New history documentary series “Queens That Changed the World,” that shines a light on some of the world’s most powerful female rulers, has scored a raft of worldwide sales.
Channel 4 has acquired the series for the U.K. The series is produced by Woodcut Media who brokered the deal with Channel 4, and is distributed worldwide by Abacus Media Rights who have already pre-sold it to streaming service BBC Select (U.S. and Canada) and broadcasters SBS (Australia), AMC Networks International (Spain and Portugal), Viasat World (CEE, Scandinavia, Baltics, CIS), NRK (Norway), DR (Denmark), SVT (Sweden), Czech TV (Czech Republic) and HOT8 (Israel).
“Queens That Changed the World” (6 x 45’) follows a formidable group of women who led the way, building nations, wielding extraordinary power, and often ruling in a manner that far surpassed their male counterparts. The series focuses on the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I, the tenacious Eleanor of Aquitaine, Victoria, the British queen who redefined the monarchy, Egypt’s female pharaoh Hatshepsut, the first queen of Great Britain, Anne, and the warrior queen Boudica.
With psychological analysis alongside investigation from historians and academics, each episode delves into the challenges they faced and their unique approach to power, while also exploring wider themes such as women’s changing position in society and what this meant across the centuries.
The series producer is Angie Cox and executive producers are Kate Beal and Tom Adams for Woodcut Media.
Polly Scates, senior acquisitions manager, Channel 4 said: “It’s refreshing to see the stories of these women placed at the forefront and I’m excited for a light to be shone on their incredible impact on history.”
Cox added: “The women featured in this fascinating docu-series were the disruptors of the day – all standing out as towering figures in history and achieving incredible notoriety for their achievements and never shunning away from adversity in what was a male dominated era.”
Jonathan Ford, managing director at Abacus Media Rights, said: “once again our friends at Woodcut Media have created a highly engaging documentary series which will resonate around the world. Many women leaders have played a ground-breaking role in global history and this takes a deep dive in to some who made a massive difference to the way their countries evolved across time.”
Woodcut’s titles include “Confessions of a Psycho Killer,” “World’s Most Evil Killers, “Britain’s Most Evil Killers,” “Fiennes: Return to the Nile,” with Joseph and Ranulph Fiennes, “Cut from a Different Cloth,” “Mandela, My Dad and Me,” both featuring Idris Elba, “Hitler: A Life in Pictures” and “Paranormal Captured.”
