Foreign Television Drama as a Window Into the Rest of the World: Welcome to the Wonderful World of Walter Presents
Sinead McCausland
If you have watched an episode of the Spanish prison drama Locked Up, the German spy thriller Deutschland ÔÇÖ83, or, say, the French political thriller Spin, all available on Channel 4ÔÇÖs streaming service Walter Presents, you will be aware of the man behind each carefully picked television programme. This man is Walter Iuzzolino, and his innovative foreign drama streaming service has been a life-long passion for him.
Before the first episode of each programme begins, the titular Iuzzolino introduces the viewer to what he describes as the ÔÇÿglossy, lavish, [and] expensive programming that you would normally associate with HBO or Sky Atlantic.ÔÇÖ Sat in front of the camera centre-frame, Iuzzolino delivers descriptions of subtitled dramas from over twelve countries in passionate, emotive bursts of energy. By the end of each two-minute introduction, you want to begin watching the programme immediately. But, youÔÇÖre also aware of the curator behind each and every programme, Iuzzolino himself. Unlike Netflix or Hulu, Walter Presents is not a faceless entity, with the thought behind every commission made palpable thanks to IuzzolinoÔÇÖs passion.
When I spoke with Iuzzolino last Thursday to promote Walter PresentsÔÇÖ two screenings at the BFI and Radio Times Television Festival at BFI Southbank (more on that later), it was clear that he extracts genuine joy from what he does. Every sentence is full of excitement, with his pace picking up when describing shows such as ÔÇÿSpin,ÔÇÖ which he says ÔÇÿI absolutely adore and have a real passion for it.ÔÇÖ
Most importantly, however, he sees Walter Presents as an opportunity to move away from the cultural restriction prompted ÔÇÿby the sort of wave of conservatism that is sort of sweeping across the whole west,ÔÇÖ with the streaming service instead acting as a ÔÇÿwindow into the rest of the world.ÔÇÖ
Describing Walter Presents as a ÔÇÿreally special, precious, grassroots type thing,ÔÇÖ the ethos of IuzzolinoÔÇÖs foreign drama streaming service is one that is not just noteworthy, but extremely resonant to the political, social and economic climate we are living in. Iuzzolino cares for his viewership, noting how Walter Presents has ÔÇÿgot a real personal touch and we can never lose that.ÔÇÖ This personal touch means that the programmes Iuzzolino has carefully selected, or ÔÇÿhand-picked,ÔÇÖ do not end once the credits of the final episode have been streamed, but instead live on in the conversations between Iuzzolino and his viewers. And whatÔÇÖs the main form through which this conversation takes place? ÔÇÿIÔÇÖm on Twitter all the time,ÔÇÖ says Iuzzolino, ÔÇÿand IÔÇÖm responding and answering to questions and I care very much about the community of viewers that love what we do.ÔÇÖ Despite the fact that Walter Presents is a successful and mainstream service (last year it had accumulated almost 18 million views), Iuzzolino believes people ÔÇÿcome to this because they know itÔÇÖs got a real personal touch, and we can never lose that, that personal connection.ÔÇÖ
Merciless, premiering at the BFI Television Festival. Credit: BFI
Now, thanks to the BFI and Radio Times, this personal connection is being extended to the real world. On Sunday 9th April, the television festivalÔÇÖs closing night, Walter Presents will have its own two screenings. With a screening of a new and exclusive as-yet-un-aired TV programme as well as the premiere of a new episode of a returning series, thereÔÇÖs something for both familiar fans of Walter Presents as well as people looking for an introduction into the world of foreign drama. The idea behind the two screenings, according to Iuzzolino, is that he and his team would screen one returning show ÔÇÿthat viewers knew and loved, but also that weÔÇÖd introduce a completely different piece and do a bit of a Q&AÔÇÖ with the titular curator. In this Q&A, Iuzzolino says he will discuss his ÔÇÿselection process and some of the highlights of the big stuff thatÔÇÖs coming up.ÔÇÖ One of these highlights is a Brazilian thriller, called Merciless.
