Three sign on for 'Pillars of the Earth'

June 08, 2009 A new TV maxi-series is trying to buck the trend and bring back appointment viewing for fictional sagas, a la "The Thorn Birds" or, more recently and modestly, "Angels in America" or "Broken Trail." A Germany-Canada co-production spearheaded by Munich-based Tandem Communications and Montreal-based Muse Entertainment, the eight-hour saga, based on Ken Follett's best-seller, will be directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, who has helmed episodes of "Heroes" and "Saving Grace" and was Steven Spielberg's first assistant director on "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List." The fact that we have been able to raise the production financing in these economically challenging times is testimony to the enduring strength of fictional television event programming and brings us into Tandem's 10th year of international co-productions.

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