MIPTV News: PBS International goes Behind the Lines

The first Western documentary to tell the story of the Syrian civil war from both sides will debut internationally in Cannes.

The sales arm of US public broadcaster PBS, PBS International, is taking Syria Behind the Lines to MIPTV as part of its slate, which also includes the 1x52mins Sand Wars,1x42mins Lights Out!, 1x54mins The Search for the Origin of Life and 1x53mins The Retirement Gamble.

Syria Behind the Lines comes from Clover Films and follows filmmaker Olly Lambert, who spent extended periods with bot government soldiers and rebel forces, plus civilian groups supporting the opposing sides.

Lights Out! follows the harm caused by light at night, while Sand Wars looks a surprising investigation into the plundering of sand. The Search for the Origin of Life follows NASA researchers attempting to answer the question of how life began, while The Retirement Gamble is part of PBS’s Frontline strand and looks at how Wall Street fees and kickbacks are threatening the future prospects of individuals.

“We’re bringing more than 80 hours of new programs to the market, which is a very important event for us,” said Tom Koch, VP, PBS International.