Format

Banijay today announces it is set to raise awareness around domestic abuse via two new formats: Crimes of Passion, an acquisition and original production by La Bastoggi, and Love You To Death, from Jarowskij.

The programmes stress the need to recognise the enormous social problem impacting millions of women globally, with the two formats placing emphasise back on the women and not the perpetrators. The victims are depicted in their own words or those of their close friends and family and the titles explore why so few report their partners, why in many cases they remain with their abuser and the shame and guilt which stems from that decision. Both shows ultimately focus on altering how these crimes are retold to reduce stigma and instead raise awareness and promote understanding.

Crimes of Passion has aired in Italy since 2007 and was also broadcast in Spain on Telecinco. This 120’ format centres around femicide and in each episode leans on retellings to focus on one woman who was killed and the narrative of her family and close friends, as opposed to the judicial system. The women are the victims of obsessive love, violence and… ultimately, murder, and this high-end docu-fiction format mixes news footage, real footage, reconstructions and testimonies to bring to life the devastating impact domestic violence has on both the victims and those around them.

Jarowskij-produced 6x30’ documentary, Love You To Death, is set for SVT and highlights the variations of abuse numerous women are subjected to from those they are in close relationships with. These testimonies promote awareness around habits that occur over longer periods, as the diversity of those affected. Focusing on the survivors, the format includes their retellings of events, reconstructions, authentic images, trial recordings, private photos and movies to illustrate each woman’s narrative.

Carlotta Rossi Spencer, Head of Format Acquisitions at Banijay said: “These formats shed light on an incredibly serious topic and issue facing millions of women around the world. As a large global player, we must take responsibility for highlighting the gravity and commonality of this issue and we hope both formats will prove valuable options for clients looking to raise awareness.”

Both formats are now available via Banijay Rights.