Showcasing the world’s best documentary film makers in a variety of commissioned, acquired and co-produced feature length documentary films

In IN REAL LIFE (w/t), BAFTA winning director BEEBAN KIDRON (Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason) explores what it is like to grow up in public, and how modern youths create a sense of identity. In a world where each western teen is the subject of their own virtual world, an object of others and, at all times, a spectator of all, the film poses the question of how the scrutiny and public nature of the modern world impact on the creation of identity. 

Meanwhile, Oscar-winning director ERROL MORRIS (The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War), explores one of America’s most controversial public figures in THE UNKNOWN KNOWN: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DONALD RUMSFELD. From his early childhood memories of Pearl Harbor to his two tenures as Secretary of Defense, Rumsfeld’s engagement with contemporary American politics provides a unique opportunity to examine one man’s attempts to craft history on both a personal and global scale.  Equal parts in-depth character study and meditation on historical narrative, THE UNKNOWN KNOWN: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DONALD RUMSFELD will challenge its audiences to reexamine their preconceived notions of American power, history and politics.

The films join two previous announced films for FOOTPRINT, Nick Broomfield’s SOUTH CENTRAL (w/t) and acquired film AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY. Further commissions and acquisitions for the FOOTPRINT strand will be announced in due course.

 About the films, Elaine Pyke, Director of Sky Atlantic, said:

“FOOTPRINT is, above all, about stories. Stories that grip and aren’t afraid to force viewers to question everything they think they know about a subject.   We are working with some of the biggest names in documentary and aren’t afraid to tackle controversial subjects. With IN REAL LIFE and THE UNKNOWN KNOWN: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DONALD RUMSFELD joining AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY and SOUTH CENTRAL, FOOTPRINT will establish Sky Atlantic HD as the home of world-class documentary films.”

SKY ATLANTIC HD is spearheading Sky’s commitment to factual programming, as part of Sky’s significant investment in original content with this major new investment in the production of feature-length documentary films for its customers.

Up to twelve peak time landmark documentaries will form the backbone of the FOOTPRINT strand. With the ambition for SKY ATLANTIC HD to become the home of world-class documentary films and film makers, the brief is out to the world’s best documentary makers to come to the channel with bold ideas.

Projects will be commissioned and acquired exclusively for Sky customers and will receive their TV premieres on SKY ATLANTIC HD.  To make it easier for customers to access the new films, each production will be made available to Sky Atlantic customers via Sky’s on demand services, as well as through Sky’s multiplatform TV service Sky Go, offering customers greater choice over when, where and how they watch.

BSKYB and The British Film Institute present FOOTPRINT: IN REAL LIFE a Cross Street Films/Studio Lambert production for an exclusive UK television broadcast on Sky Atlantic HD.  

Maverick Television's award-winning digital team will provide multi-platform support for In Real Life.

FOOTPRINT: THE UNKNOWN KNOWN: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DONALD RUMSFELD is produced by Moxie Pictures for History Films/ Radius-TWC / Participant Media, in association with BSKYB, for an exclusive UK television broadcast on Sky Atlantic HD.

For further information please contact

Luke Morrison - Publicity Manager, Sky Atlantic HD

T: 020 7032 1479

E: Luke.Morrison@bskyb.com