FMI boards Deutschland 83

FremantleMedia International (FMI) has acquired the global distribution rights to a new German thriller from the creators of Generation War.

Deutschland 83, from FMI-owned UFA Film, deals with the threat of nuclear conflict in the 1980s. It follows a 24-year-old East German man who is sent to West Germany to gather intelligence on the placement of nuclear missiles. The eight-part drama was recently commissioned by Germany’s RTL, as revealed by C21.

The first season culminates with the true story of a nuclear standoff in late 1983, which resulted from a misunderstood Nato report on the viability of a mid-range attack on East Germany.

Deutschland 83 was created and penned by US writer Anna Winger, who lives in Berlin. Joerg Winger co-created the show and produced it alongside Nico Hofmann, producer and UFA Fiction board chairman.

“Anna Winger and Joerg Winger, along with UFA Fiction, have elegantly translated a complex idea into a unique high-end drama that we believe will be one of the biggest dramas of 2015,” said Jens Richter, who recently started his role as CEO of FMI after joining from Red Arrow International.