TVF International Reveals New Slate for Spring Showcase Event

TVF International has launched four returning series and more than 150 brand-new hours ahead of the company’s spring festival, which will be an interactive virtual event hosted on a TVF-designed platform.

Leading the distributor’s documentary slate, The Bowraville Murders, produced by Mint Pictures and Jumping Dog Productions, tells the story of one of Australia’s most infamous unsolved murder cases. It joins Lost & Found, from Falls Family Films, which follows the story of ordinary beachcombers in the Pacific Northwest who have been finding items washed ashore from the 2011 Japanese tsunami and are determined to trace them back to their owners.

Among the new specialist-factual offerings are two Channel 4-commissioned films—50 Years of Mr Men with Matt Lucas (Tern TV) that sees the Great British Bake Off host celebrate the story of the colorful little characters who changed global publishing forever; and Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and The Menopause (Finestripe Productions), tackling the taboos impacting women’s jobs and relationships.

Other titles include Britain on Film with Tony Robinson telling the story of 20th Century Britain by decade, produced by Available Light Productions; Fact or Fiction: For Once and For All from Posvideo, which follows a team of museum experts using new research and state-of the-art technology to reveal the truth behind some of history’s most fascinating artefacts; and the National Geographic-commissioned series Surgery Ship, produced by Mediastockade, which follows the journey of a team of international doctors who have a year to provide transformational care to as many patients as possible.

The independent distributor is also bringing more than 25 hours of new science programming to market, including the third season of Smart China Season from CIP and Discovery Channel; Crime Science from Storyteller Films; and the latest seasons of Litton Entertainment’s Innovation Nation. Other returning series include BBC Scotland’s Inside the Zoo, Undercover Asia and No Luggage.

Will Stapley, TVF’s head of acquisitions, said: “The last 12 months have provided a host of new challenges around building and curating new slate releases. Production delays, cancellations and industry consolidation have caused disruption but also presented new opportunities. We are working more closely than ever with our production partners to develop and create bespoke programming for our full roster of global buyers.”

Stapley added: “During these turbulent times, we have benefitted from being a trusted name on the choppy waters. With TVF, our producers get the best of both worlds: a nimble, independent and boutique distributor with the global reach and punching power of a true heavyweight.”