ZDFE Takes Global Rights to Naked

ZDF Enterprises has collaborated with SPIEGEL TV and Primitive Entertainment on the German-Canadian co-production Naked, which explores relationships with gender and the way they permeate every aspect of people’s lives.

Naked will premiere on ZDF and Arte in Europe and will be available on the Canadian VOD platform CRAVE. From the battlefields of gender, the documentary raises questions about how biological sexes and assigned genders shape people and seeks answers in lived realities and current research from around the world. ZDF Enterprises will handle the worldwide distribution, excluding Canada.

Naked begins by looking at how babies are labeled from birth and the implications and goes on to explore societies around the globe that have their own long-established traditions for three, four, five or more genders. The second episode visits five teenagers to talk about love and sex, their fears and desires. The third episode examines the various ways to form a family, with psychologists talking about the meaning and function of families today and what love has to do with it. The following episode goes on to look at the connection between gender and power and how we are steeped in patriarchal concepts and ideas. The fifth episode reveals how we are all developing different strategies to face the challenges of aging, whether one is a woman or a man, cis, trans or non-binary.

Ralf Rueckauer, VP of ZDFE.unscripted at ZDF Enterprises, said: “SPIEGEL TV and Primitive Entertainment, both renowned for creating award-winning factual content, will certainly produce an exceptional, thought-provoking series on a subject matter that will resonate with audiences everywhere.”

Kay Siering, managing director of SPIEGEL TV, said: “We are very excited to produce another fascinating series together with our very experienced Canadian partner Primitive Entertainment. The films will challenge our traditional understanding of women and men and provide new food for thought. It will be an exciting journey through gender roles around the globe.”

Michael McMahon, executive producer at Primitive Entertainment, said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating again with SPIEGEL TV, one of Europe’s most prolific and important producers, on a fascinating and timely project. All around the world people are re-examining our relationships and striving for more understanding and empathy. We hope that Naked’s exploration of our most fundamental being and our most intimate connections with each other will be an engaging contribution to the global dialogue.”