Content creation, funding and distribution company BossaNova Media is teaming with Australian factual indie CJZ to co-produce a major four-part series about serial con woman Samantha Azzopardi for Australia’s Network Seven.
Con Girl (4 x 60’) tells the stranger-than-fiction story of Australian con artist Azzopardi, who has amassed at least 70 false identities since she embarked upon her career of deception as a 14-year-old girl from Brisbane. On the surface, Azzopardi is innocence personified, but behind the sweet facade is a brazen and sophisticated confidence trickster — and a psychological enigma.
Most con artists are middle-aged men, who typically target women and the most vulnerable for financial gain. Azzopardi, by contrast, doesn’t hurt, steal or want sex — although, as the series will reveal, her impact on her victims’ lives has been devastating So what motivates her? Why is she compelled to hoax and deceive for no material gain? Part classic detective story, part psychological mystery, Con Girl sets out to answer these questions with the help of several of Azzopardi’s victims, along with psychological experts, forensic psychiatrists, law enforcement agents and investigative journalists.
The creative team behind Con Girl includes CJZ executive producer and showrunner Paula Bycroft, whose credits include Deadly Women for Investigation Discovery and LogieAward-winning The Good Cop for Foxtel; and CJZ’s head of factual, Andrew Farrell, who has produced more than 100 hours of true-crime documentary for networks across Australia, the US and the UK. Streaming service Paramount+ has acquired the series exclusively for audiences in the UK and Ireland and it is slated to air on Network Seven later in 2022.
Commenting on his company’s involvement series and how it came to screen, BossaNova CEO Paul Heaney said the firm’s involvement grew out of BossaNova’s first Development Day pitching event in 2021. “Our Development Days aim to match promising ideas with the right commissioners and buyers to move them across the start line,” he said. “I think it’s fair to say that projects don’t come much more stunning than Con Girl, either in terms of subject matter or co-production partners. We can’t wait to share Samantha Azzopardi’s story. All of them.”
Damian O’Hara, acting senior acquisitions manager, UK, at Channel 5 and Paramount+, added: “Con Girl is a great example of the compelling stories we are acquiring to complement our growing offering of Paramount+ Originals and vast library content. From the sheer scale of Samantha's cons to the intricacies that fooled law enforcement, social workers and the kindness of strangers, this is a truly remarkable tale. We're hoping our viewers will be as captivated as we have been by the mystery and this worldwide journey of deceit."
Most con artists are middle-aged men, who typically target women and the most vulnerable for financial gain. Azzopardi, by contrast, doesn’t hurt, steal or want sex — although, as the series will reveal, her impact on her victims’ lives has been devastating So what motivates her? Why is she compelled to hoax and deceive for no material gain? Part classic detective story, part psychological mystery, Con Girl sets out to answer these questions with the help of several of Azzopardi’s victims, along with psychological experts, forensic psychiatrists, law enforcement agents and investigative journalists.
The creative team behind Con Girl includes CJZ executive producer and showrunner Paula Bycroft, whose credits include Deadly Women for Investigation Discovery and LogieAward-winning The Good Cop for Foxtel; and CJZ’s head of factual, Andrew Farrell, who has produced more than 100 hours of true-crime documentary for networks across Australia, the US and the UK. Streaming service Paramount+ has acquired the series exclusively for audiences in the UK and Ireland and it is slated to air on Network Seven later in 2022.
Commenting on his company’s involvement series and how it came to screen, BossaNova CEO Paul Heaney said the firm’s involvement grew out of BossaNova’s first Development Day pitching event in 2021. “Our Development Days aim to match promising ideas with the right commissioners and buyers to move them across the start line,” he said. “I think it’s fair to say that projects don’t come much more stunning than Con Girl, either in terms of subject matter or co-production partners. We can’t wait to share Samantha Azzopardi’s story. All of them.”
Damian O’Hara, acting senior acquisitions manager, UK, at Channel 5 and Paramount+, added: “Con Girl is a great example of the compelling stories we are acquiring to complement our growing offering of Paramount+ Originals and vast library content. From the sheer scale of Samantha's cons to the intricacies that fooled law enforcement, social workers and the kindness of strangers, this is a truly remarkable tale. We're hoping our viewers will be as captivated as we have been by the mystery and this worldwide journey of deceit."
