CCTV & ORF agree to co-produce natural history films

China’s CCTV and Austrian broadcaster ORF have signed a coproduction agreement to make nature and wildlife films that will air on CCTV9 as well as under ORF’s ‘Universum’ natural history strand.

Their first coproduction will be Triumph of the Tomato, billed as a documentary about the history and “hidden wonders of the much loved fruit,” shot on three continents.

“Today’s signing ceremony marks the start of a new stage of cooperation between the two partners in the area of documentaries,” CCTV Beijing vice president Luo Ming said in a statement. “I firmly believe that we will find more and more coproduction documentary projects that will help the television audiences of our two countries better understand each other and become better friends.”

The deal marks the first time CCTV9 and an international partner have simultaneously announced such an agreement and presented a joint project, the companies said.