MIPCOM Spotlight: ZDF Enterprises

CANNES: ZDF Enterprises’ (ZDFE) animated preschool series Inui tells the story of a little girl who lives in the Arctic Circle, and the show is among the company’s diverse MIPCOM highlights.

“The emphasis is on visual gags and, at the same time, the main characters have very distinct and warm personalities,” says Peter Lang, the VP of ZDFE.junior. Scream Street, meanwhile, is a book-based stop-motion show about a boy who turns into a werewolf when he becomes angry. “The series is a frighteningly funny ‘gross-out’ comedy for kids, set in a wacky neighborhood full of monsters where being a freak is perfectly normal,” says Lang.

Also on the company’s MIPCOM slate is King Laurin, a feature film focused on the legend of the titular dwarf monarch. “It is shot in the authentic Middle-Aged world of the beautiful mountains of South Tyrol, Italy,” says Lang of the award-winning movie. “ZDFE.junior is always looking for partners in the production, co-production, distribution, licensing and merchandising of big brands,” he adds.

In addition, America’s Sonoran Desert takes center stage in The Desert Sea, a MIPCOM highlight from ZDFE’s factual catalog. “Everybody is familiar with those iconic pictures of the deserts in the southwestern corner of the United States,” says Ralf Rückauer, the VP of ZDFE.factual. “But did you ever wonder about the wildlife living there under extreme conditions? Our friends from New Zealand (NHNZ) did—in beautiful UHD pictures about the ‘wild wild west’ in The Desert Sea.”

Also being presented by ZDFE.factual is Children of the Wild, which investigates if a child could survive in the wilderness without any human interaction, and The Celts: Blood, Iron & Sacrifice, a BBC and ZDF co-production in association with ARTE and ZDFE about the titular group of people who lived in Europe several millennia ago.

From the ZDFE.drama slate comes the third season of the hit crime drama The Fall, starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan. ZDFE.entertainment is highlighting the game-show format 4 for Family—The Big Family Competition.

“Whether it is for classic TV, internet TV, VOD or multimedia content, we have a broad spectrum of programs that keeps drawing both buyers and content providers to us for material, advice and ideas,” says Fred Burcksen, ZDFE’s executive VP and COO. “And, of course, we are always looking for exciting content to invest in.”