Darlow Smithson Productions brings big dilemmas to the small screen

Darlow Smithson Productions, award-winning makers of the UK’s most successful theatrical documentary 'Touching the Void', have been commissioned by Channel 4 and the Discovery Channel to dramatise extraordinary stories of human survival that turn on crucial moral or life-and-death decisions.
The resulting 10x60 mins series, 'Alive' (working title) is set to leave viewers asking, “What would I have done in the same situation?”
An international co-production between Discovery Networks, Channel 4 and Granada International, 'Alive' uses first person testimony and high-end dramatic reconstruction to tell real-life stories of extreme sportsmen, professional adventurers, and ordinary people faced with agonising dilemmas on which survival depends. Ultimately, what determines who lives and who dies?
Included in the series are: the terrible choice facing a father who must decide whether to leave his nine-year-old son alone in a cave to go to find help after they have spent nine days stranded in a frozen wilderness; an adventure that turns into a nightmare struggle for survival in the Amazonian jungle when a group of friends decide to split up rather than stay together; and a landmine clearance expert captured by the Khmer Rouge who sees an opportunity to escape and save his life – but knows that he would be leaving his two Cambodian colleagues to a certain death.
Telling stories of supreme courage and of man's instinct to survive, Alive (w/t) will break the mould of conventional survival documentaries.
John Smithson, Executive Producer, said: “We are extremely proud of this unique series. We've obtained access to many amazing people who have been to the edge of mortality and back. Their stories are incredible and an inspiration to us all."
'Alive' will be exec produced by John Smithson and Adelene Alani. Series producer is Alex Marengo. Delivery is from August 2005 for transmission later this year.
Granada International has worldwide rights excluding the UK and US.
(SP)