Gripping Coming-of-Age Series Will Be the First German Language Television Program to Broadcast on a U.S. Television Network
New York, April 16, 2015 – SundanceTV announced today that “Deutschland 83” will premiere Wednesday, June 17 at 11:00PM ET/PT. “Deutschland 83” is a coming-of-age spy thriller, which unfolds just as the Cold War between East and West comes to a head. The eight-part series is written and created by American journalist and author Anna Winger (This Must Be the Place) alongside her husband Joerg Winger, a successful German showrunner (“Soko Leipzig”), who serves as executive producer. The New York Times touted the series as an “ingenious, counterintuitive look at the Cold War.”
SundanceTV SVP of Scripted and Current Programming Christian Vesper said, “‘Deutschland 83’ is quintessential SundanceTV and the kind of out-of-the-box storytelling for which it’s known. From its top of the line writing to its transatlantic point of view, the series is a challenging and bold step into a world in which viewers will lose themselves.”
“Deutschland 83” is a captivating story set against the real culture wars and political events of Germany in the 1980s. The drama follows Martin Rauch (Jonas Nay) as the 24-year-old East German native is pulled from the world as he knows it and sent to the West as an undercover spy for the Stasi foreign service. Hiding in plain sight in the West German army, he must gather the secrets of NATO military strategy. Everything is new, nothing is quite what it seems and everyone he encounters is harboring secrets, both political and personal.
Created by Anna Winger and Joerg Winger, “Deutschland 83” is executive produced by UFA Fiction’s Joerg Winger and Nico Hofmann and directed by Edward Berger and Samira Radsi. The series is a UFA Fiction production for RTL Television in Germany, co-produced by SundanceTV in the U.S. and distributed by FremantleMedia International. The series had its exclusive world premiere during the inaugural Berlinale Special Series at the 65th Berlinale International Film Festival.
“Deutschland 83” continues SundanceTV’s expansion of original scripted programming, including the critical hit “Rectify” from the producers of “Breaking Bad,” which will return for its third season in July; the thriller “The Red Road,” which is currently airing its second season; and the cult smash “The Returned,” which will return with new episodes in the fall.
About SundanceTV
SundanceTV is making and celebrating television as distinctive as the best independent films. Working with today’s most remarkable talent, SundanceTV is attracting viewer and critical acclaim for its original scripted and unscripted series. Launched in 1996 and owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., SundanceTV delivers on the spirit of founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity. www.sundance.tv
About Fremantlemedia
FremantleMedia is one of the largest creators, producers and distributors of television brands in the world. It is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama, factual entertainment and kids & family programming, with capabilities that extend from content creation to licensing, digital and branded entertainment, gaming and home entertainment. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia International, FremantleMedia Digital & Branded Entertainment, FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment, FremantleMedia North America, UFA, FremantleMedia UK, FremantleMedia Australia, Ludia, @radical.media and Original Productions, among others) has an outstanding global network with operations in 28 countries, creating over 8,500 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and airing 400 programmes a year worldwide. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most famous and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally produces such programmes as: Idols, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), Take Me Out, Hole In The Wall, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Through the Keyhole Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeite, Wentworth, Neighbours, Generation War, Salatut Elamat, Grand Designs, Project Runway, Tree Fu Tom and Strange Hill High. FremantleMedia is part of RTL Group, the leading European entertainment network, which is in turn 75.1 percent owned by the international media company Bertelsmann. www.fremantlemedia.com
About FremantleMedia International
FremantleMedia International (FMI) is the global distribution division of FremantleMedia, one of the leading creators, producers and distributors of television entertainment brands in the world.
The division is responsible for global sales across Linear Television, Digital and Home Entertainment platforms of finished content, format sales in non-production territories as well as acquiring and developing new programmes for the international market. In addition to the world-class FremantleMedia production families around the globe, FMI works with the highest calibre creative talent, producers, channels, licensees and studios to create, finance and distribute the best content in the business. FMI’s catalogue contains more than 20,000 hours of content; a diverse and exciting range of programming spanning drama, comedy, factual, lifestyle and entertainment. Managed by a powerful distribution network spanning nine international offices and supported by a best-in-class brand management team, FMI’s content has sold to more than 150 countries around the world. For more information please visit www.fremantlemedia.com.