Merciless, known as Dupla Identidade in Brazil, will premiere in the first screening, followed by a Q&A. The programme is a ÔÇÿreally strongÔÇÖ thriller about a serial killer, and in this sense itÔÇÖs ÔÇÿslightly in the mouldÔÇÖ of American psychological crime drama Dexter as ÔÇÿitÔÇÖs about a serial killer [who] hides behind a really lovely fa├ºade and is a bit of a prince charming.ÔÇÖ According to Iuzzolino, ÔÇÿitÔÇÖs quite a subversive story because itÔÇÖs told from the point-of-view of the serial killer and thereÔÇÖs no redeeming feature in him.ÔÇÖ The central character of the show, Bruno GagliassoÔÇÖs Brian Borges, works with politicians, with this position enabling him to infiltrate the police force and work with them. Iuzzolino sums up why you should watch the show in a single question: ÔÇÿthe question is how far can he take it before they discover him?ÔÇÖ WhatÔÇÖs more, with the Q&A, audiences will be able to ÔÇÿhave more insight intoÔÇÖ how Walter Presents works, as well as the ÔÇÿbig hitsÔÇÖ that have been selected to be shown on Channel 4ÔÇÖs services in the future.
The second screening features the return of Locked Up, a Spanish prison drama that follows Maggie CivantosÔÇÖ na├»ve Macarena Ferreiro. Like the success of Deutschland ÔÇÖ83, which won an International Emmy after being aired on Channel 4, Locked Up proved the British viewerÔÇÖs desire for something new. When Locked Up was available online, it ÔÇÿhad millions of streams [and] did incredibly well,ÔÇÖ with Iuzzolino drawing attention to its difference from the more familiar foreign crime dramas: ÔÇÿitÔÇÖs very different from Scandi-Noir, so itÔÇÖs brought, I think, a completely different flavour to the UK from what we were used to.ÔÇÖ The episode being screened at the festival is the first of the series, and ÔÇÿitÔÇÖs an exclusive, no one will have seen it before. It wonÔÇÖt have even launched on Channel 4,ÔÇÖ with this exclusive representing a turning point for Walter Presents as itÔÇÖs ÔÇÿthe first time that fans can enjoy a little sneak peak at what the series will be like,ÔÇÖ creating a stronger relationship between viewer and curator. The seriesÔÇÖ leading actress Maggie Civantos will also attend the screening in a conversation with Iuzzolino and the audience.
Locked Up. Credit: Global Series Network/Channel 4
Ultimately, the Walter Presents screenings at the festival provides not only what Iuzzolino describes as a ÔÇÿgenuine introduction to what this is and how it came about,ÔÇÖ but gives Iuzzolino a ÔÇÿvery nice opportunity to interface myself and the whole brand with an audience, really.ÔÇÖ Through getting to know the curator, the Walter Presents service is distanced from executives that ÔÇÿjust watch and buy randomly because they think it might fit the brief.ÔÇÖ ItÔÇÖs clear this is a territory Iuzzolino does not want to tread, with his concern being on the quality and content of the programming over how many streams it can get in a day. He says, ÔÇÿI think itÔÇÖs a very important thing to keep that purity and that logic of real curation and real hand-picked stuff,ÔÇÖ admitting that viewers ÔÇÿwill not like everything,ÔÇÖ but thatÔÇÖs the point because the streaming service is ÔÇÿa much more bespoke type piece and I think that [ÔǪ] if it [the success of Walter Presents] keeps happening, [it] will be because of this point-of-difference that this is genuinely hand-picked and therefore unlike anything thatÔÇÖs out there.ÔÇÖ
With the success of Walter Presents proven in the UK by its festival premiere, the streaming service has now arrived overseas in America, having launched on the 16th March. Iuzzolino says that they had always intended Walter Presents to launch internationally because their ÔÇÿambition was to be a global service. [The] very nature of the programming translatesÔÇÖ worldwide. When I asked Iuzzolino about the lack of American commercial success with the recently Oscar-nominated foreign films Toni Erdmann and Elle, and how this would compare with his specialised foreign drama streaming service, the curator replied with a response that focuses on the aspects that may deter audiences from the service (for example subtitles), proving that these can be overcome as proven by the British audience. ÔÇÿThere is a slight prejudice about subtitles in that you have to overcome it,ÔÇÖ says Iuzzolino, ÔÇÿbut actually if you do it for three minutes then youÔÇÖre into the story.ÔÇÖ Rather than seeing these subtitles as a hindrance to the viewing experience, Iuzzolino sees the effort as a reward, as, ÔÇÿlike I say with everything in life, if you work hard at something youÔÇÖre going to love it more and itÔÇÖs going to reward you more.ÔÇÖ For him, reading and watching is ÔÇÿa more intimate experience; itÔÇÖs almost like itÔÇÖs between cinema and novel and it fuses those two. And so, when you watch an hour of this, this feels really special [ÔǪ] [because] you canÔÇÖt go into the kitchen and cook, [ÔǪ] you have to sit down, and watch it.ÔÇÖ
