PBS Distribution Acquires U.S. Rights to ‘Trespasses’ and ‘I Fought the Law’ (EXCLUSIVE)
#PBS Distribution#All3Media International#Trespasses#I Fought the Law#British drama#Gillian Anderson#Sheridan Smith#International television rights
📌 Key Takeaways
PBS Distribution acquired U.S. rights to 'Trespasses' and 'I Fought the Law' from All3Media International
'Trespasses' is a love story set in 1970s Belfast featuring Gillian Anderson and Tom Cullen
'I Fought the Law' is a factual drama starring Sheridan Smith based on a true story of a mother's fight for justice
Both shows have already received international recognition and awards nominations
📖 Full Retelling
PBS Distribution has acquired U.S. rights to Wildgaze Films' love story 'Trespasses' and Hera Pictures' factual drama 'I Fought the Law' from All3Media International at the London TV Screenings on February 27, 2026, bringing these acclaimed dramas to American audiences. 'Trespasses' features an impressive cast including Lola Petticrew ('Say Nothing'), Tom Cullen ('The Gold'), and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Gillian Anderson ('Sex Education'). Set against the backdrop of the Troubles in 1970s Belfast, this love story has already received four nominations at the Irish Film and Television Awards and follows deals in Europe and Australia. Commissioned by the U.K.'s Channel 4, the series is produced by Oscar-nominated duo Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey of Wildgaze Films ('Brooklyn,' 'An Education'), directed by BAFTA winner Dawn Shadforth, and adapted from Louise Kennedy's debut novel by rising writer Ailbhe Keogan. The second acquisition, 'I Fought the Law,' stars BAFTA winner Sheridan Smith ('Cilla,' 'Accused') and tells the real-life story of Ann Ming, a mother who challenged centuries-old laws to bring her daughter's murderer to justice. Created for ITV in the U.K. by Hera Pictures ('Hamnet,' 'What It Feels Like for a Girl'), the drama is written by Jamie Crichton ('All Creatures Great and Small') and directed by Erik Richter Strand ('The Crown'), based on Ann Ming's book 'For the Love of Julie.' Both shows are expected to launch in the U.S. this year, continuing PBS's reputation for broadcasting high-quality dramas with strong female leads.
🏷️ Themes
International distribution, Female-led stories, British television drama, True crime adaptations
Sheridan Caroline Sian Smith (born 25 June 1981) is an English actress and singer. She came to prominence after playing a variety of characters in sitcoms, including The Royle Family (1999–2000), Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2009), Gavin & Stacey (2008–2010, 2024), and Benidorm (2...
PBS Distribution (PBSd), formerly known as PBS Ventures, PBS Home Video, and Public Media Distribution, is the home distribution unit of the American television network PBS. The company manages streaming channels, video on demand releases, and sells home videos of PBS series and movies and PBS Kids ...
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person (see below), trespass to chattels, and trespass to land.
Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, mayhem (or maiming), and false imprisonment. T...
Gillian Leigh Anderson ( JIL-ee-ən; born August 9, 1968) is an American actress. Her credits include the roles of FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the series The X-Files, socialite Lily Bart in Terence Davies's film The House of Mirth (2000), DSU Stella Gibson in the BBC/RTÉ crime drama television s...
Feb 27, 2026 12:30am PT PBS Distribution Acquires U.S. Rights to ‘Trespasses’ and ‘I Fought the Law’ The deal has been announced at the London TV Screenings by distributor All3Media International By Leo Barraclough Plus Icon Leo Barraclough International Features Editor LeoBarraclough Latest Petition in Support of Berlinale Chief Tricia Tuttle Surpasses 1,400 Film Industry Names, Including Sean Baker, Todd Haynes and Tilda Swinton 19 hours ago Israeli Film Community Throws Support Behind Tricia Tuttle, Hailing Berlinale as Space for ‘Open Debate’ and ‘Non-Censorship’ 19 hours ago No Decision Reached on Future of Berlin Film Festival Chief Tricia Tuttle 22 hours ago See All PBS Distribution has acquired U.S. rights to Wildgaze Films’ love story “Trespasses” and Hera Pictures’ factual drama “I Fought the Law” from All3Media Intl. “Trespasses” stars Lola Petticrew (“Say Nothing”), Tom Cullen (“The Gold”), and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Gillian Anderson (“Sex Education”). The show tells the story of forbidden love set against the backdrop of the Troubles in 1970s Belfast. The U.S. acquisition follows deals in Europe and Australia, and four nominations at the Irish Film and Television Awards. Popular on Variety “Trespasses,” which was commissioned by the U.K.’s Channel 4, is from Wildgaze Films (“Brooklyn,” “An Education”), the independent production company run by Oscar-nominated producing duo Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey. It is directed by BAFTA winner Dawn Shadforth (“Mood,” “Adult Material”) and is based on Louise Kennedy’s debut novel, which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and is adapted for television by rising talent Ailbhe Keogan (“Bad Sisters”) in her first lead writing credit. “I Fought the Law,” starring BAFTA winner Sheridan Smith (“Cilla,” “Accused”), tells the real-life story of Ann Ming , a mother who, driven by unimaginable grief, challenged a centuries-old law to see her daughter’s murderer finally brought to justice. The drama was c...
