London-based content creation, funding and distribution company BossaNova Media, recently launched by former TCB Media Rights founders Paul Heaney and Dina Subhani, has revealed its launch slate and details of its inaugural Development Day pitching event.

BossaNova’s maiden programming roster will be made up of two unscripted series and two one-off specials, including the first three seasons of Stampede Productions’ Borderforce USA (pictured; 30 x 60 minutes), which documents the work of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers between the U.S. and Mexico border. The 10 x 60-minute third season – currently in production and airing later this year on UKTV – has been deficit financed by BossaNova.

Also on offer are seasons one and two of automotive series TheCar Years (14 x 30 minutes) from Wiser Films for ITV4. Hosted by motoring broadcasters Vicki Butler Henderson and Alex Riley, the series spotlights “the very best cars from a moment in time,” with an expert panel of judges picking a winner. BossaNova has also deficit financed the second season of The Car Years. 

BossaNova’s slate will additionally include two documentary features via the 90-minute special Cruising: The Biggest Storm (from Australia’s CJZ), examining the biggest crises in the cruise industry’s history; and American 965 (96 minutes; Fact Not Fiction Films), charting the story of American Airlines flight 965, one of the deadliest air disasters in aviation history.

DEVELOPMENT DAY

Elsewhere, BossaNova has peeled the curtain back on its inaugural Development Day pitching event, which has thus far attracted 50 buyers and commissioners from 35 channels and platforms.

“This is the recreation and progression of the hub and community we so successfully created at TCB,” Heaney said in a statement. “We must have stumbled onto something special as the numbers of attendees this year is huge and the quality of projects is very high.”

The pitching scheme will bring together buyers and sellers with the aim of fast-tracking the creation of high-quality factual projects with an eye toward securing pre-sales needed to fund those titles. It will also provide buyers with early access to original ideas from leading producers across the factual industry.

The first BossaNova Development Day will take place virtually on Jan. 21, connecting 50 buyers with 20 producers, who will pitch some 50 new projects, according to the company.

NEW HIRE

The fledgling media company has made its first appointment since launching in late 2020, hiring Jasmin Joseph as marketing manager.  The hire reunites founders Heaney and Subhani with Joseph following her four-year stint at TCB Media Rights.