Lion Television has signed a major co-production deal with leading Chinese science and education channel CCTV-10 and CITVC, their global marketing agent, to bring the story of Confucius to an international audience.
Confucius will explore the life and legacy of China’s extraordinarily influential sage, teacher and philosopher who lived over two and a half thousand years ago. This series will combine the ambitious drama of his life with stunning locations and unique documentary access to bring to the world a subject that is widely discussed within China but has rarely ever been explored internationally.
Lion Television, part of the All3Media Group, has been developing relationships in China for almost a decade and has created numerous progammes with Chinese content with different production relationships. This is a formal co-production in which both sides will bring substantial financing to the table. Lion’s past credits in China include the award-winning First Emperor for C4/ Discovery/ TF1/ All3Media Int, the Emmy Award-winning China Atlas for Discovery and Chinese School for the BBC.
Lion TV joint MD Richard Bradley said: “This opportunity to co-produce fully with one of China’s leading channels marks a step-change in our work in China. To be able to make a project on this scale about one of China’s greatest and most influential historical figures is a real privilege. Ambitious TV projects like this offer a real chance to help broaden the world’s understanding of China.”
Mr Jin, Controller of CCTV10 Science and Education Channel said: “This is a fascinating story about the great sage and how he transcends time and has made us Chinese who we are today.” He added: “China can provide the world with exciting stories; in return, the world can provide China with experience and expertise in telling these stories.”
Bill Locke, Lion TV’s Head of History, Executive Producer of the project, said: “Confucius is one of the world’s most famous thinkers, yet in the west we know next to nothing about him. It is an exciting creative challenge to bring the man and the legacy to life, within this pioneering co-production.”