ItÔÇÖs important to note that film and television are different forms, too, with Iuzzolino recognising that with shows such as the ÔÇÿHBO miniseries Big Little Lies, itÔÇÖs got Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern.ÔÇÖ These ÔÇÿmega-mega-Hollywood starsÔÇÖ wanting to be in a small TV series is proof that the ÔÇÿtransition is now complete, that the reverse is true,ÔÇÖ that the majority of complex roles lie in television and this period of Renaissance. In fact, thereÔÇÖs more of a comparison to be drawn between television and novels. ÔÇÿI think that the greatest thing IÔÇÖve always brought from my sort of old University days,ÔÇÖ he says, ÔÇÿwhen I was doing Literature and Victorian stuff, is I think the greatest art always comes at a juncture point between real skill and artistry and commerce.ÔÇÖ He agrees that shows like Locked Up are proof that television can be sophisticated works of art with great cinematography yet still provide entertainment, saying ÔÇÿof course you can perfectly enjoy your Fellini and Bergman and your European cinema,ÔÇÖ which Iuzzolino has an appreciation for. But, ÔÇÿitÔÇÖs relatively easy to make art for artÔÇÖs sake and to speak to people or to just do something for yourself. I think itÔÇÖs much harder to make something of real breadth and scope but make it beautiful and well crafted, and I think that hopefully these programmes have proven that itÔÇÖs much bigger than a small, elite clique that enjoy a certain type of cinema.ÔÇÖ
Iuzzolino sees the similarities between the ÔÇÿbig commercial stuffÔÇÖ commonly seen on platforms like HBO, such as Sex and the City or True Detective, and the serialised novels of Charles Dickens or Wilkie Collins. He brings up an example of readers storming New YorkÔÇÖs harbour in 1841, with fans of Charles DickensÔÇÖ The Old Curiosity Shop not able to wait to find out if their beloved character had died. For Iuzzolino, he remembers ÔÇÿthinking this was so fun and hysterical, that actually there was a riot, [ÔǪ] I remember thinking this is so interesting, when you create a relationship with your viewers of such urgency that theyÔÇÖve got to have it, itÔÇÖs too important to them.ÔÇÖ He recognises that while a show like Locked Up is ÔÇÿa great entertaining piece, [ÔǪ] the story is quite an elegant story about family and loyalty, and how society is constructed within a prison.ÔÇÖ Much like how ÔÇÿthese big Victorian pieces were fun commercialsÔÇÖ that are now studied at universities and are ÔÇÿgreat classics that shaped a generation,ÔÇÖ Iuzzolino believes ÔÇÿthese box sets are the great classics that will shape how weÔÇÖre told stories right now.ÔÇÖ
And it seems Walter Presents is not far from being in the same league as these serialised Victorian novels, with Channel 4ÔÇÖs Chief Creative Officer Jay Hunt describing Walter PresentsÔÇÖ viewing experience to the New York Times as if itÔÇÖs like ÔÇÿsomeone recommending a book to you, a book they love, a book that has shaped them.ÔÇÖ For Iuzzolino, his service ÔÇÿfeels very much like that,ÔÇÖ saying ÔÇÿI never do something randomly that would fill the slot. It betrays the principle of what weÔÇÖre doing.ÔÇÖ
ItÔÇÖs clear IuzzolinoÔÇÖs viewers are of importance to him, as he praises the ÔÇÿsophisticated marketÔÇÖ of America as well as the ÔÇÿcuriosityÔÇÖ of the British audience. Iuzzolino says he is ÔÇÿforever grateful by the viewersÔÇÖ desire for new, and for the untested. And I hope that long may that continue because, as I said, the world is going through a very sort of bizarre phaseÔÇÖ culturally and politically. He notes the political challenges right now, but that ÔÇÿthis is the best time for people to ask interesting questions and to be more curious than ever.ÔÇÖ The success of Walter Presents proves what Iuzzolino describes as the ÔÇÿoutward lookingÔÇÖ nature of Britain. Whilst the programmes of Walter Presents are diverse in their nature, itÔÇÖs important to remember that the audiences are, too. And through both the diverse audience and programmes, Iuzzolino hopes ÔÇÿthat in a small way this contributes to that traffic of ideas of openness and sort of liberal open-minded cultural exchange, which, I think, is at the root of anything of any value in life.ÔÇÖ
The Walter Presents Exclusive Screening of Merciless, as part of the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival, is from 7-9th April, BFI Southbank.