Bavaria Media Intl., the international distribution arm of the Bavaria Film Group, has announced a lineup of scripted programming ahead of the Mipcom market. The slate features several high-performing German titles, including crime thrillers “Mordach” and “Dark Motives,” as well as popular family and holiday fare such as “Home-Made Christmas” and “Throughout the Years.”
The crime-focused segment of the lineup includes “Cold Case Diaries,” “Mordach,” and “The Wolf Hunt.” The feel-good and family-oriented portion highlights “Fanny’s Extraordinary World,” “A Place Called Fatherhood,” “Hearts Along the Baltic Sea,” “Home-Made Christmas,” and “Throughout the Years.”
Helge Köhne, head of content sales at Bavaria Media Intl., emphasized the global appeal of the new roster. “From talent-led crime titles such as ‘Cold Case Diaries’ and ‘Mordach,’ to proven feel-good and Christmas entertainment ‘Home-Made Christmas,’ and the growing ‘Throughout the Years’ franchise, this new lineup demonstrates the breadth of genre-led content ready for this year’s market,” Köhne said. He noted that the titles are “primed for global audiences” due to their recognizable casts, strong broadcast metrics, and universal storytelling themes.
Among the crime entries is “Mordach,” a cross-genre thriller produced by UFA Fiction and ARD Degeto Film. Starring Mehmet Kurtuluş and Gesine Cukrowski, the two-part series follows a BKA undercover agent who becomes the prime suspect in a murder he cannot recall committing. The show attracted 5.7 million viewers upon its premiere on ARD.
Other crime offerings include “Cold Case Diaries,” a German Film Television Award-nominated series starring Edin Hasanović and Melika Foroutan, which investigates unsolved cases in Frankfurt. “Dark Motives,” produced by Filmpool Fiction for MDR, stars Claudia Michelsen in a series exploring social divides and economic crime along the River Elbe. Additionally, “The Wolf Hunt,” produced by U5 Filmproduktion, tracks a game warden who discovers a body in the Brandenburg woods, turning a wildlife management assignment into a murder investigation.
The family and feel-good slate features “Fanny’s Extraordinary World,” a comedy-drama starring Dieter Hallervorden as a fraudster who poses as his autistic granddaughter’s uncle. The film drew over 4 million viewers on ARD. “Home-Made Christmas,” produced by Mafilm, starred Horst Krause and reached 5 million viewers with a 17.7% market share.
Also highlighted is the “Throughout the Years” franchise, a Christmas romance produced by UFA Fiction featuring Charly Hübner and Maria Simon. The first installment secured 3.92 million viewers, with Part 2 slated for Christmas 2026 and Part 3 currently in development. Rounding out the family section are “A Place Called Fatherhood,” a drama about co-parenting starring David Rott and Sabrina Amali, and “Hearts Along the Baltic Sea,” a romantic drama marking director Joana Vogdt’s debut.
How does ‘Throughout the Years’ compare to other European romance franchises in terms of export potential?
Five million viewers for a holiday special is huge. The demand for feel-good content is undeniable.
Is ‘Dark Motives’ really about economic crime? That sounds far more interesting than typical cop shows.
I never thought I’d say this, but I actually look forward to these Christmas movies now.
Great to see German crime thrillers getting global attention. Mordach sounds intense!