FremantleMedia and Jadran Film Zagreb announced at the New European Market (NEM) a strategic partnership in order to bring the literary work of one of Croatia’s most popular writers - Marija Jurić Zagorka - to global TV audiences.

Designated Croatia’s first female journalist, Zagorka is one of the most read writers in Croatia and a best-seller in Central and Eastern Europe, although her novels have never been translated into English. Jadran Film, which has produced over 200 regional and international movies in its 70 year history, will combine its cinematic expertise with FremantleMedia’s production and distribution capabilities to develop scripts based on the novels and look for international investment in order to bring the works to Croatian, as well as global, audiences.

Vinko Grubisic, CEO of Jadran Film said: “Jadran Film has long held the ambition to bring Marija Jurić Zagorka’s work to audiences outside Central Europe. By working with the production and distribution expertise of FremantleMedia, there is now a real opportunity to bring audiences around world the brilliant storytelling of one of Croatia’s most-loved authors.”

Ana Habajec, Managing Director, FremantleMedia Croatia added: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Jadran Film in order to bring the work of Marija Jurić Zagorka to international audiences, and that the combination of our skills and passion will see Zagorka recognized, not just as a Croatian heroine, but as a world brand!”

The partnership kicks off with a joint production of one of Zagorka’s most famous works: The Witch of Grich (Grička vještica), of which more than 10 million copies have been sold so far in Eastern Europe. Set in the second half of the 18th century and combining the genres of historical novel, romance and adventure, it tells the story of young Countess, Nera Keglević, famed for her beauty and kindness. Nera becomes the jewel of Zagrebian aristocracy, but her popularity among men causes envy among her female peers, who see her as a threat. When Nera tries to save a group of poor women from a witch-hunt her rivals see this as an opportunity to accuse her of witchcraft and seek to have her tried and executed, blocking attempts to have her exonerated at every twist and turn.

FremantleMedia and Jadran Film are already looking at how they might develop subsequent titles such as Kneginja iz Petrinjske ulice, Gordana and Jadranka.