AMY JEPHTA

A GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER

THANKS TO HER WORK ON THE AFFAIR, screenwriter and playwright Marnich has also written on shows such as Big Love, The Big C, Low Winter Sun, The OA and The Son. She has now been tapped to adapt author Jonathan Franzen’s epic novel Freedom. Described as a laugh-out-loud, emotional knockout, the story follows the journey of Patty and Walter Berglund, pioneers of old St Paul who are now living in an evermore confusing world. In the new millennium, they are left to question why their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door, why environmental lawyer Walter is now working for Big Coal and why their neighbour has turned into the local Fury. M E L A N I E M A R N I C H MELANIE MARNICH

SCREENWRITER AND PLAYWRIGHT JEPHTA HAILS FROM CAPE TOWN AND HAS THREE FEATURE FILM CREDITS TO HER NAME, including South Africa’s official 2018 Golden Globes submission Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story. Her stage work has also been directed by Danny Boyle for the Royal Court and has featured at the Edinburgh International Festival. On television, her work includes Trackers for Cinemax and she was recently executive producer and showrunner on African streamer Showmax’s crime drama Skemerdans. Jephta is now writing on Cape Town-set Devil’s Peak, which will air on M-Net in 2023. The crime drama follows a talented but broken detective who is tasked with tracking down a righteous vigilante killer whose crimes capture the imagination of the city. In addition, Jephta has created Catch Me a Killer, which is based on the true story of a journalist-turnedpsychologist who becomes South Africa’s first serial killer profiler. She is also attached as showrunner of Hannover Street, the story of two sisters during South Africa’s Apartheid years, with Morgan Freeman among the executive producers.

LOST BOYS & FAIRIES, WHICH EMERGED FROM THE BBC’S TV DRAMA WRITERS’ PROGRAMME IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRODUCER DUCK SOUP FILMS IN 2019 , marks James’ fi rst original screenplay for the UK pubcaster. The series follows Gabriel, a singer and artiste extraordinaire at Cardiff’s queer club space Neverland, and his partner Andy as they adopt their fi rst child. Gabriel has a troubled history and must embark upon a journey of self-discovery and attempt to repair his relationship with his dad before he can truly begin to parent seven-year old Jake. Previously, Welshman James has worked as a playwright, screenwriter, composer, performer and translator across theatre, radio, TV and fi lm in both English and Welsh. His small-screen credits include Crackanory and 10 episodes of the returning Welshlanguage drama Gwaith/Cartref