Arte Documania

Editorial tone

Accessible, narrative, character-driven. The personality at the centre — their life, contradictions, impact. Neither hagiographic nor investigative exposé. Respectful but honest. New images and new perspectives on familiar faces. Entertaining and informative at once.

What this format covers

• ●Famous personalities from film, music, art, literature
• ●Life stories with cultural or contemporary historical relevance
• ●Icons of pop culture and high culture from mid-20th century onward
• ●Biographical facts, previously unknown aspects
• ●New images and exclusive archive material
• ●Portraits that tell an era beyond the person

What this format does NOT want

• ●Personalities before the 20th century
• ●Purely historical analysis without biographical core
• ●Investigative revelations or scandal stories
• ●Academic work analysis without narrative access
• ●Unknown personalities without cultural reach
• ●Political biographies without cultural connection

Visual expectations

Rich archive material — film, photo, audio. Exclusive or rare footage is a strong argument. Stylized interviews with companions. Location visits to original sites. Aesthetically ambitious, appropriate to the subject. For filmmakers: film clips. For musicians: concert recordings. Not a cheap clip-show format.

Expected exposé structure

1. Title + subtitle (personality's name prominent)
2. Logline (2–3 sentences: who, what's the new angle, why now)
3. Exposé body text as narrative life story
4. The new approach — what distinguishes this portrait from existing ones
5. Archive access and exclusive material
6. Interview partners (named specifically)
7. Production company, author, contact

Example productions

• Romy Schneider — Die zwei Gesichter einer Frau
• David Bowie — Der Mann, der die Welt veränderte
• Helmut Newton — Frames from the Edge
• Tina Turner — My Love Story
• Grace Kelly — Die wahre Geschichte