Beyond Rights revealed its autumn slate, launching more than 200 hours of fresh unscripted content – both new titles and returning series – across a variety of different genres, as well as a new kids’ series. Now celebrating its first full year in business, the company also signals a heightened focus on premium factual with the acquisition of two powerful new feature docs and a milestone investigative series.

New content

Leading the autumn slate are feature docs Facing Monsters and MILKED, both 1 x 90. Facing Monsters, from sister company Beyond West, Red Eye Productions and Veerhuis Pictures, is a beautifully shot film that digs deep into the psyche of enigmatic free surfer Kerby Brown as he pursues the ultimate ferocious and deadly ‘slab’ waves along the coast of his native Western Australia. But it’s more than just a surfing story. It’s a film about fear, passion, addiction and family bonds, all of which are explored through examining what drives Kerby, what anchors him, and why he’s obsessed with pitting himself against one of nature’s most intimidating forces. MILKED, meanwhile, is a topical, investigative film, led by young activist Chris Huriwai, that exposes the whitewash of New Zealand’s multi-billion-dollar dairy industry. Featuring interviews with high-profile contributors such as Dr Jane Goodall, environmentalist and former actress Suzy Amis Cameron, and Cowspiracy co-director Keegan Kuhn, MILKED reveals the behind-the-scenes reality of the kiwi dairy farming fairy-tale. It uncovers alarming information about the impacts of the industry on the environment and health, leading up to the unexpected discovery that we’re on the edge of the biggest global disruption of food and agriculture in history. An impactful global story told with a local eye, the film also points to what New Zealand and other countries can do to change their fate. MILKED is produced by Suzy Amis Cameron’s Ahimsa Films.

As the tenth-anniversary approaches, The Costa Concordia: Why She Sank, 2 x 60 from ITN Productions, will tell the story behind one of the biggest maritime disasters since the Titanic in forensic detail. Combining exclusive first-person testimony from survivors and rescuers with previously unseen footage, graphic reconstruction and expert insight, the documentary series investigates why she sank in January 2012 with the loss of 32 lives, what lessons should have been learned from previous disasters, and if such a catastrophe could happen again.

Automotive meets science with the launch of Motor MythBusters (8 x 60), produced by Beyond Media Rights. With former MythBusters presenter Tory Belleci, along with sassy mechanic Faye Hadley, and engineer extraordinaire Bisi Ezerioha, this entertaining series delivers undiscovered facts and applies rigorous science to everything from Hollywood car stunts to everyday automotive questions that grind the gears of car owners and enthusiasts.

In history, Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom (1 x 90), based on Iain Ballantyne’s best-selling book and produced by Screen Story, tells the thrilling story of the iconic WW2 battle in the North Atlantic between Germany and Britain following Bismarck’s sinking of HMS Hood. Previously unseen testimony, stunning CGI and a dramatic countdown clock add up to a tense and authentic hour that brings viewers closer to the reality of this famous wartime event than ever before. Canada’s West Coast: An Untold Story (4 x 60), produced by Screen Siren, is an immersive, inclusive, and diverse history series telling the myriad stories – from early Indigenous resistance to the fight for equality by immigrants – that helped turn British Columbia into a contemporary centre for social activism.

Race for the Future (3 x 60 / 1 x 90) from Dash Pictures and Expedition Asia (10 x 60) from Ryan Pyle Productions lead Beyond Rights’ new travel and adventure titles. In Race for the Future, adventurer James Levelle sets off on a 9000-mile race against the clock to raise awareness about climate change, travelling from the UK to Chile without using any fossil fuel, while in Expedition Asia, Ryan Pyle puts his best foot forward to explore incredible trekking destinations across the continent.

Also new for autumn is Animal Emergency, a 5 x 60 obs-doc series from Scratch Films, set in Ireland’s premier vet hospital, and Pooch Perfect USA (8 x 60), the American version of the popular competitive dog grooming series. Produced by Beyond Media Rights, this entertaining new title is hosted by Hollywood star Rebel Wilson. Reality series Britain’s Biggest Families (1 x 60) completes the key new unscripted titles. Produced by One Tribe TV, this insightful programme explores life for three of Britain’s largest families, examining how each set of parents can afford to bring up their supersized broods and still celebrate all that family life throws at them.

Finally, the lead kids’ show for autumn is the gorgeous new animated series Nina & Olga (52 x 7). Produced by Enanimation & Mondo TV Producciones Canarias, in partnership with Rai Ragazzai, the series has been inspired by Olga the Cloud, the internationally best-selling, classic book series by Nicoletta Costa. Nina & Olga follows six-year-old Nina as she begins school, alongside her classmate Teo, and their very special friend Olga – a light young cloud. Together they embark on numerous adventures, learning about the events and challenges of everyday life and how to understand and manage their still unknown emotions.

Returning series

Returning series include a wide range of hugely popular and successful programming brands. In science and engineering there’s Abandoned Engineering S7 (12 x 60, Like A Shot Entertainment) and Massive Engineering Mistakes S4 (10 x 60, Britespark Films), while returning automotive titles include Bangers and Cash S4 (13 x 60, Air TV), Flipping Bangers S3 (12 x 60, Just Might TV), and Ultimate Rides 2 (20 x 30, Barcroft Studios). In Beyond’s reality genre we welcome Highway Thru Hell S10 (18 x 60, Great Pacific Media), Ice Vikings S2 (8 x 60, Farpoint Films), Train Truckers S2 (8 x 60, Windfall Films) and Undercut: Wooden Treasure S3 (5 x 60, GiUMa Productions), while enduring natural history series Monkey Life returns with series 14 (20 x 30, Primate Planet Productions). Property series Love It Or List It, which continues to grow its franchise worldwide, sees a ninth series of the original show launch this autumn (26 x 60, Big Coat Productions), along with a sixth series of Love it Or List It: UK (4 x 60 + 3 x 60 revisits, Raise the Roof Productions), while Pati’s Mexican Table (10 x 30, Mexican Table) dishes up the tenth series of this tasty food show. Series four of Extreme Treks (5 x 60, Ryan Pyle Productions) gets underway, while we go Inside British Airways (2 x 60, Title Role Productions) for a second visit. Finally, history series Underground Worlds, from Phoenix Productions, returns for a second 10 x 60 series, exploring everything from man-made tunnels to the mothballed military bunkers beneath our feet.

Connie Hodson, head of partnerships and business development at Beyond Rights comments: “During a year that has seen both production hiatuses and reduced commissions, we are thrilled to launch such a healthy slate this autumn, welcoming a number of new producer partners to the Beyond Rights business, as well as supporting our existing partners with their successful returning series.

“Premium factual is an important part of our business, so we are especially proud to launch two such compelling and intelligent new feature documentaries as Facing Monsters and MILKED. With a wealth of new opportunities on linear channels and a constant demand from SVOD platforms for unique and powerful stories, told in-depth, we are confident that these two remarkable and memorable films will readily find new homes in the international marketplace this autumn.”