NGTI Adds New Indie Docs

LONDON: National Geographic Television International (NGTI) has taken on 20 new hours of programming, striking deals with four independent producers.

The science title Catching Cancer is being produced by Australia’s December Films, in association with Pemberton Films for ABC Australia. The hour-long program asks whether cancer can be ‘caught’ and sets off on a global pursuit of infectious cancers, as well as the tools being developed to protect people. From Liquid Motion Film, Water Colours is a new series filmed in the South Pacific. The project uncovers the truth about exactly how fish see and manipulate colors, and each other, in their underwater world.

When Weather Changed History: Series 2 was acquired from Towers Productions. Produced for the Weather Channel in the U.S., the series investigates the impact of the weather on some notable events in history, including the D-Day Invasion in 1944, the sinking of the Titanic and the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. NGTI represents the first series of When Weather Changed History as well. Essential Television & Film adds a new ethnography title to the NGTI catalogue, Pokot: Male Circumcision Ceremonies. Every 10 to 30 years, the Pokot people of Kenya hold their male circumcision ceremonies, where all uncircumcised men and boys come together for the most important celebration in their culture.

Chris Fletcher, the acting head of acquisitions and co-productions at NGTI, commented: “The acquisitions market is extremely competitive at the moment but the National Geographic brand, coupled with our long-standing reputation in factual sales, continues to attract leading independent producers from around the world. I am delighted to welcome the intriguing new titles from Liquid Motion and December Films to our catalogue—and am happy that Essential Television & Film and Towers Productions continue to provide us with such excellent programming to represent.”