Amazon Prime Video has acquired the first season of series “Russian Affairs” for distribution in Germany, France and the Netherlands, from Russia’s Start Studios.
The eight-part drama that follows the lives of Russia’s elite and those who aspire to that position is set in contemporary Moscow. Under the title “Gold Diggers,” the series was broadcast on Russia’s START OTT platform in 2019 and generated more than 10 million viewers.
Daria Bondarenko, exec VP, international sales and co-oroductions, said: “The series lifts the lid on the bright lights of current Moscow, and the glamorous world of Russia’s wealthy society, where money, information, power, or beauty are the qualifications needed for entry, and illicit affairs are the norm.”
Start Studios is the production division of Russian independent studio Yellow, Black and White. In 2019, the company sold sci-fi series “Better Than Us” to Netflix. Other recent series from Yellow, Black and White include “Storm,” “Ivanovy vs Ivanovy” and “Cleaned Up.”
Yellow, Black and White is also active in film production. In 2017, the company teamed with Disney for blockbuster “Last Knight.” The outfit’s 2018 title “The Factory” received considerable festival play, beginning with a premiere at the Toronto film festival.