Home-grown Irish drama Kin, starring Game of Thrones' Aidan Gillen, has been licensed by BRON Releasing to Dutch public broadcaster NPO, adding the Netherlands to the growing roster of territories to have picked up RTÉ's ratings-beating crime series.

The new eight-part drama series, which debuted on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player in mid-September, and on AMC+ in the U.S., is produced by BRON Studios and Headline Pictures, in association with RTÉ, Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) and Creative Wealth Media, with support from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). It has already delivered RTÉ One with its best drama ratings in five years, averaging more than 625,000 viewers per week and achieving a 40%-plus share. KIN set a record on RTÉ Player with nearly two million streams to date, making it the most watched new drama series on the Player this year. It also performed extremely well in the U.S. on AMC+.

With its gripping local storyline, talented cast and stunning Irish locations, Kin joins the growing ranks of prestigious television series coming out of Ireland. The action centres on the Kinsellas, a fictional Dublin family embroiled in a gangland vendetta. When a member of the Kinsella clan is killed, the family takes on an international cartel in a war that is stacked against them. Out-numbered, out-financed and out-gunned, the Kinsellas find themselves holed up in their Dublin stronghold while their businesses fail, and family members and associates are murdered. But the Kinsellas have something the cartel does not — the visceral, unbreakable bonds of blood and family.

Mignon Huisman, head of series acquisitions for NPO, said: “Kin is an intriguing drama about the complex relationships within a family that runs a criminal business. All the classical themes are in it — love, death, revenge, loyalty, deceit, power, weakness — but all within a family context.”

David Davoli, BRON's President of Television, said: “The sale of KIN to NPO is a testament to the quality of our series, and its global reach. We are excited for Dutch audiences to experience a show that has electrified audiences in Ireland and in the U.S.”

Dermot Horan, RTÉ's director of acquisitions and co-productions, said: “It's no secret that Ireland is a nation of storytellers. In the old days, we spoke our stories by firelight; today, we tell them on screen and share them with the world. Kin not only epitomises Ireland's rich storytelling tradition but its brilliant cast, led by Aidan Gillen, Ciaran Hinds and Clare Dunne, also showcases the richness of Irish talent. And the groundswell of international interest in Kin confirms that great Irish stories, well told, are among the most sought-after dramas on the market.”

The NPO deal follows the announcement earlier this year that international streaming service AMC+ has acquired the rights to Kin for North America, Australia, New Zealand, Iberia, Latin America and the UK. BRON Releasing is handling worldwide sales with the drama also pre-sold for Scandinavia to on-demand service Viaplay, where it will air today.

Filmed in Dublin, Kin boasts a stellar cast led by Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones), breakthrough Irish actress Clare Dunne (Herself), Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones), Sam Keeley (The Cured), Emmett Scanlan (Peaky Blinders), Maria Doyle Kennedy (Outlander) and newcomer Yasmin Seky. The series is written and co-created by Peter McKenna (The Last Kingdom; Red Rock), who is also showrunner/executive producer, and co-created by Ciarán Donnelly (Altered Carbon; Vikings). It is directed by Diarmuid Goggins (Bulletproof) and Tessa Hoffe (Wayne).

The deal was brokered by Davoli, Mignon and Gary Marenzi, founder and CEO of Marenzi & Associates.

NOTES TO EDITORS

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. https://www.rte.ie/about/en/how-rte-is-run/2014/0310/601244-about-rte/

About BRON

Founded in 2010 by Aaron L. Gilbert and Brenda Gilbert, BRON Studios is headquartered in Vancouver, with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto. The worldwide media and entertainment company, which focuses on the strategic development, production and financing of original live-action and animated features, television and digital media content, has been involved in more than 100 productions and has a robust slate of projects across all platforms.

BRON's credits include Bombshell, Fences, Joker — which earned Joaquin Phoenix an Academy Award — The Mule, Leave No Trace, Roman J. Israel Esq., The Willoughbys, Queen & Slim, The Birth of a Nation, The Way Back, Greyhound, The Front Runner and Tully. Upcoming film releases include Candyman; the Aretha Franklin biography Respect, Judas and the Black Messiah, The Survivo, Fatherhood, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Green Knight and Ghostbusters: Afterlife; The Defeated. BRON recently wrapped production on Solitary, starring David Oyelowo, from writer/director Nate Parker; and Surrounded from director Anthony Mandler, starring Letitia Wright, Jamie Bell and Michael K Williams.

About Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland

Screen Ireland is the national development agency for Irish filmmaking and the Irish film, television and animation industry. Investing in talent, creativity and enterprise, Screen Ireland's mission is to support and promote Irish film, television and animation by fostering Irish artistic vision, nurturing the country's diverse creative and production talent, growing audiences and attracting filmmakers and investment into Ireland. Recent successes include critically acclaimed global hit Normal People; multi-award-winning animated feature film Wolfwalkers; Vivarium, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival; and Sea Fever, directed by Neasa Hardiman.

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