Blink Films, PBS Nova, Arte partner on archaeology doc Ghost Ship Mystery

Ghost Ship Mystery has also been pre-bought by SBS in Australia

UK factual production company Blink Films, part of Tin Roof Media, has partnered with US pubcaster PBS’s Nova strand and Arte in France and Germany on a documentary following a team of archaeologists working in Ukraine’s war zone.

Ghost Ship Mystery (1×60’), which has also been pre-bought by SBS in Australia, follows the archaeologists as they race against time to reveal the truth behind a mysterious ship graveyard which has only come to light following the destruction of a major dam.

It pieces together the story of a vast Russian military flotilla sent in 1737 to capture a vital warm-water port in what is now southern Ukraine – a victory that would allow Russia to build its navy – only to be thwarted by plague.

The doc will air on PBS, Arte and SBS next year and will be presented to buyers at Mipcom next week by PBS Distribution.

Blink Films’ co-founder and creative director Dan Chambers exec produces with Tom Adams. Julia Cort and Chris Schmidt exec produce for Nova, which is part of PBS’s GBH Documentary Unit.

Funding for Nova and Ghost Ship Mystery is provided by Carlisle Companies, Viking Cruises and the Nova Science Trust, with major support from the Estate of John ‘Jack’ Baer and PBS viewers.