DCD Rights unveils multi genre slate at MipTV

Leading UK distributor DCD Rights continues to broaden its catalogue with a wide array of new programmes featuring stars from one of the biggest rock bands in the world Iron Maiden, to the internationally acclaimed human rights and Aids awareness campaigner Nelson Mandela.

Leading the way for the music titles is a feature length documentary and live performance from Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden: Flight 666 (1 x 112’ and 1 x 60’) documents the first leg of Maiden’s legendary SOMEWHERE BACK IN TIME WORLD TOUR which took them 50,000 miles around the planet playing 23 concerts on five continents in just 45 days. The movie gives a close up behind-the-scenes look at what happened on and off stage, when Maiden gave full access to a film crew for the first time ever, and contains some of the most spectacular live footage yet seen of Maiden.

Stevie Wonder Live at Last (1 x 60’ and 90’) was recorded live at the 02 Arena in London on his recent world tour. ‘Live at Last’ represents a rare occasion to experience all the funky energy of a Stevie Wonder concert featuring all his classic hits.

DCD Rights continue their long relationship with Glastonbury Festival by launching Glastonbury 2009 (1 x 60’, 90’, 120’). Headliners at this year’s festival include Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Blur.

From DCD-owned West Park Pictures is a new film about one of the most bitterly fought sports events in recent times, the 1974 British Lions Rugby tour of South Africa. The Invincibles looks at the controversial tour, set against the backdrop of apartheid, and whilst following the extraordinary success of the Lions team, this film examines the relationship between politics and sport.

Working closely with the Nelson Mandela Foundation/46664 DCD Rights are launching It Could Never Happen To Me (1 x 60’) in time for ‘World Aids Day’ in December. This film, aimed at the youth audience, addresses the problems facing young people in South Africa, UK, USA, India, Thailand, Brazil and Ukraine. It is a refreshingly open and honest approach to the reality of HIV/Aids in the world today, and what can be done to help stem the tide.

DCD Rights are also launching two programmes produced by Fiona Morris who has recently joined the DCD Media group as Executive Factual Producer:

Theatreland (8 x 30’) is an observational documentary series looking behind the scenes at one of London’s premiere West End venues, the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Shot over six months, the series the series follows the arrival of a new artistic director, Sean Mathias preparing his first production “Waiting for Godot” – one of the most eagerly awaited theatrical events of 2009, featuring two legends of stage and screen Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart.

La Boheme (1 x 120’). In a world first for UK broadcasting, Sky Arts 2 and Sky Arts HD recently screened Jonathan Miller’s eagerly awaited new production of Puccini’s La Boheme for ENO live from the Coliseum Theatre, London. The performance marks the British debut of rising star Miguel Harth-Bedoya, a young Argentinian conductor who is gaining a big international reputation as one of the most exciting conductors of his generations.

DCD Rights also brings new ‘Real Life Stories’ to the market produced by September Films and Prospect Pictures, both part of the DCD Media Group.

Children’s Emergency (8 x 30’) commissioned by BBC1 is a character-led observational series which follows the work of the Children’s Acute Transport Service team (CATS), the UK’s only mobile intensive care team dedicated to taking critically ill children to specialist hospitals. Staffed by consultants and specialist nurses carrying high-tech life saving equipment, CATS takes the skills and apparatus of an intensive care unit ‘on the road’. Each episode of this dynamic and poignant series follows several cases from the emergency call at the CATS base who respond 24/7, to the retrieval mission against the clock.

Faith & Hope: The Parent’s Story (1 x 60’), which recently aired on Channel 4, tells the story of eighteen year old Laura Williams who recently became the youngest British woman ever to give birth to conjoined twins. Defying doctors’ advice to have an abortion, Laura and her husband Aled decided to go against early medical advice and the two baby girls named Faith and Hope were successfully delivered. Joined by the breastbone to navel the twins had separate hearts and doctors were optimistic. However, due to medical complications doctors were forced to move quickly in attempting a highly risky and complicated surgical procedure using pioneering medical techniques. This heart-rending documentary follows the couple’s unique story as it unfolds.

Fix My Fat Head (1 x 60’) Hannah Jones is a 36 year-old journalist who, at 21 stone, is clinically obese. She has tried everything to lose weight but so far nothing has worked. Hannah believes that the problem is all in her head and in this film she embarks on a six-month journey to find a solution to her weight problems forever. After exploring meditation and hypnotherapy, Hannah bravely puts herself through a course of psychotherapy and agrees to let the cameras in as she and the therapist unpick her very personal and problematic relationship with food. The result is a fascinating, warm and emotionally intense portrait of one woman’s struggle with her weight and herself.

Nicky Davies Williams, CEO commented: ‘We are delighted to bring to Cannes such a diverse slate of high quality new programming which has something to offer to each audience. With subjects combining some of this year’s most prominent personalities and entertainment events with compelling emotional human interest subjects proven to be popular with a wide range of viewers, we are well prepared to meet broadcasters’ increased demand for high standard and value adding products.’

DCD Rights at MIPTV stand RSV.30 www.dcdrights.com