay-at-home widower navigating the complexities of managing a household while raising his three children alone. In the Polish version, the central character, originally portrayed by Enzo Iacchetti as Silvano, will be reimagined as Sylwester, played by Paweł Domagała. The cast also includes Karolina Bacia, Piotr Głowacki, and Mirosław Zbrojewicz as the children, with Grażyna Szapołowska guest-starring and Beata Tadla also in the lineup. The screenplay is crafted by Kuba Wecsile, Filip Kasperaszek, and Mariusz Pitura.