MIPTV: The Week in Factual

From documentaries to reality series to lifestyle programming, factual product was in demand at MIPTV. MIPDOC alone welcomed 700-plus registered attendees, with more than 1,360 programs available for screening, marking the largest digital library of documentaries in the world. TV Real Weekly recaps the nonfiction deal-making that was being done in Cannes last week.

With the royal wedding fast approaching, programs about the couple have been selling widely. The one-off special William and Kate: A Royal Engagement was sold by BBC Worldwide to 32 broadcasters in more than 24 territories. “The impressive sales of William and Kate: A Royal Engagement highlight the international interest there is in the imminent royal wedding and we have a strong collection of new programs to satisfy this demand,” said Steve Macallister, the managing director for sales and distribution at BBC Worldwide.

AETN International’s Royal Wedding of a Lifetime sold into France, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines. AETN also firmed up deals on a range of other docs that spotlight in-the-news celebs: Charlie Sheen: Bad Boy on the Edge is headed to DR (Denmark) and Kanal 5 (Sweden). BIO Remembers Elizabeth Taylor scored pickups from Kanal 5 (Sweden), Mediacorp Channel 5 (Singapore) and TVB (Hong Kong). Ian Jones, the managing director of international content distribution and commercial development at AETN International, noted, “Topical programs like Royal Wedding of a Lifetime and Charlie Sheen: Bad Boy on the Edge have generated great interest and our returning series continue to perform well worldwide.”

AETN also strengthened its existing programming and co-production pact with ZDF Enterprises at the market, extending its agreement for a further three years. This deal has ZDF Enterprises acquiring nonfiction programming from HISTORY for the ZDF History Sunday night programming block. HISTORY in Germany will acquire local history programming from ZDF Enterprises, along with biography and lifestyle programming for Bio. Meanwhile, ZDF Enterprises reported strong interest in its portfolio of new factual titles. “We are particularly pleased that our new factual series programs are in such great demand,” said Alexander Coridass, president and CEO of ZDF Enterprises. Factual sales were secured by the German outfit with Australia’s ABC, Canada’s Canwest, the Discovery Channel in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Denmark’s DR-TV, Norway’s TV2 and Austria’s Servus TV.

Along with the royal wedding, another current-affairs topics drumming up interest in the doc world was the recent devastating disaster in Japan. Discovery Networks International commissioned Darlow Smithson Productions to produce MegaQuake: Hour That Shook Japan, which will premiere on Discovery Channel in the U.K. and the U.S. on April 24 at 10 p.m. The hour-long special will feature interviews with individuals who witnessed and filmed the moment when the earthquake and then the tsunami hit. Japanese pubcaster NHK did not have any quake docs ready for the market, but was in town showcasing its new co-production with Boréales and NHK, Volcano Devils (Facing the Killer Volcano). The companies shared behind-the-scenes stories during the "Financing for New Co-Production" panel at MIPDOC. Also at MIPDOC, Globo TV International unveiled nine new titles from its GloboDOC franchise. Among the new programs is Brazil 2014: The Cup of Hope, which looks at how the country is preparing to host the next World Cup.

Lifestyle programming proved to be a hot pick among buyers and broadcasters. South Africa’s The Home Channel went for a number of lifestyle series from ohm:tv, including Room to Improve and the Rachel Allen Cookery series. Fine Living Network announced five new lifestyle programs for its schedule, with titles such as Bazaar, Adventure Golf, State of Style, Design School and Color Splash. Asian lifestyle channel Li, Life Inspired, highlighted the rollout of its second original production, The Maverick Chef, from Singapore’s Ochre Pictures with the support of the Media Development Authority. Food Network Asia affirmed its commitment to delivering original content in announcing the debut of the regionally produced special A Culinary Coup: The Launch of Ku De Ta on April 18. "We recognize the desire for viewers to feel connected to what they watch and the launch of A Culinary Coup: The Launch of Ku De Ta is only the beginning for Food Network Asia," said Hud Woodle, the director of Food Network Asia. "Ku De Ta is the kind of locally commissioned show, using regional productions and local talent, that brings value to the area and to our viewers."

Cineflix International also fared well with lifestyle and food-based programming.

The company closed deals with some 30 channels in 20 territories

for titles such as

Conviction Kitchen

,

The Cupcake Girls

,

Dinner Party Wars

and

The Opener

. “Food as an underlying theme shows no signs of getting tired for broadcasters all around the world, as is demonstrated by both the volume and geographical spread of these sales," said Paul Heaney, president and managing director of Cineflix International.