WWII documentaries from Woodcut International gain global attention

Woodcut International has closed a string of license deals for three new Second World War documentary titles, as broadcasters worldwide seek premium content to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

SBS Australia has acquired an 18-hour package of Second World War-themed content. The package is headlined by the Woodcut Original series "Surviving WW2" (3x60 mins) produced by Woodcut Media. Each episode focuses on the personal stories of courage and resilience behind the headlines of history. Also included in this package deal are two new documentaries from Prague-based producer Picasso Film. "Auschwitz: Countdown to Liberation" (1x84 mins) is a harrowing account of the events leading up to the liberation of the Polish concentration camp in January 1945, told through the testimonies of survivors, local residents, liberators and even the perpetrators of one of history’s darkest chapters. Auschwitz is also central to "Mengele Unveiled" (3x60 mins), which analyses the life of the SS officer and physician and the atrocities he committed in the name of medical research.

"Surviving WW2", "Auschwitz: Countdown to Liberation" and "Mengele Unveiled" have also been picked up by BBC Studios for BBC Select, the company’s ad-free streaming documentary service available in the US and Canada, while Smithsonian Channel Canada has taken "Surviving WW2".

Finally, deals have been closed for "Auschwitz: Countdown to Liberation "with Viasat World, as well as Multicanal Iberia for Canal Historia (Spain), and M6 (France).

Koulla Anastasi, Managing Director of Woodcut International said: “Eighty years feels a long time ago and yet most of us are still connected through family or community to those who lived, served and put their lives on the line during the Second World War. These three titles not only bear witness to a generation’s courage and sacrifice, but also seem timely in a world that is once again gripped by political and ideological division. Against this backdrop, it’s encouraging that so many prestigious broadcasters have committed to these exceptional documentaries about people and events that we must never forget.”