ZDF Studios is the international distributor for two new factual titles, "The Forest: Can Trees Save the Planet?" (1 x 50’, 1 x 90’) and "Lost World of the Hanging Gardens" (1 x 50’), originating from the Global Doc Initiative, a consortium of several major public broadcasters from various parts of the world.
Formed in 2022 by France Télévisions, ZDF (Germany), Channel 4 (U.K.), CBC (Canada), SVT (Sweden), ORF (Austria), WNET and WGBH (USA), NHK (Japan), RAI (Italy), and ABC Australia, the Global Doc Initiative put a callout for high-end documentary proposals focusing on two key areas: science (including environmental science) and (ancient) civilisation. Two of the three awarded programmes have been recently completed and are being distributed by ZDF Studios now
"The Forest: Can Trees Save the Planet?" features leading ecologist Tom Crowther, who made worldwide headlines when he estimated that our planet had space for an extra trillion trees, which could absorb enough carbon to help slow climate change. Unfortunately, this led to companies and governments planting unsuitable monoculture forests. Facing a backlash from fellow scientists, Tom and his team worked to set the record straight and come up with a new solution that preserves biodiversity and maximizes carbon capture. The documentary is produced by Windfall Films in association with WGBH NOVA, France Télévisions, ABC Australia, SVT, ZDF Studios, and ZDFinfo.
Once the world’s largest and most important settlement, the Assyrian city of Nineveh is being newly discovered. "Lost World of the Hanging Gardens" tells a dramatic, engaging, and inspiring story of archaeology, history, and the human spirit, set against the backdrop of a nation rebuilding after war. Why did this great city disappear? And could it also be the site of the last lost wonder of the ancient world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Co-production partners for the one-off history title are Lion Television in association with France Télévisions, Thirteen/WNET, SVT, CBC, zdf.info, and ZDF Studios.
Nikolas Hülbusch, Director Unscripted, ZDF Studios, praised the titles: “These two fascinating titles are an excellent addition to our unscripted catalogue. The topics they cover, the mystery of a legendary lost monument and the search for the best method to fight climate change, will appeal to audiences worldwide, so I predict plenty of interest from clients who are looking for top-quality documentaries," stated.
Meanwhile, Emmy award-winning Executive Producer David Dugan from Windfall Films referred to the environmental issues addressed by the documentaries: “'The Forest: Can Trees Save the Planet?' offers a deep insight into the ecology and biodiversity of forests – and their potential impact on climate change. During the filming, Tom Crowther allowed director Jamie Lochhead to have deep access to his research group. He shares the ups and downs of trying to present a complex message to the world. We are very grateful to our co-pro partners for their support in making this challenging film possible;" he added.
FInally, Richard Bradley, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Lion Television, spoke about how exciting it was to produce the title: “Nineveh’s history and its recent discovery is a story that was begging to be told, so when the Initiative announced that they were looking for this type of content, we grabbed the opportunity with both hands. "Lost World of the Hanging Gardens" has been one of our most exciting productions, thanks to modern forensics and archaeological developments which have allowed us to reveal this incredible city that was home to one of the world’s most powerful civilisations;" explained.
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