ZDF Studios launches aviation history doc 'Race for the Sky'
Mainz, July 26th, 2022
Hot off the production line is a brand new documentary Race for the Sky (2 x 50’) , a fascinating look at the history of aviation, co-produced and distributed internationally by ZDF Studios.
From the very beginning, inventors, pilots, designers and other sky stormers competed to make their dream of flying come true. The two-parter, produced by Spiegel TV in association with ZDF, Arte and ZDF Studios, tells the stories of aviation pioneers and goes on to reveal how aircraft developed to become a weapon of destruction.
Ralf Rueckauer, Vice President Unscripted at ZDF Studios, said: “Travelling by plane, for many people, is such a common means of transport today that you take it for granted and forget that as recently as the beginning of the 20th century, attempting to fly was usually akin to calculated suicide. Race for the Sky makes you realise how fast aviation has developed in such a short space of time.”
The first part of the documentary tells the story of people who had the courage to cross borders, to risk their lives and who ultimately made the "adventure of flying" an experience for everyone. Otto Lillenthal, the Wright brothers and Louis Blériot are some of the incredible innovators of that era who realised their dream but women were also fascinated by flying. They had a much harder time asserting themselves in this male-dominated world but nevertheless, they set records, like the American Amelia Earhart, who was the first woman to cross the Atlantic in her plane.
At no other time in the history of aviation did more aircraft dominate the skies than during the Second World War. Aircraft developed into a destructive weapon. It is the cruel story of kamikaze pilots, of "Stukas" and fighter planes, but also of ground-breaking technical achievements, such as the invention of the jet engine, which was to revolutionise aviation. The second part of Race for the Sky traces these developments, from the Second World War to the challenges facing aviation today.
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About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios was founded in 1993 as ZDF Enterprises and rebranded to ZDF Studios on April, 1st, 2022. The company is responsible for worldwide program distribution, international co-productions, program acquisition as well as the merchandising of strong program brands in its own name, for broadcaster ZDF, and for third parties. Bound into a strong group of 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliated companies, ZDF Studios manages the largest German-language program stock worldwide and an impressive portfolio of international productions, consisting of series and miniseries, TV movies, documentaries and children’s programs. ZDF Studios provides a comprehensive, full-service offering and covers every step in the chain of creation and exploitation of successful content, from development to production and marketing.
Contact ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, 55127 Mainz/Germany, Tel.: +49 6131-9911130, Email: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com