Factual

TVF International has kicked off the year with a series of new agreements with broadcaster partners in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, securing placements for a broad range of premium factual and arts programming across the territory.

In the Netherlands, Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS has acquired both "Welcome to Babel: Painting Communism" (1x54) and "Rauschenberg: Everything is Art" (1x50) for its prestigious arts biography strand, Close Up. ZDF/Arte’s "Welcome to Babel: Painting Communism" explores the history of Communism as portrayed through the monumental painting ‘Tower of Babel’ by former Red Guard-turned-artist Jiawei Shen, while "Rauschenberg: Everything is Art", produced by NDR/Arte, uses exclusive interviews and archival material to offer fresh insight into the life and legacy of influential artist Robert Rauschenberg.

Also in the Netherlands, VPRO has picked up a package of arts titles for NPO2 Extra. The selection includes "Golden Opulence: A History of Luxury" (1x50), which examines the legacy of luxury in Anatolia, as well as "Mamamoo: Where Are We Now?" (4x24), a docuseries following the popular K-Pop girl group.

In Belgium, DPG Media has licensed several titles for its flagship current affairs and documentary strand, VTM1 Telefacts. The broadcaster selected a number of health-focused documentaries from TVF International’s MIPCOM slate, including CBC-commissioned "The Ozempic Effect: Beyond the Waistline" (1x54), which looks at how Ozempic is reshaping society, and "Childhood Obesity: The Overlooked Pandemic" (1x58), an investigation into the global childhood obesity crisis affecting 400 million children. DPG Media also acquired world affairs content, including ITV-commissioned documentary "Stalking: State of Fear" (1x54), produced by award-winning company Clover Films.

Belgian pay TV network Proximus has also licensed a range of programming from TVF International, including CBC-commissioned "Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary" (1x ¿48), a science and natural history documentary exploring gender and sexual fluidity in the natural world. The broadcaster also picked up "Down for Love" (5x45), a series following young people with disabilities as they navigate dating and relationships.

Elsewhere in the region, Plattelands has acquired the ZDF/Arte-commissioned science documentary "Planet Soil" (1x52), which uses macro photography to reveal the complex ecosystems beneath the earth’s surface.

All deals were negotiated by Senior Sales Executive Alex Lindsay, who commented: "We are delighted to have secured such a diverse range of placements across the Benelux region over the last year. From the urgent social relevance of 'The Ozempic Effect' to the high-culture appeal of our blue-chip arts slate, these deals demonstrate the continued demand for premium factual storytelling in the region. We are thrilled to partner with such prestigious broadcasters to bring these top-tier international productions to Dutch and Belgian audiences."