MIPTV Spotlight ZDF Enterprises

CANNES: Produced for Rai Fiction, Maltese, a drama highlight from ZDF Enterprises (ZDFE), tells the story of a man fighting against the mafia.

The show is getting a special screening at the market on Tuesday, April 4. “Maltese is a great example of the new wave of top-notch Italian serialized drama,” says Robert Franke, the VP of ZDFE.drama. “It combines sophisticated horizontal storytelling with cinematic camerawork and a great cast. We are extremely proud of this series and have already received a lot of positive feedback for it.”

The company is also showcasing the crime series Before We Die, a Stockholm-set Nordic noir, and Tempel, which takes place in Berlin. “Tempel is an exciting new series from Germany that breaks the traditional commercial-hour format of serialized drama and repackages it in a fast-paced, on-the-spot 30-minute format,” Franke says.

Making its World Premiere Screening at MIPDoc is Big Pacific, a blue-chip wildlife program. “Filmed in Ultra High Definition, Big Pacific presents the ocean and its denizens in a way never before seen on television—exploring the monstrous to the minute, the alien to the intimate,” says Ralf Rückauer, the VP of ZDFE.factual.

Another factual show is Hitler’s Circle of Evil, which chronicles the rise and fall of the Third Reich. The series, produced by World Media Rights in association with ZDFE, is currently in production for delivery in the summer. There is also Children of the Wild, which explores the phenomenon of wolf children. “Children of the Wild is the first-ever 4K production of German pubcaster ZDF and boasts breathtaking images,” says Rückauer.

An additional highlight from the company is Dance Academy: The Comeback, a feature film based on the popular live-action drama series for teens.

“We work with renowned producers and popular actors—some of the greatest talents of their generation,” adds Alexander Coridass, the president and CEO of ZDFE.