OSN is launching a channel dedicated to women to commemorate International Women’s Day. The channel, dubbed OSN Woman, will feature a variety of lifestyle programming across topics such as fashion, health, relationships and parenting.
The line-up of content will include the hit documentary Framing Britney Spears, which charts the turbulent career of the Grammy Award-winning singer; A Perfect 14, a documentary showing how plus-sized models are fighting to reshape the fashion industry; and Royals Declassified, a three-part series that draws back the curtain on Queen Elizabeth II's relationships with her family as well as British and foreign officials.
The shows will be available to watch on the stand-alone OSN Woman channel as well as OSN's streaming app.
The driving force behind the OSN Woman project are several female programming specialists at OSN. To celebrate the launch of the channel, an all-female cast and crew created a video that showcases women of different backgrounds and professions from across the Middle East, giving them a platform to voice what they want to see on screens.
"We want to send a message to all the women of the region that we listen to them and care about bringing content that connects with them," said Rolla Karam, interim chief content officer at OSN.
“We are tapping into a wider base of modern women through a mix of strong programming that was planned entirely by women like them and made available as a channel and on demand across our digital platforms. And as one of the women who led this exciting project, I [am] very positive it will be supported across the board.”
Karam added that the next phase of the project involves producing more OSN Original content, boosting work by female creatives from the region and providing a platform for them to present their work.
Here are six not-to-be-missed films and TV shows that will be available to watch on OSN Woman:
‘Framing Britney Spears’
The 2021 documentary that reignited the #FreeBritney movement. Framing Britney Spears explores the Toxic singer's meteoric rise to fame as well as the struggles she faced across her three-decade career. The film, directed by Samantha Stark, highlights the star's treatment by the paparazzi and the events leading up to her highly publicised breakdown in 2007. It also sheds light on how Spears has been living under a court-appointed conservatorship since 2008, giving her father control over her finances as well as important life decisions.
Since the documentary’s release, at a hearing on February 11, the judge ruled that Spears's father must share power over her conservatorship, but did not entirely strip him of his role as co-conservator. The next court hearing is on Wednesday, March 17.
The film will air on OSN Woman at 8am on Wednesday
‘Project Runway: Fashion Startup’
If you want to discover what it takes to make it as a start-up in the cut-throat fashion industry, then this is the show for you. The hit 2016 reality series Project Runway: Fashion Startup shows a group of aspiring fashion entrepreneurs pitching their best ideas to investors.
The judging panel includes Katia Beauchamp, chief executive and co-founder of make-up subscription Birchbox; Christine Hunsicker, chief executive and founder of the designer wardrobe subscription service Gwynnie Bee; fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff; and Gary Wassner, chief executive of Hilldun Corporation and chairman and co-founder of Interluxe Holdings, both of which have financed some of the world's most renowned designer labels.
The show will air on OSN Woman at 10am on Monday
‘Inside Missguided: Made in Manchester’
A TV series that lets us see the inner workings of Missguided, one of the UK’s biggest fast-fashion brands. The show is witty, fun and full of insightful moments on the fast-fashion business model, which replicates catwalk trends and high fashion designs at an attainable cost. The series also celebrates female empowerment, introducing viewers to the creative and industrious women behind the Missguided fashion brand.
The show will air on OSN Woman from 9am on Tuesday
‘Royals Declassified’
While Netflix's critically acclaimed, but governmentally disdained series The Crown does much to show us what goes on within Buckingham Palace, many historical events seen in the show have been dramatised for storytelling purpose. Royals Declassified takes no such liberties.
Based on declassified documents, including letters, diary entries, testimonies and voice recordings, the series – comprised of three one-hour episodes – reveals what Queen Elizabeth II really thought of those around her.
The first episode of the series explores the tensions between her and her prime ministers, including her disagreements with Margaret Thatcher that nearly sparked a constitutional crisis. The series then goes on to examine Queen Elizabeth II's relationship with her husband, Prince Philip, and her family. The final chapter shows how a spy was stationed in the Queen's inner circle and managed to pass information to the Soviet authorities even after he was ousted.
The series will air on OSN Woman from 1pm on Monday
'A Perfect 14'
A documentary that takes us into the world of plus-sized modelling. A Perfect 14 celebrates the journey of three women as they struggle to subvert the warped notions of beauty that have become the norm. A heartfelt perception on what it takes to reshape the fashion industry, A Perfect 14 is an eye-opening watch, prompting viewers to rethink how they define beauty.
The film will air on OSN Woman at 9am on Wednesday, March 17
‘Public Figure’
This 2019 documentary dives into the lives of influencers while exploring the psychological effects of daily social media use. Directed by Brian Corso, the film features appearances by several influencers and celebrities active on social media including Donterio Hundon, Rose McGowan and Bonang Matheba. The hour-long documentary comes as a warning of the addictive nature of social media and highlights some of the grimmer effects the technology has on society.
The film will air on OSN Woman at 9am on Wednesday, March 24
