M-Net recently announced a new eight-part drama series, “White Lies”, to be filmed in Cape Town starting this month.
The channel, in partnership with Quizzical Pictures and Fremantle, released a statement to announce the new film featuring local actor Brendon Daniels and British actress Natalie Dormer, known for her roles in “The Hunger Games”, “Game of Thrones” and “Picnic at Hanging Rock”.
Daniels’s credits include the acclaimed film “Four Corners”, “Skemerdans” and “Trackers”, another M-Net international co-production.
“White Lies” will start filming on March 6.
Waldimar Pelser, Director of Premium Channels at M-Net, said: “We are thrilled to announce this latest international co-production from the M-Net stable, and proud to be building new global content partnerships.
“’White Lies’ brings together an exceptional creative team and a stellar cast in a riveting story set in Cape Town, an iconic city with great natural beauty but also hidden undercurrents.
“We believe ‘White Lies’ will resonate with series lovers locally and globally. Partnerships such as this one with Quizzical Pictures and Fremantle give shows the best shot at reaching their full potential and cement M-Net’s reputation as the home of world-class entertainment.”
The film is created by Sean Steinberg and written by award-winning scriptwriter Darrel Bristow-Bovey.
The statement describes “White Lies” as an “urgent exploration of race and privilege, inequality and identity centring on a strong female protagonist and diverse characters – all entangled in a riveting murder mystery”.
Dormer, who plays Edie Hanson, said: “I’m thrilled to be in Cape Town and begin this beautiful, gripping show. South Africa has so much to offer an international audience in its storytelling.
“I’m truly excited to bring Darrel’s eight-episode page-turner to life with such a group of talented directors, led by John, and a superb ensemble cast.”
Set in the wealthy neighbourhood of Bishopscourt, Cape Town, investigative journalist Edie gets caught up in the ugly underbelly that lies beneath the picturesque beauty of the city, dragging her back to a turbulent past.
Following her estranged brother’s murder in his luxury home, Edie’s world plunges deeper into chaos when her brother’s teenage children become prime suspects for the crime.
As Edie investigates, she finds herself at loggerheads with veteran detective Forty Bell (Daniels) and grapples with the crumbling local police force, a corrupt political system, and the secretive world of extreme Cape wealth.