War and Peace breaks out in Russia

Broadcasters in twelve territories, including one in Russia, have acquired local rights to War and Peace, the BBC’s television version of Leo Tolstoy’s masterpiece novel.

Significantly, Russia’s Channel One has acquired the series. Author Tolstoy was a key literary and political figure in 19^th century Russia.

China’s LeEco, Taiwan’s ELTA, India’s Vuclip, South Korea’s KBS and SK, the Philippines’ ABS and CBN, France 2, Finland’s YLE, Norway’s NRK, Iceland’s RUV, Latvia’s LTV and Ukraine’s TRBC also acquired War and Peace from the BBC’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide.

The 6x60mins/8x45min/4x90mins drama comes from BBC Cymru Wales Drama and The Weinstein Company, plus BBCWW and its affiliate drama producer Lookout Point. The series, from Andrew Davies (Selfridge, House of Cards) follows a group of spirited young aristocrats in early 1800s Russia whose lives are changed by love, war and heartbreak.

In the UK, War and Peace took an average 24.4% share (or 7.2 million viewers).

“It is fitting that Russian audiences will get the chance to enjoy this thoroughly modern adaptation of Tolstoy’s classic novel,” said BBCWW president, global markets Paul Dempsey.

“They’ll join millions of viewers around the world who have been enthralled by Andrew Davies’s stunning interpretation of War and Peace.”