As the industry gears up for the return of Sunny Side of the Doc, TVF International is arriving in La Rochelle with strong momentum, announcing a raft of sales across Western Europe spanning investigative documentaries, science, history, arts and current affairs.

Leading the deals is "Trade Secret" (1 x 100), produced by Executive Producer Adam McKay ("Succession"), which has been acquired by ARTE. The documentary exposes the illegal polar bear trade and the involvement of institutions charged with protecting the species. ARTE also picked up "Messengers" (1 x 45), fresh from its Official Selections at Visions du Réel and DOXA, exploring the hunt for elusive subatomic particles in a bid to explain the existence of all matter, alongside "How the Second World War Became a Global War" (1 x 52).

Elsewhere in France, CANAL+ acquired "24 Hours that Changed the World" (2 x 47), produced by Like a Shot Entertainment for Channel 4 and SBS. The anniversary documentary counts down the final day before VE Day and VJ Day. TVF also sold its co-production "Arming the Arctic" (1 x 50) to Histoire.

In Germany, ZDF licensed "Ulysses: From Myth to Science" (2 x 43), produced by Mediatika for France TV. The series combines archaeology, geology and palaeontology to offer a new interpretation of Homer's enduring epic.

Italy continued to show strong appetite for arts programming, with RAI acquiring NDR/ARTE’s "Rauschenberg: Everything is Art" (1 x 50), from Brandmedia Film, and the BBC documentary "Basquiat: Rage to Riches" (1 x 52). RSI Italian also picked up Zona Mixta’s architecture and heritage series "Castles from Above" (10 x 52).

Social issue documentaries proved particularly popular in Benelux. Proximus licensed RTÉ’s "The Skinny Jab" (2 x 60), from Aquarius Productions, a critical examination of the weight-loss drug phenomenon, as well as YLE’s "USA: The War on Gender" (1 x 48) and Mediacorp’s "The Hidden World of Baby Factories" (1 x 47). TVF also secured a deal with DPG Media for "Childhood Obesity: The Overlooked Pandemic" (1 x 58), from Brandmedia Film.

In Belgium, VRT acquired ARD commission "Trump and the Tech Giants" (1 x 58), which investigates Silicon Valley’s political philosophy and its growing ties to the White House. Viewcom picked up "Our Quantum Future" (1 x 52), from Resonance Holdings, an accessible exploration of quantum computing, as well as Channel News Asia’s "Bones of Contention" (2 x 47), which delves into the booming market for dinosaur fossils and the trade surrounding them.

In the Netherlands, NPO acquired the K-pop documentary "Mamamoo: Where Are We Now?" (1 x 104), together with France TV’s portrait documentary "Maria Callas: The Unsung Years" (1 x 52) for its digital service.

Further south, Iberian broadcasters turned to TVF’s travel catalogue. RTP licensed "Cambodia from Above" (1 x 52), while TV3 selected RTÉ’s "Europe by Train" (4 x 52), produced by Tyrone Productions.

Marking the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster in April 2026, TVF also sold Like a Shot’s "Escape from Chernobyl: 48 Hours that Changed the World" (1 x 47), commissioned by Channel 4 and SBS, to RSI in Italy and Movistar Plus in Spain.

Managing Director Poppy McAlister, who will attend this year’s market, expressed: "Sunny Side of the Doc provides a valuable opportunity to reconnect with our partners across Europe, and these latest deals reflect the continued demand for premium factual content that inspires audiences. From high-impact investigative documentaries such as 'Trade Secret' and 'Trump and the Tech Giants', to compelling science, history, arts and current affairs programming, we are delighted to see broadcasters across Western Europe embracing such a diverse range of stories. As we head to La Rochelle, we look forward to building on this momentum and sharing even more exceptional content from our Summer Slate with buyers from around the world," noted.