by Thinus Ferreira
M-Net is doing another international co-production for a drama series, this time Recipes for Love and Murder that is a 10-episode South African murder mystery series done with the global streaming service Acorn TV from AMC Networks with principal photography that is starting today.
Recipes for Love and Murder will premiere on M-Net (DStv 101) in March 2022 and throughout 2022 on Acorn TV.
The series is based on Sally Andrew's acclaimed novel Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery that Oprah's Book Club raved about for its "mouth-watering food and landscapes" and was translated in 16 languages.
The novel was adapted for television by South African writer Karen Jeynes who is also an executive producer, with the Scotland-based director/writer Annie Griffin as story consultant and co-executive producer.
Recipes for Love and Murder also stars Elton Landrew as Constable Piet and Arno Greeff as Warrant Officer Regardt Snyman, Jennifer Steyn as the editor of the local paper, and
Lee Duru as Grace, a domestic worker whose
story shakes up the town.
Recipes for Love and Murder is being filmed in Cape Town, in the
semi-arid region of the Karoo and in Scotland.
Recipes for Love and Murder is produced
by the Cape Town-based Both Worlds Pictures, in
collaboration with Pirate Production in Scotland), and is helmed by the South African directors Christiaan Olwagen and David Isaacs.
Maria Purvis (nicknamed
“Tannie Maria,” meaning “Auntie Maria” in Afrikaans), is a middle-aged advice
columnist who moved to Scotland as a child along with her parents and returned
10 years ago to South Africa after her husband died.
She now dishes out help
and recipes via the local gazette in the imaginary South African town of Eden,
in the beautiful region of the Karoo.
Mostly keeping to herself, focusing on
food, gardening, and showing kindness to others, she is often thought of as an
old lady before her time.
When Martine, a woman who writes to Maria about
her abusive husband, is found dead, Maria joins forces with a local,
risk-taking, rookie journalist, Jessie September (newcomer Kylie
Fisher), to solve the small-town murder and catch the killer - before the local
police finds more victims.
Recipes for Love and
Murder is produced
by Both Worlds Pictures' founder Thierry Cassuto in collaboration with Pirate Production's Jenny Williams, with
development support provided by Screen Scotland.
Executive producers for Recipes for Love
and Murder include Catherine Mackin and Lesley Pemberton from Acorn Media
Enterprises, Yolisa Phahle, Allan Sperling and Jan du Plessis for M-Net,
Thierry Cassuto and Karen Jeynes for Both Worlds Pictures.
M-Net will hold the
exclusive rights to the series in Africa, Acorn TV will hold the exclusive rights
in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, while
Global Screen will handle distribution for the rest of the world.
The series will premiere
on M-Net 101 in March 2022 and throughout 2022 on Acorn TV.
"Recipes for Love and Murder has
just the perfect ingredients for a rich, appetizing mystery drama, and the
beloved Maria Doyle Kennedy will make a wonderful fit as the empathetic recipe
advice columnist with a mysterious past," says Catherine Mackin, managing director of Acorn Media Enterprises, in a prepared statement.
"We look forward to bringing this
first-ever TV dramatisation of Sally Andrew’s renowned novels to life. This
series is a prime example of the kind of fascinating, masterfully-written
stories set around the globe which we're proud to offer on Acorn TV."
Yolisa Phahle, MultiChoice CEO of general entertainment and connected video, says "MultiChoice is delighted to partner with Acorn TV and Global Screen on this brilliant murder mystery series".
"We are proud to be working with South Africa's talented writer Karen Jeynes and award-winning directors Christiaan Olwagen and David Isaacs. This partnership will continue to put MultiChoice on the forefront of high-quality African television that promotes our ongoing commitment of being Africa’s most-loved storyteller."
Thierry Cassuto of
Both Worlds Pictures says "We are thrilled to partner with M-Net, Acorn and Global Screen to produce
this ambitious series brilliantly adapted by Karen Jeynes from the delicious
Sally Andrew novels".
"Viewers can look forward to a dazzling cast and a very
intriguing story with a unique tone, which brings together small-town life,
murder, love and mouth-watering food, which our extraordinarily talented
director Christiaan Olwagen likes to present as The Killing meets Chocolat."
