Discovery Asia to Commission Six Post-Quake Japan Docs

TOKYO: Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific has announced an initiative to commission six documentaries from Japanese filmmakers about how the country is coping in the aftermath of the devastating quake, for broadcast on its channels locally and internationally next year.

The Rebuilding Japan initiative invites local filmmakers to submit stories about the country’s courage and resilience in the aftermath of tragedy. Six films will be funded for broadcast on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet in Japan, as well as on Discovery’s international networks, in 2012. The focus will be on "individual recovery stories that symbolize the broader national effort to rebuild Japan," DNAP says. The films should encompass themes such as engineering, science and human interest stories that could include the community, and pets and animals. Proposals will be accepted until June 10.

"We decided to launch the Rebuilding Japan initiative after Discovery Japan received requests from viewers who had seen the touching on-air messages of sympathy and support from Discovery’s key talent—among them, Bear Grylls, the Mythbusters, Jeremy Wade, and Dave Salmon," said James Gibbons, senior VP and general manager for Japan at Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific. "They wrote in to ask us to record and broadcast Japan’s recovery from the disaster. We are sure that the theme of the project—triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity—will resonate with our viewers not just in Japan but also around the world.”