Off the Fence Closes History Slate Sales

The international distribution arm of the factual content specialist Off the Fence (OTF) has closed a string of sales with broadcasters and platforms around the world for its history-based catalog.

ZDFinfo and Sky Germany have acquired Cursed Histories, which is the second project to be launched internationally from OTF’s six-series factual partnership with Canada’s Super Channel and Go Button Media. The series explores puzzling and unnerving locations, icons and events that are seemingly cursed.

More historical mysteries are explored in Truthseekers, which has also been picked up by A+E in the U.K. Mining the same topic is Secrets to Civilization, produced by Impossible Factual for Curiosity. It has also been acquired by A+E’s The History Channel and ZDF Phoenix for Germany, bringing the total number of sales to 26 and counting.

How to Lose a War is heading for the U.S. Hispanic network Condista, The History Channel Germany, Histoire France, DRTV Denmark, Czech Television, Disney Poland and Channel 8 Israel with more deals in the making. The series, produced by Wildbear Entertainment and Cut2Clock, offers a fresh perspective on World War II.

Stefanie Fischer, managing director of OTF’s distribution arm, said: “The ability to bring the past alive for today’s audiences is one of OTF’s superpowers, both in terms of its own productions and its distribution catalogue, which is curated from the finest history and mystery titles on the global market. It’s a great feeling to be heading into MIPCOM on the back of such buoyant sales for our Yesterday catalogue of programming. And given the world’s ongoing appetite for factual content that informs, entertains and provides richer context to historical stories, we’re confident that there’ll be more sales to come.”