Netflix hires Arte’s Edwards for docs

SUNNY SIDE: Netflix has hired Arte France documentary chief Mark Edwards to oversee its feature docs slate in Europe.

Mark Edwards

Edwards spent nine years at Arte, where he rose to be documentary commissioning editor. While there, he helped produce Ken Burns’ The Vietnam War for US pubcaster PBS and several US current affairs docs for UK pubcaster the BBC.

As director of original documentary features at Netflix, he will work with manager of unscripted and documentary series Dolores Emile. The news came during the streamer’s panel discussion at the Sunny Side of the Doc conference in France yesterday.

Netflix UK’s director of original documentaries, Kate Townsend, said: “Mark’s had an amazing track record at Arte. We’re just really excited that it’s going to be boots on the ground in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and across Europe.”

Edwards said: “I’m hoping to help the team find stories in France and elsewhere in Europe that will really resonate around the world. That’s easier said than done and I hope we can find a variety of ways to do that.”