Factual

TVF International has strengthened its presence in Italy with a series of deals with RAI, Mediaset and the Italian-language feed of Swiss public broadcaster RSI, covering a range of factual programming across history, arts and travel. Among the titles licensed to RAI is Ulysses: From Myth to Science (2x48’ / 1x60’ / 1x90’), produced by Mediatika for France Télévisions. The documentary explores the historical reality behind Homer’s Odyssey, combining archaeology, geology, palaeontology and CGI to investigate the people, places and events that may have inspired the legendary journey home from the Trojan War. TVF also licensed two arts documentaries to RAI: Robert Rauschenberg: Everything is Art (1x50’), from NDR/Arte, and the BBC’s Basquiat: Rage to Riches (1x52’). The package further includes Castles from Above Series 1 (4x52’), The World’s Most Amazing Festivals (11x29’) and Fiji From Above (1x52’).

For Mediaset, TVF supplied a package headed by 48 Hours: Escape from Chernobyl (1x47’ / 68’), the Channel 4 and SBS anniversary documentary. The line-up also features Aerial Asia (4x60’), commissioned by CNA and Discovery, and the BBC’s Great Wall: The Making of China (1x90’). Meanwhile, RSI has acquired the ARTE special The Peace Particle (1x59’ / 1x90’), produced by Welsh company Telesgop. The documentary explores the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and its history as a symbol of international scientific collaboration and peace. The RSI deal also includes The World from Above Series 14 (10x30’) and Castles from Above, Series 2 (6x52’).

Claudia Green, Sales Executive for Italy at TVF International, said: “It’s been a fantastic year for TVF in the Italian market, with RAI, Mediaset and RSI all showing real appetite for our travel, history and arts documentaries, reflecting the strength and range of our catalogue. We’re thrilled to be deepening our relationships with the Italian broadcasters and are excited to build on this momentum as we look towards MIPCOM and beyond.”