Prime Video UK & Ireland To Explore ‘The Murder Of Sandra Rivett’

EXCLUSIVE: Prime Video UK and Ireland is returning to the British true crime space for its latest original.

Indie Woodcut Media is currently in production on feature documentary The Murder of Sandra Rivett, which distributor Abacus Media Rights (AMR) is will be present to buyers at the upcoming MIPTV market after taking worldwide sales. 

The 90-minute film goes back to 1974,  when an aristocratic household was at war in London with Lord and Lady Lucan at loggerheads over the custody of their children. When a newly employed nanny, Sandra Rivett, managed to bring some calm the home and find a kindred spirit in her employer, Veronica (Countess of Lucan), she had no idea her would soon be the victim of a crime that has fascinated generations for 50 years. 

The doc will explore the misogyny engrained in the social history of the time and tell the story from the aspect of two women who were polar opposites in terms of class, but whose lives ran a parallel — facing mental health, marriage and motherhood challenges before their paths crossed for a brief interlude of happiness. The doc will present varying theories of what actually happened on the night that Sandra was killed, including a first-hand account of life in the Lucan household from the family’s former nanny. 

Executive producers are Nick Mavroidakis and Kate Beal, the producer is Madeline Chiari and Matt Blyth serves as editor. The documentary is directed by Jenny Williams. 

“This is one of the most famous murder mysteries of the twentieth century. Up until this point the focus of the story has been on Lord Lucan,” said Mavroidakis. “In this feature documentary our aim is to return the narrative to the forgotten story of the victim — of Sandra herself. This year is 50 years since the tragic loss of this young woman and we want to mark that.“

The true crime space is familiar ground for Prime Video UK, which earlier this year pre-bought several AMR docs from the genre, including Woodcut double Murder in a Tea Cup and Murder at First Swipe.

Prime Video has tapped Amcomri Entertainment-owned AMR for true crime docs several times over recent years, including for originals on murder of Meredith Kercher and killers Ian Brady and Patrick Mackay.