Raft of New Factual Titles Headed to Japan

TVF International has closed out 2019 with a slew of sales to Japanese broadcasters, including Tokyovision, which acquired the BBC-commissioned The Secret Life of Your Clothes.

Tokyovision has also picked up RTÉ’s Will a Robot Steal My Job for NTV’s “World Great TV” slot, which showcases the best factual programming from around the world every Monday evening. Meanwhile, Animal Planet Japan has acquired Canadian Summerhill International’s Dog’s Best Friend (25×22 min.), which captures the unlikely friendships between dogs and other animals such as monkeys, tortoises and even dolphins.

The pubcaster NHK secured Indian Space Dreams for its “Dramatic Planet” slot, which airs on NHK’s Educational channel. The joint Sequoia and Spring Films production features exclusive behind-the-scenes access to India’s very first space mission and follows the academics and technicians who defied the odds to launch a satellite on one-tenth of NASA’s budgets.

TVF International Senior Sales Executive Sam Joyce said: “Our presence in Japan has been steadily growing over the past several years, and we are delighted to be working with these esteemed broadcasters to place our latest shows in the territory. TVF International’s specialized offering of mass-appeal entertainment series and blue-chip specialist factual are proving a winning combination in this highly selective and discerning entertainment market. We are excited to see what 2020 brings as we continue to expand our presence in market with new and old partners alike.”