Germany’s Beetz Brothers and South Africa’s Storyscope have partnered to co-produce “Free at Last,” a premium documentary series re-telling of the history of Apartheid.
The series will unveil the true stories behind the oppressive and racist regime that ruled South Africa for decades, weaving together exclusive accounts from both victims and perpetrators, unseen footage and previously unpublished documents. It’s directed by Misha Wessel, Thomas Blom (“The Hunt for Gaddafi’s Billions”) and Xoliswa Sithole (“The Fall”).
Commissioned to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s inauguration, the three-part series marks the pivotal moments of the Apartheid era: from the establishment of the Apartheid state, its segregation laws, violent and terrorizing tactics, though the birth of African National Congress (ANC), Mandela’s fight for freedom and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to the current day attempts of the victims’ families to finally get the truth out.
The docu series has been boarded by European broadcasters, ZDF and Arte, as well as VPRO and South Africa’s SABC.
“Free at Last”, which will also be available as a feature length film, is produced by executive producers Reinhardt Beetz at Beetz Brothers, and Neil Brandt at Storyscope. Beetz Brothers is also handling pre-sales and is in talks with additional broadcast partners.
“The backbone of the series is the unfolding of the infamous COSAS 4 case in which four youths who wanted to join the armed struggle got caught in a trap,” said Brandt. “The trial, currently in court, is the first where a case against humanity and murder perpetrated during Apartheid, will be heard in a South African court,” Brandt continued.
Beetz said the team behind this series “spent years researching these events, establishing an extensive network of sources and securing exclusive access to key figures and eyewitnesses who are coming forth for the first time to reveal the truth and share their experiences”.
Tshilidzi Davhana, head of factual at SABC said “Free At Last” “will assist us in delivering on our 30 Years of Democracy slate with the view of promoting continued dialogue and reigniting the nation in a period where many have lost hope.”
“The documentary will also serve as a vehicle to carry the story of democracy forward and remind us how far we have come and how much further we can go,” Davhana continued.
Beetz Brothers Productions recently delivered the documentary “Eternal You” which world premiered at Sundance and will be theatrically released this Spring. The film explores the use of AI to communicate with loved ones after death. The company’s current pipeline includes “Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer,” a true crime docu series that just bowed on Netflix, and the Sky Original documentary series on the rise and fall of Spanish King Juan Carlos I .
Storyscope, which is considered one of South Africa’s leading factual production companies, previously delivered the Netflix true-crime series “Senzo: Murder of a Football Star” which won the 2023 South Africa Film & Television Award for best documentary series, and the documentary “Influence”‘ which played at Sundance.
