Off the Fence (OTF) is heading to MIPCOM 2026 with three new history documentaries, led by Secret of Hitler’s Elite, which has secured an early international deal with Viasat World ahead of its market launch.
Produced by WildBear Entertainment, the four-part series examines the personal and professional lives of key figures in Nazi Germany, including Joseph Goebbels, Erwin Rommel, Heinz Guderian, Hermann Goering and Heinrich Himmler. Using correspondence, diaries, newly translated letters and archival footage alongside contributions from historians and military experts, the series explores the people behind the political and military leadership of Hitler’s Germany.
Off the Fence expands its history slate
Off the Fence will also present I Shot the President, a 52-minute or 90-minute documentary from AACTA-nominated filmmaker Neil McGregor. The film revisits the 1981 assassination attempt against US President Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley Jr., examining the circumstances surrounding the attack and Hinckley’s fixation on Taxi Driver and Jodie Foster.
The third new title, The Mystery of the Jaguar People, follows a scientific expedition into the Colombian Amazon led by National Geographic Explorer Francesco Sauro and Colombian anthropologist Carlos Castaño-Uribe. Co-produced by Wanted Media Productions and Cutting Edge Productions for ARTE, the documentary explores an expedition that uncovered ancient rock art and evidence of human occupation dating back to the end of the Pleistocene.
OTF is also taking fresh sales to Cannes for titles already in its history catalogue. Forgotten Heroes of the American Revolution, produced by GMarsh TV, has been licensed to ORF in Austria, TV3 in Spain and Canal+ in France. The documentary explores lesser-known figures who contributed to American independence.
Meanwhile, Afanti Media’s Black Waters: The Sea Empress Disaster has been acquired by TV3 Spain and Canal+ France. The film revisits the 1996 Sea Empress oil spill off the Welsh coast, combining archive material, CGI and eyewitness testimony to examine one of the UK’s major environmental disasters and its long-term consequences.
The latest deals give Off the Fence a broader history offering at MIPCOM, spanning military history, political events, exploration and environmental disasters.
Loren Baxter, vice-president of acquisitions and co-productions at Off the Fence, said: “The demand for history content is ever-present and multifaceted. As we head into MIPCOM, buyers can expect a compelling range of programming in this space: gripping stories from WWII, familiar historical subjects explored from fresh perspectives, and unique access to the ancient world that reveals new clues about our past. Working with some of the most talented producers in their fields, we’re incredibly excited to bring these distinctive and thought-provoking titles to our buyers.”
