BBC Two has sealed a deal with Arrow Films to acquire the UK broadcast rights to German public broadcaster ZDF’s three-part Second World War drama Generation War. The deal ensures that Generation War will be the first foreign language series to debut on BBC Two in the better part of twelve years; since the second season of The Kingdom in 2001.
Generation War depicts the lives of five German friends from 1941-45 – two brothers who become Wehrmacht soldiers, a singer, a nurse, and their Jewish friend. The series opens in 1941when Wilhelm is off to the eastern front with his younger brother Friedhelm, a sensitive dreamer more interested in books than warfare. Deeply in love with Wilhelm is Charlotte, a young nurse who feels her duty calling and agrees to serve in the Wehrmacht, also on the eastern front. While talented singer Greta dreams of being another Marlene Dietrich, her Jewish boyfriend Viktor begins to realise that the lives of both him and his family will be in grave danger if they stay in Germany. As the war takes hold, none of the friends can imagine how the conflict will ultimately change not only them, but the rest of the world. The drama, which has been dubbed the “German Band of Brothers“, is produced by TeamWorx & Beta Film and is distributed globally by Beta Film in cooperation with Arrow Films in the UK.
Speaking of the series, Sue Deeks, the BBC’s Head of Acquisitions, said: “Generation War has a truly epic sweep and emotionally compelling narrative – we are really delighted to bring this critically-acclaimed and thought-provoking series to BBC viewers.”
While Alex Agran, Managing Director of Arrow Films, added: “Arrow Films and the BBC have a long heritage of working together and we are thrilled to have the BBC as the perfect broadcaster for this superlative series
