ORF-Enterprise’s documentaries and dramas stood out during MIPTV

The Content Sales International team of ORF-Enterprise successfully wrapped up at the final edition of MIPTV in Cannes. The traditional ORF Apéro offered recent program highlights with a primary focus on ORF UNIVERSUM documentaries, which have been among the bestsellers for over 37 years. Additionally, the series highlight “Kafka” that recently aired on ARD and ORF, also sparked considerable interest. Shortly after the premiere, the co-production by ORF, ARD and Superfilm was licensed to the Czech Republic (Ceska Televize), Slovakia (RTVS), Germany (Polyband), Slovenia (RTV Slovenjia), Finland (YLE), Sweden (SVT), the United Kingdom (Channel 4, Walter Presents), Mexico (TV Unam), and Switzerland (SRF).

“MIPTV has been the perfect place to showcase content made in Austria with top-notch documentaries and high-quality scripted ORF originals. The representation of the Austrian creative industry by ORF-Enterprise with its strong, worldwide network creates additional value for the Austrian industry. Additionally, the presence at the market serves as a lucrative matchmaking platform for licensing as well as co-production,” says ORF-Enterprise CEO Oliver Böhm.

“With ORF UNIVERSUM, ORF-Enterprise is proud to offer a solid output of blue-chip nature and history documentaries that reach their audiences worldwide. Scripted ORF originals have helped build an excellent reputation for years, with its share of licensing increasing consistently. At this last edition of MIPTV, we would like to express our gratitude for the many years of cooperation with industry experts from all over the globe,” emphasizes Armin Luttenberger, Head of Content Sales International at ORF-Enterprise.

“The increasing interest in ORF UNIVERSUM nature programs demonstrates that our blue-chip productions have been on the top of the shelves for over 37 years. This acknowledged level of quality comes about through co-productions with international premium partners. At MIPTV, we were able to engage in promising discussions about the future of nature films,” states Gernot Lercher, Head of ORF UNIVERSUM Nature.

ORF-ORIGINALS
In addition to the sales of the acclaimed event-series “Kafka”, ORF-Enterprise succeeds with further sales of ORF originals. ARD One secures four seasons of “Suburbia – Women on the Edge” while RTL Hungary opts for three seasons each of the two accomplished series “Walking on Sunshine” and “Soko Kitzbuehel”.

The prestigious concert recording “Christmas in Vienna 2023”, featuring Patricia Petibon, Anita Monserrat, Joyce DiDonato, Lawrence Brownlee, and the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, is picked by SVT (Sweden) and Knowledge Networks (Canada).

RAI (Italy) adds three ORF UNIVERSUM Nature films to their offering: “Qatar – Pearls in the Sand”, “Life on the Wing – Miracle of Bird Migration” and “The Raven's Tale – Mystic Czechia”. FTV Prima (Czech Republic) secures a documentary package including “Qatar – Pearls in the Sand”, “Arlberg – A Wild Celebrity”, “Copernicus’ Secret – Triumph of Science”, “The Egg – Bursting into Life”, “High Life in the Dead Mountains”, “Gentle Mountains, Wild Marshes – The Alpine Foothills”, “Life on the Wing – Miracle of Bird Migration”, and “Slovenia – Where Nature Comes First”. National Geographic Channels International opts for “Desert Phantoms – Surviving the Skeleton Coast” and “Nicobar Island – A Monkey’s Long Tale”.

The ORF UNIVERSUM History’s documentary “Death Trap Mallorca – Joy and Sorrow in Exile” is licensed by YLE (Finland) and Axess TV (Sweden). Axess TV also picks “Copernicus’ Secret – Triumph of Science” and “The Birth of Modern Brazil – Leopoldina Habsburg” from ORF UNIVERSUM’s history slate.

The distributor secured another brand-new title for its MIPTV lineup: “City Beasts”, an adventurous wildlife comedy set in Cape Town that reveals nature’s adaptability and the tenacity of a young man: The passionate ranger Josh is determined to showcase the seamless co-existence of humans and animals in the city and introduces a whole range of creatures through tracking, stakeouts, and exciting encounters.

“ORF-Enterprise decided to support and co-develop this project at a very early stage of production as it turned out to be the perfect addition to our rich factual catalog. We are proud to represent these extraordinary programs in distribution worldwide and continue to serve as a trusted supplier for high-quality programming in all genres,” says Marion Camus-Oberdorfer, Director Acquisitions & Distribution Investment at ORF-Enterprise.