ShinAwiL, one of Ireland’s leading content producers, and Finnish production company Aito Media today announced an agreement to co-produce ShinAwiL’s first-ever comedy series, Polar Opposites.
ShinAwiL and Aito Media are funding the development of the project, which is written by and stars Irish actor and stand-up comedian Bernard O’Shea (Bridget and Eamonn) in collaboration with Finnish writer, stand-up comedian and actor Riku Suokas.
Polar Opposites follows the lives of Brenden, a down and out Irish stand-up comedian played by O’Shea, and Lilly, a stunning ex-Miss Finland contestant-turned-entrepreneur, after a somewhat accidental pregnancy caused by a one-night-stand in Dublin.
With Lilly’s business empire crumbling and bankruptcy looming, in her opinion, the news that she’s pregnant couldn’t come at a worse time. However, she decides to keep the baby – and so begins a story of two totally different individuals from different cultures who are pushed to live together in order to raise a child.
We are delighted to be working with Aito Media on our debut comedy series. Filmed on location in Ireland and Finland, Polar Opposites is the perfect Nordic comedy noir series, albeit with a bit of an Irish twist.
Larry Bass, CEO – ShinAwiL
We are very excited to be working with ShinAwiL on ‘Polar Opposites’. We believe the combination of our creative minds will produce a series that is at the same time Finnish, Irish, entertaining and funny. What more can you ask?
Eero Hietala, Co-CEO – Aito Media
The co-production agreement follows on the heels of ShinAwiL’s recent co-production deal with Swiss production companies C-FILMS and Point Prod to develop UN drama series Alpha, with funding development of the script from Swiss national broadcaster Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) together with its French and German-speaking networks SRF and RTS.
ShinAwiL launched its scripted division in early 2019 and is currently developing a slate of projects all in receipt of funding from screen agencies and broadcasters including the Canadian Media Fund, Screen Ireland and RTE. The company recently wrapped production on A+E Networks International’s Miss Scarlett and the Duke, which it is overseeing production for Element 8.