Banijay’s IWC to Produce Oscar Wilde Doc

IWC, a Banijay Group company, is producing a documentary that will explore the work of Irish writer Oscar Wilde for BBC Two.

Titled The Importance of Being Oscar, the 80-minute doc will chart Wilde’s success before his fall, with experts, enthusiasts and biographers delving into his life and career. The special will also include performances that will feature Freddie Fox, Claire Skinner, Anna Chancellor and James Fleet playing out excerpts from Wilde’s greatest works, such as The Importance of Being Earnest, The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Canterville Ghost.

Franny Moyle, executive producer, said: “The time is really ripe for a re-evaluation of Oscar Wilde’s life and works on television. We felt that the story of Oscar’s trial, imprisonment and the final years have been well-covered. But the story of his fuller life and the importance and brilliance of the work he created before his fall deserved fuller attention alongside an account of his tragic demise. There have been new biographies recently that have revealed much about the man, and looking again at his plays it is clear they have a modernity and relevance that is startling. We are delighted to have secured such a stellar cast of actors and commentators to bring this to life for BBC Two’s viewers.”

Mark Bell, commissioner for BBC Arts, added: “I am very happy to bring this stylish documentary to BBC Two. Following Wilde’s brilliant rise and using the work itself, the film gives viewers a new perspective and shines a light on both the man and his inspiration. It is easy for Wilde’s genius to be eclipsed by the scandal of his fall. The film reminds us of the delight of his prose and the plays that made him famous before his infamous end.”