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Historical epic Rise of the Raven is poised to captivate Canadian audiences soon. After its North American debut at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival, the 10-part miniseries will be available on CBC GEM, commencing September 19.
Produced by Beta Film in collaboration with Serendipity Point Films, Twin Media, HG Media, MR Film, with co-production support from TV2 and ORF, the series also received backing from the National Film Institute of Hungary. Ahead of its Canadian release, Beta Film has already sold Rise of the Raven to several international broadcasters: Italy’s RAI has secured rights to air the series next year; other early broadcasters this year include Croatia’s HRT, Germany’s Telekom Deutschland, Slovakia’s STVR, Switzerland’s Blue TV, and Israel’s YES. The Czech national broadcaster has recently joined this growing list.
Importantly, the series has resonated particularly well in Central and Eastern Europe: it shattered ratings records in Hungary on TV2 and struck a chord with younger audiences in Austria through ORF’s television channel and streaming service.
At the heart of Rise of the Raven is the fierce army commander János Hunyadi, portrayed by Gellért L. Kádár. Hunyadi is unwaveringly committed to defending Europe from Ottoman invasion. Anchored by the powerful women in his life: his wife Erzsébet (Vivien Rujder), who stands alongside him in battle, and Mara (Franciska Törőcsik), his first love—whose choice to become the lead concubine in Sultan Murad’s court fractures his heart. As the Ottoman Empire readies a massive offensive aimed at capturing the Vatican and the continent, Hunyadi must marshal his small but valiant army to face an overwhelming threat.
The creative leadership behind the series is formidable. Balázs Lengyel—known for HBO’s Golden Life—serves as showrunner and directs the final episode. He co-wrote the series alongside George Mihalka, Balázs Lovas, Zsófia Ruttkay, Attila Veres, and Bán Mór, whose popular novels serve as the source material.
Producers include Tibor Krsko, Cecilia Hazai, Kinga Hazai, Ari Lantos, Oliver Auspitz, and Andreas Kamm of MR Film, as well as Koby Gal-Raday. The directing team features internationally acclaimed talent: Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning Robert Dornhelm (Maria Theresa, War and Peace), Hungarian filmmakers Orsi Nagypal (The Deal; The CW’s The Outpost), and Attila Szasz (Tall Tales; Eternal Winter).
Rise of the Raven represents a sweeping historical saga powered by compelling performances and high production value. As Canadian viewers prepare for its arrival on CBC GEM starting September 19, the series stands poised to leave a lasting impression both at home and abroad.
