TVF International expands its reach in the MENA region after securing several new deals

Independent factual distributor TVF International has expanded its reach in the Middle East, closing a raft of deals in the territory. The indie distributor sent three world affairs programmes to Al Arabiya, including the CNA-commissioned "China & The Global South: China’s Role in the Middle East" (1x48) and "When Titans Clash: De-risking Decoded" (2x48) about the shift towards green-tech in the Chinese economy. Al Arabiya also licensed the RTE-commissioned "AI & You" (1x52), which explores rapidly evolving AI technology, and Al Jazeera Arabic ordered "Debt Bomb" (2x48), the two-part investigation from Mediacorp into the growing threat of global financial meltdown.

Also in world affairs, Arabic VOD service Shahid, took Hulu documentary "The Reckoning: Hollywood’s Worst Kept Secret" (1x78), about the explosive revelations of sexual abuse in Hollywood which started the #MeToo Movement.

History also proved a popular genre in the Middle East. Al Jazeera’s Documentary channel licensed "Bay of Blood: The Bangladesh Genocide" (2x50 / 1x96), from Earthcare Productions, the first documentary to chronicle the events of the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh, and BBC Arabic licensed Nat Geo’s historical biography "Kissinger" (1x90) after the death of the former US Secretary of State. Elsewhere, BBC Arabic licensed Channel 4’s taboo-busting science doc with Davina McCall, "The Pill Revolution" (1x45) from Finestripe Productions, and MBC Group scheduled the BBC-commissioned arts series "China on Stage" (4x45).

All deals were brokered by Daniyal Bari, Sales Manager at TVF International, who commented: “The appetite for factual content across the Middle East continues to increase and diversify beyond traditional genres. TVF’s diverse catalogue is well placed to cater to Middle Eastern broadcasters’ requirements; our documentaries from Asia in the Current Affairs genre particularly resonate with viewers in the region. We are proud to be working with our partners across the region, and look forward to continuing to collaborate and bring a diverse range of titles to MENA.”