RTÉ unveils new premium documentaries
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Editor
| 13 July 2021
In a coup for its premium documentary slate, the programme sales department of Irish public broadcaster RTÉ has secured the distribution rights to Donal Moloney’s Let the Rest of the World Go By and Ruán Magan’s The Hunger: The Story of the Irish Famine.
RTE premium docs 13 July 2021
Let the Rest of the World Go By (1 x 60’ - pictured) tells the story of Matt Murphy, an elderly gentleman in failing health, who married his best male friend, Michael O’Sullivan, in order to leave his house to Michael inheritance-tax free. The news caused a sensation in Ireland, with some criticising the pair for debasing the sanctity of marriage and others applauding the kindness and love at the heart of decision. It has already been picked up by UR in Sweden and Spafax for Aer Lingus.

The Hunger: The Story of the Irish Famine (2 x 60’/ 1 x 90’) mines new research to tell the definitive story of the worst humanitarian disaster in Irish history. Narrated by Liam Neeson, the documentary is produced by Tyrone Productions and Create One in association with University College Cork, RTÉ and ARTE. “The Hunger is a compelling series for all generations to watch and learn from,” Neeson remarked. “The Famine spawned the global Irish diaspora of 70 million around the world, over 30 million of which are in the US. Being one of the global Irish, I felt it was important to be involved in the series.”

The distributor has also licensed the entire back catalogue of COCO Content’s hit home-design series Room To Improve to UK broadcaster Channel 5, following the strong performance of seasons eight-to-12 on the UK channel. Representing 33 hours of primetime programming, the deal follows the channel’s acquisition earlier in the summer of the last five series of the show, which have been stripped daily in a mid-morning slot since mid-May.

Commenting on the acquisitions, Edel Edwards, head of programme sales at RTÉ Programme Sales said: “Documentaries like Let the Rest of The World Go By and The Hunger drive home the privilege of representing the very best of your country’s storytelling. Donal Moloney’s film is a touching tribute to the power of friendship — and the world certainly need stories about friendship right now. Ruán Magan’s The Hunger is a clear and candid examination of Ireland’s Great Famine, a catastrophic event that not only changed Ireland for ever, but rewrote the history of the world. We are immensely proud to bring both of these powerful films to market.”