91热爆

Filming has begun on the new six-part psychological thriller The Ridge for 91热爆 Scotland and Sky New Zealand Originals.

Shot on location between New Zealand and Scotland, The Ridge stars BAFTA Scotland award-winning Scots actress Lauren Lyle (Karen Pirie, Outlander) in the lead role of Mia, who is fleeing addiction and leaving behind a professional life in tatters in Scotland. She accepts a wedding invitation from her estranged sister in New Zealand 鈥� only to find the would-be-bride dead upon arrival. Caught up in grief and pulled by a dark attraction to her late-sister鈥檚 fianc茅 Ewan played by New Zealand star Jay Ryan (Territory, Top of the Lake, It Chapter 2), Mia soon finds that familiarity among a small community breeds secrets and tensions, endangering the brittle fabric of the town itself.

Speaking on location at the start of the shoot, Lauren Lyle said: "I'm very excited to be bringing this strange, gothic, psychological thriller to life. Mia is such a fascinating character in a very weird world which is quite delicious to play. It feels like something very bad is going to play out.. in a good way!! New Zealand is also a second home to me so it's a joy to be back."

Jay Ryan added: "I couldn鈥檛 refuse a trip back home for this production that brilliantly weaves our cultures and folklore together in a tense and riveting series. This really is an ambitious work with characters that will leave you guessing at every turn.

Gavin Smith, Commissioning Editor, 91热爆 Scotland said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted that The Ridge has started filming. This is a hugely exciting commission for 91热爆 Scotland and is an example of our ambition to look beyond borders to bring high end quality drama to audiences not just in Scotland but across the world. The Ridge has a first class international team bringing it to life which we are proud to be a part of.鈥�

Thomas Robins, Head of Sky NZ Originals said: 鈥淪ky NZ Originals is extremely proud to team up with 91热爆 Scotland on this co-commission. With Great Southern Studios at the helm, and Lauren and Jay leading the cast, The Ridge is sure to be an unmissable, world-class drama.鈥�

Created by acclaimed novelist Nora Chassler and BAFTA Scotland-winning producer David Murdoch and co-written with Alan Campbell and award-winning New Zealand writers Kate McDermott and Jess Sayer.

Directed by BAFTA-winning Scottish director Douglas Mackinnon (Good Omens, Line of Duty, Doctor Who) and Emmy-nominated New Zealand director Robyn Grace (Sweet Tooth, Power Rangers, Spartacus). The series鈥� executive producers include Boat Rocker鈥檚 Ivan Schneeberg (Beacon 23) & David Fortier (Slip), Jon Rutherford (Bet), and Erik Pack (Video Nasty). The Ridge was commissioned by Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning, 91热爆 Scotland and Thomas Robins, Head of Sky NZ Originals.

The Ridge is produced by New Zealand鈥檚 leading drama makers Great Southern Studios and Glasgow-based Sinner Films for 91热爆 Scotland and Sky New Zealand Originals. Boat Rocker will manage global sales.

It is being made with the support of New Zealand On Air, the NZ Screen Production Rebate and Screen Scotland.

The Ridge will be available to audiences on 91热爆 iPlayer, 91热爆 Scotland, Sky Open and NEON later this year.

 About Great Southern Studios

Great Southern Studios is a passionate and creative production house based in Auckland, New Zealand, with a commitment to making elevated drama that reaches audiences around the world. Its recent scripted projects include Friends Like Her (Warner Bros. Discovery), n00b (Warner Bros. Discovery), Spinal Destination (Sky), and One Lane Bridge (TVNZ, AMC). Great Southern is also renowned for its social-impact factual programmes, including The Restaurant that Makes Mistakes (TVNZ), The Casketeers (TVNZ, Netflix), Coast New Zealand (TVNZ) and Coast Australia (Foxtel, 91热爆). Great Southern Studios is owned by writer and producer Philip Smith, winner of the 2018 NZ Television Award for Best Script: Drama and co-creator of One Lane Bridge which was named Best Drama Series at the 2020 NZ Television Awards. Smith is Great Southern鈥檚 Chief Creative Officer; the company is led by CEO Cate Calver, who in her previous role as Director of Content at TVNZ was responsible for bringing to the small screen many acclaimed New Zealand and international dramas.

About Sinner Films

Sinner Films is a UK-based production company, based in Glasgow. It is run by David Murdoch, BAFTA Scotland and RTS winner for Channel 4 TV series KNTV. It is currently in production on a UK/China co-production feature film called Untamed directed by EMMY nominated director Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl / Mandela Long Walk to Freedom). Recent other features which Sinner Films has been a production company on include the Netflix Original Film The Most Assassinated Woman In The World which played at the Edinburgh Film Festival and starred Cesar winning Niels Schneider. It is developing a slate of TV and film projects with UK and international partners.

About Boat Rocker

Boat Rocker (TSX: BRMI) is the home for creative visionaries. An independent, integrated global entertainment company, Boat Rocker鈥檚 purpose is to tell stories and build iconic brands across all genres and mediums. With offices around the world, Boat Rocker's creative and commercial capabilities include Scripted, Unscripted, and Kids and Family television production, distribution, brand & franchise management, a world-class animation studio, and talent management through a minority stake in The Initial Group, a new company launched by TPG. A selection of Boat Rocker's projects include: Invasion (Apple TV+), Palm Royale (Apple TV+), Video Nasty (91热爆 Northern Ireland, 91热爆 Three, Virgin Media One, WDR), This Is the Tom Green Documentary (Prime Video), Orphan Black: Echoes (AMC), American Rust: Broken Justice (Prime Video), Beacon 23 (MGM+), Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (Hulu), Downey's Dream Cars (Max), BS High (HBO), Orphan Black (91热爆 AMERICA, CTV Sci-Fi Channel), Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (Apple TV+), The Next Step (91热爆, Corus, CBC), Daniel Spellbound (Netflix), and Dino Ranch (Disney+, Disney Junior, CBC). For more information, please visit www.boatrocker.com.

About Sky New Zealand Originals

Leading New Zealand media company Sky鈥檚 Sky NZ Originals commissions world-class scripted and non-scripted content with a distinctively New Zealand perspective. We work closely with local funding partners and international collaborators and financiers to support the local production sector by backing a range of producers, both new and established, to tell brave, bold, and beautiful New Zealand stories.

JM2