First Hand scores doc, factual sales

Switzerland-based First Hand Films has scored deals for its documentary and factual content with broadcasters in territories as far apart as Belgium and Australia.

Among the deals secured at MIPTV last week, Belgian pubcaster VRT has bought The Secret of Hama, which is a humourous behind-the-scenes look at a struggling Dutch apartment store.

Over in Australia, mulch-cultural broadcaster SBS acquired Shadows of Liberty: the Media Monopoly in American Journalism, a documentary investigating corporate control of the media.

Tele-Quebec in Canada and French-speaking Swiss pubcaster RTS took four-part series Primetime in America, which looks at primetime television over the years; while ZDF Enterprises in Germany bought Where My Heart Beats, which sees a former refugee returning to her home country of Afghanistan.