NGTI ANNOUNCES TWO CO-PRODUCTIONS WITH FRANCE 5

Published: 3 December 2007

National Geographic Television International (NGTI) today announces two major co-production agreements with French public broadcaster France 5.

The first agreement has been signed for landmark global warming hi-definition programme - SIX DEGREES COULD CHANGE THE WORLD - based on the book, Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet by top British environmental journalist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer, Mark Lynas. The 1 x 90 Special is being produced by National Geographic Television as a co-production with National Geographic Channel (US), National Geographic Channels International and France 5.

Scientists have been building a case for climate change for more than 20 years. Yet the debate goes on: Have humans created an unavoidable future of environmental devastation? That argument is likely to continue for sometime. Irrefutable, however, is the result: It has started. Global climate change is happening now … and it’s moving at an alarming pace….Antarctica’s glaciers are sliding more quickly into the sea and scientists predict that within 50 years the entire Arctic ice cap will disappear each summer, for the first time in 15 million years. At the other end of the spectrum 19 of the 20 hottest years on record have occurred since 1980.

The doomsday version of the story claims the earth’s temperature will rise six degrees celsius by the year 2100. That’s six degrees that separate us from massive environmental changes unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Six degrees in just 94 years. Six degrees we can accept as fate…or change everything we’ve known about living on earth to fend off. As each degree threatens us, what could happen to our coasts, our towns, our forests, our rivers, our croplands? Will we all be reduced to eking out a living from shattered remains of civilization in Arctic refuges, or will life go on much as before – just a little warmer? And will we go all the way – or are there naturally mitigating forces which will break the chain of events leading to … a world scientists are just beginning to imagine. SIX DEGREES COULD CHANGE THE WORLD will be a landmark programme that sets out to answer the questions with the aid of Mark Lynas and leading scientists from around the globe.

The second co-production agreement is for blue-chip wildlife programme AFRICAN BAMBI. This 1 x90/2 x 52 Special is produced by leading Netherlands-based wildlife filmmakers Nature Conservation Films, a long-term partner of NGTI.

Filmed in hi-definition, AFRICAN BAMBI follows a young gazelle as he grows up in the beautiful landscape of East Africa. We see him facing many risks when his herd takes part in migrations with millions of wildebeest and zebra and we experience the threats that challenge him, along with most of the creatures of the bush: big cats, jackals and hyenas. This is the real Bambi story with a strong narrative, courageous characters and wonderful cinematic photography.

Edwina Thring, head of acquisitions and co-productions at NGTI comments: “France 5 has been an important business partner to NGTI for many years and these two new co-productions continue our history of working together on high-profile projects. We are pleased that the team at France 5 share our vision for factual programming – we both seek unique, well-researched stories about our planet that will engage a wide cross-section of viewers“.

Ann Julienne, head of international co-productions at France 5 comments: “We are always looking for strong compelling stories with which to become involved and NGTI regularly presents us with programmes that appeal to our audience. Wildlife and science stories work especially well for us so we are delighted to co-produce African Bambi and Six Degrees Could Change the World.”