China International Television Corporation (CITVC) announced the Chinese premiere of the two-part historical documentary, The Excellent Engels. As a tribute to mark the 200th birth anniversary of Friedrich Engels, world-renowned German thinker who co-wrote “The Communist Manifesto” with Karl Marx, China Media Group produced The Excellent Engels, a two-episode documentary that aired on CCTV-4 at 18:00 on December 28-29, and is broadcast on two channels, CCTV-1 and CCTV-9, at 22:30 on December 28-29 and 22:00 on December 29-30.

The CCTV documentary team visited the U.K., Germany, France, the Netherlands, and other countries, and filmed in the places where Engels once lived and worked. They invited authoritative scholars including Lars Bluma from the Historical Center in Wuppertal to interpret his life. For the first time, the film will focus on Engels’ extensive manuscripts, handwritten letters, original drawings, and pieces of music he composed himself. The film also creatively uses Engels’ writings as the narration in the opening sequence and his definition of himself as “the second violinist” to create passionate theme music, taking audiences on a journey of this extraordinary man’s life and influence across different times, national boundaries and cultures.

Aside from domestic release, CITVC is expected to produce the documentary in multiple languages and to broadcast it on television and new media platforms in the U.K., Russia, Germany, Japan, etc. With the production of English, German, Russian, and other foreign language versions, this documentary is aiming to attract more than 100 million viewers in more than 100 countries and regions.

“Engels’ journey was a life of continuous struggle for human liberation and of constant fighting for the transformation of the world. His pursuit of truth and influence is far beyond the boundaries of his era and region. It is of great practical significance to commemorate this great teacher of proletariat and working people all over the world.” said Ms. Yali He, the producer of The Excellent Engels.