ZDF Studios to distribute new Irish thriller Clean Sweep set to premiere on Sundance Now and RTÉ

Mainz, July 27th, 2022

ZDF Studios has secured international distribution rights to Clean Sweep (6 x 52’), a new thriller drama set to premiere on Sundance Now in the US and RTÉ in Ireland.

The series is being co-produced in Ireland, by one of Ireland’s biggest and most successful indie producers ShinAwiL (Dancing with the Stars Ireland, Miss Scarlet and the Duke) and Canada’s Incendo (Be Mine Valentine, Terror Train), internationally renowned for producing and distributing high quality content.

Clean Sweep is created by Gary Tieche who has written on Preacher for AMC, I Know What You Did Last Summer for Amazon as well as worked on Medium for CBS. The award-winning Irish actress Charlene McKenna (Bloodlands, Peaky Blinders, Vienna Blood) stars in the lead role as Shelly Mohan, a housewife, mother of three, married to a Garda detective (Barry Ward, Jimmy's Hall, Blood Cells), who kills her former partner in crime when he threatens to expose her dark past. With her unsuspecting husband hunting for the killer, Shelly must cope with pressures of the tightening noose as well as continue caring for an ailing son, her unfaithful husband and all usual burdens of motherhood. Inspired by true events, it is a compelling and relentless story of mothering and the price paid for long-buried sins.

Yi Qiao, Director Drama, ZDF Studios, says: “Clean Sweep is a binge-worthy addition to our growing slate of English language productions. Irish content has significantly gained in importance in the international market so we are proud to partner in this production, a thriller full of twists and turns that will captivate audiences worldwide.”

Larry Bass, CEO ShinAwiL and Executive Producer, says: “When we first read Gary’s script we knew this was a story for a global audience, a classic “why done it?” that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. ShinAwiL are delighted to partner with Incendo and ZDF Studios in delivering this exciting modern thriller. From the time RTÉ first boarded Clean Sweep, we have been looking to find the best distributor to take this story to the world, we look forward to working with ZDF Studios on making this a global success. "

“Clean Sweep radiates elevated, smart writing, brought to life by an incredible cast led by Charlene McKenna. This gripping drama is sure to have audiences on the edge of their seats. We’re thankful to Element 8 Entertainment for bringing us into the fold, and elated to debut the series on Sundance Now,” said Shannon Cooper, Vice President, Programming, Sundance Now.

Dermot Horan, Director of Acquisitions and Co-Productions for RTÉ says: “Clean Sweep is a compelling thriller with a rich backdrop of strong Irish characters and the unique Irish landscape. RTÉ believes it will attract a very large audience on RTÉ One and on the RTÉ Player, but that the story will be equally attractive to an international audience. As such we are delighted to be working with such a great range of partners - Incendo, Sundance Now, ZDF Studios and of course Shinawil, one of Ireland's most renowned production companies“.

Clean Sweep is written by Gary Tieche alongside Francesca Harris in Ireland. Executive Producers include Patty Lenahan Ishimoto, Larry Bass, Aaron Farrell, Mary Callery, Jin Ishimoto, Harvey Myman, Gary Tieche (ShinAwiL); David Crean and Dermot Horan for RTÉ; Shannon Cooper (Sundance Now); Graham Ludlow, Jean-Philippe Normandeau and Shari Segal (Incendo). Ronan Burke (Harry Wild) will direct.

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About ZDF Studios

ZDF Studios was originally founded in 1993 as ‘ZDF Enterprises’, a private subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest and most renowned television broadcasters in Europe. The company was renamed ‘ZDF Studios’ on 1 April 2022. Based in Mainz, the business is responsible for distributing programmes worldwide, implementing international co-productions, acquiring licences and merchandising key brands under its own name, for ZDF and for third parties. Successfully established as an independent market player in Germany and globally, it operates as part of a strong network of 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme stock in the world, plus a constantly growing catalogue of international productions consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children’s programmes. By continually evolving, the ZDF Studios group has been able to open up numerous business areas in the television and media sector. As a result, ZDF Studios now provides a comprehensive full-service offer and covers every stage in the creation and exploitation chain of successful TV productions in all genres, from developing content to producing, licensing, marketing, merchandising, online rights and much more.

Contact ZDF Studios

Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, D-55127 Mainz/Germany, Tel.: +49 6131-9911130, Email: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com

About Sundance Now

AMC Networks’ Sundance Now offers cross-genre escapism for insightful viewers seeking fresh perspectives, thought-provoking experiences and transportive journeys to far-off places. With a rich selection of engrossing dramas and romance, imaginative fantasy, gripping mysteries, to riveting true crime and intelligent thrillers, Sundance Now programming features empowered characters telling one-of-a-kind of stories from around the world – all streaming commercial-free. Sundance Now houses critically-acclaimed and award-winning original and streaming exclusive series including popular supernatural thriller A Discovery of Witches (Matthew Goode, Teresa Palmer), highly anticipated UK adaptation of the French hit Call My Agent!, Ten Percent, (Jack Davenport, Jim Broadbent), multi-Emmy winner State of the Union (Rosamund Pike, Chris O’Dowd; Patricia Clarkson, Brendan Gleeson), glamourous coastal drama Riviera (Julia Stiles), incomparably clever comedy Back (David Mitchell, Robert Webb), British true crime thriller Des (David Tennant), hit mystery The Drowning (Jill Halfpenny), French spy drama The Bureau, Australian psychological thriller The Secrets She Keeps (Laura Carmichael), acclaimed Swedish drama The Restaurant, British thriller The Cry (Jenna Coleman), Liar (Joanne Froggatt, Ioan Gruffudd), Motherland (Anna Maxwell Martin, Lucy Punch, Joanna Lumley), and Total Control (Rachel Griffiths, Deborah Mailman), to name a few; alongside riveting true crime series including The Night Caller, Secrets of a Psychopath, The Suspect, The Dakota Entrapment Tapes, The Preppy Murder: Death in Central Park, No One Saw a Thing and Killing for Love featuring the Amanda Knox podcast.

Sundance Now can be enjoyed for $6.99/month or $4.99/month with an annual membership. No cable subscription is needed. Facebook: @SundanceNow – Twitter: @sundance_now

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. Further information can be found here.

About ShinAwiL

Founded in 1999, ShinAwiL is one of the largest and most successful independent production companies in Ireland that specializes in entertainment, factual entertainment, live event programming, Film and scripted TV Drama.

ShinAwiL is the production company behind some of Ireland’s biggest entertainment series’ including Dancing with the Stars, Last Singer Standing, The Voice of Ireland, The Apprentice, Dragons’ Den (Shark Tank), and MasterChef. In the past years ShinAwiL productions have been awarded multiple times including 3 IFTA Awards and 4 TV Now Awards and an RTS Industry award.

On the scripted front, ShinAwiL was the production partner on the PBS Masterpiece period drama Miss Scarlet & The Duke for Element 8 Entertainment. Other new films coming soon include The Miracle Club and Cry from the Sea. http://shinawil.com/

About Incendo

Incendo is a Canadian company that specializes in the production and international distribution of high-quality television programming for the worldwide marketplace. Since its inception in 2001, the company has produced compelling movies, television series as well as documentaries that have been sold throughout the world. Incendo is the leading television distribution company in Canada and also handles theatrical distribution in Québec for Paramount Pictures. For more information, visit www.incendo.ca.