Author: Anthea » Sun Feb 09, 2014 3:31 am
I have just started watching a new Belgian thriller series on BBC iplayer - it is about a police inspector's investigation into a bank robbery which uncovers a complex conspiracy:
"Salamander"In Flemish and French with English subtitles
Salamander is a 12x60-minute drama series produced by Skyline Entertainment and distributed by Beta Films.
Sue Deeks, Head of Programme Acquisition BBC, commented: "Salamander is a gripping, edge-of-the seat thriller - it will make a fantastic addition to our Saturday nights on BBC Four."
Oliver N. Bachert, SVP International Sales and Acquisitions, said: “Salamander is an excellent example for top-of-the-line serialized storytelling made in Europe. We are absolutely convinced that Salamander will thrill audiences in the UK the same way as it did on the continent.”
Everyone has secrets. But these can bring down a nation. In a private Brussels bank, 66 safe-deposit boxes are raided. The owner of the bank wants to keep the thefts under wraps but police inspector Paul Gerardi catches wind of the affair. With his incorruptible, old-school morals and devil-may-care attitude, Gerardi throws himself into the investigation, and when some of the key players are murdered, commit suicide or vanish, soon realises just how big the case is.
Gerardi discovers that the victims are members of a secret organisation called Salamander, made up of the country's industrial, financial, judicial and political elite, and the safe-deposit boxes contained their most intimate secrets - secrets that could bring down the nation. As he becomes the target of both the criminals and the authorities, Gerardi must quickly find out what their agenda is. And who is behind the thefts...
The success of acquired drama on a Saturday night has seen the slot grow more than threefold since 2009 with a 2.9 per cent share of the audience in 2012 (compared with 0.9 per cent audience share in 2009).
Salamander is produced by Skyline Entertainment. World sales are by Beta Film. It was acquired for BBC Four by Sue Deeks, BBC Head of BBC Acquisitions
PS the hero is cute 
My Name Is KURDISTAN And I Will Be FREE