London-headquartered BossaNova Media has built an international reputation in content distribution quarters for being more than a distributor.

Founded in 2021, the company deals in what it calls “new wave distribution” — helping its clients to navigate the intersection of rights management, development, coproduction and commissioning by actively engaging in each part of the content puzzle.

One of the earliest proponents of the “acquimission” trend, which sees broadcasters pony up funds in the form of pre-buys and gives distributors and producers more skin in the game with rights than with outright commissions, BossaNova hosts an annual Development Day event — a holdover from company co-founder Paul Heaney’s previous distribution firm, TCB Media Rights — that brings together buyers and producers to fast-track the creation of in-demand factual content.

We touched base with Paul Heaney to get his take on current international appetites for non-fiction.

This interview has been edited for clarity and concision.

What have been some of the bigger sellers in the BossaNova catalogue over the course of the past year, and what does that say about the genres that are currently hot at the moment?

Going into 2026, the best-selling shows are our anniversaries box sets such as Days that Shocked the World [from BriteSpark Films], talent-led series like Guy Martin’s Proper Jobs [North One Television] and Alice Roberts’ latest in the franchise Ancient Greece by Train [Spark Media Partners with BossaNova Media]. We also cannot ignore what has grown into a thoroughbred top seller for us, Caught On Dash Cam [Worldmark Films].

How would you compare the buying climate over the span of 2025 to the previous year?

Despite many of us in the distribution world being around for a while, 2025 was a year that asked many questions, and it kept us on our toes. The buyers have been joined by many new players too so we see this as a clear positive sign.

What would be your predictions for 2026?

As we all get used to this revised landscape it has certainly become a more straightforward, slightly faster market than in recent years. We can tell from our own “market within a market,” Development Day, that buyers’ decision-making is quicker.

Are there genres or sub-genres of factual that you think will pick up steam or be more in demand for the year ahead, and why?

True crime needs no more coal stoked in its fire but is still full steam ahead, with maybe more series than miniseries for 2026. Access-driven “tough jobs” and “blue light” franchises are also a big tick in our opinion. History/mystery and derivations thereof… yes please, there is demand out there.

BossaNova has served as a financing and copro partner on projects for various companies over the past few years, and has pioneered the “acquimissions” model. Do you see more of that happening in 2026 — is it pretty much a necessity now?

Yes, we are the pioneers of ‘self commissioning,’ ‘aquimissions’ or other slightly ropey terms but at the time, long ago, we saw a moment of extreme pragmatism that led us to this model. We needed to speed up the greenlight process, plus we wanted to control our slate rather than build an amorphous mass of a catalog. Risk is the name of the game but it’s working happily, thanks to the community of buyers and producers who are in our coalition of the willing… but it’s now front and center of our world so it’s just as well.

What do you think will be the biggest shift to impact the distribution business in the immediate future?

Redefining ourselves as proper platforms as many already are and flowering into even higher profile commissioners.