Following a deal with global producer and distributor Fremantle, Netflix will launch the first season of Avlu, the Turkish adaption of the hit Australian prison drama Wentworth, globally on October 18. Produced by Hayri Aslan and Limon Film, Avlu has taken audiences by storm and has now become one of the most talked about dramas in Turkey. The deal with Netflix was brokered by Fremantle’s distribution arm based in Dubai.

Set in a female prison in Istanbul, Avlu boasts the same legendary characters as the Australian original with action-packed stories of survival as the inmates are thrown together to tackle life behind bars. With unexpected twists and turns on top of the heartbreak, humour and divided loyalties of prison life – the series promises high stakes and edge-of-your-seat viewing as the characters attempt to survive on the inside.

Jamie Lynn, EVP Head of EMEA Distribution, Fremantle, said: “Avlu is a brave, modern, and ground-breaking series that truly stood out in the mercilessly competitive Turkish drama market. A format adaptation driven by the collective efforts of our Dubai office, Avlu’s bold female characters and gritty storylines were an instant hit with local audiences and unlike anything the Turkish drama landscape had seen to date. Netflix are the perfect partner for this new style of Turkish drama and we are delighted to now share this series with the world.”

Hayri Aslan, owner of Limon Film said: “At the company, we take initiative with the projects that no one dares to pick in the sector. This is not an ordinary project and with the vision of Limon Film, Avlu has led the way and achieved a remarkable success deserving to be written in the Turkish television history. Avlu’s upcoming broadcast on Netflix globally is a huge achievement for us and I believe that it will be loved and followed by international audiences as well.”

Since its launch in Turkey on Star TV in March 2018, Avlu has become a ratings success, with the broadcaster tripling its episode order for season 2 (33 x 120’). Every episode of Avlu to date has rated as Star TV’s number one show of the day. Both series outperformed the channel’s prime time average among all key demographics, and the show hit a new peak audience of 3.8 million viewers in season 2.

Wentworth has become one of the most popular original dramas in Australian subscription television. The Fremantle produced series has sold to 158 territories. worldwide and has also been adapted in the Netherlands (Celblok H), Germany (Block B – Unter Arrest) and Belgium (Gent-West).