NGTI CATCHES KILLER FLU

Published: 18 April 2005

National Geographic Television International today announces that it will be distributing RACE AGAINST THE KILLER FLU (1 x 60), a dramatic new event science documentary.

Just into production, RACE AGAINST THE KILLER FLU tackles the subject of Avian Flu (H5N1) and asks where it came from and looks at how it could rapidly evolve into a deadly pandemic flu. Starting with chickens dying en masse in 1997 and worryingly moving to the first case of human-human transmission in late 2004, the major concern today is about this rapidly mutating virus becoming airborne.

RACE AGAINS THE KILLER FLU investigates various scenarios if this does happen and with the use of CGI and futuristic ‘reconstruction’ allows us to see potential outcomes. We follow scientists as they chase the virus around the world and gain unprecedented access to the ‘war room’ at the World health Organisation to see just what preparations are been made for such an eventuality.

RACE AGAINS THE KILLER FLU is a co-production between Electric Pictures in Australia and National Geographic Television & Film, in association with the National Geographic Channel (US), Screenwest, the Film Finance Corporation of Australia, SBS Australia and NGTI.

The programme will be delivered in autumn this year, just in time for the flu season.

Edwina Thring, head of programmes at NGTI comments: “Avian Flu has been a hot topic for some time now with a large amount of media exposure devoted to the prospect of the virus becoming airborne, the implications if it does, and questioning how scientists, the medical profession and governments will cope with a pandemic.

“With the help of cutting-edge science and top quality CGI this major new event film helps us understand how this virus has mutated and plays out some shocking scenarios that include political unrest and mass starvation. We received a great deal of interest from broadcasters at MipTV and are confident that this programme will prove a ratings winner later this year.”