Impossible Factual Completes Production for New Documentaries

The U.K.’s Impossible Factual has completed production for two new titles, including The Lost Scrolls of Vesuvius.

The 60-minute production, featuring Alice Roberts, follows four years of exclusive access to the work of the University of Kentucky’s Professor Brent Seales. Seales uses cutting-edge technology to access a cache of hundreds of closed, carbonized papyrus scrolls discovered at the archaeological site of Herculaneum.

Distributed by ZDF Studios, the doc is set to be delivered to Channel 5. International versions of the film have also been produced for PBS, France Télévisions and SBS Australia.

Impossible has also wrapped up The Cambridgeshire Crucifixion. Also distributed by ZDF, the film uncovers the story of the best-preserved example of Roman Crucifixion ever found. The title has been delivered to PBS, Arte and SBS Australia and picked up by BBC Four. It is set to broadcast in early 2024.

Adam Luria, head of documentary for Impossible Factual, said: “These documentaries come from our Breaking History strand, showcasing how breakthroughs in modern tech are shedding new light on the past. It’s been hugely rewarding to bring these stories to life on screen and bringing to light new revelations that change the way we understand history. The double commission shows that audiences continue to have an appetite for innovative and compelling factual content with integrity that we at Impossible Factual specialize in. It also gives a taster of the new roster of access-based shows we’ve been working on, with more to come in the new year.”