Arte in France and Germany and BBC Four in the UK have acquired a film in which an ornithologist sets out to record the call of every one of the 200 bird species in Ireland.

Birdsong (1×60′) sees ornithologist Seán Ronayne and his partner Alba travel to some of the country’s most beautiful and remote locations to capture its most elusive species and soundscapes, using Ronayne’s hypersensitivity to sound which has proven both a struggle and a strength.

It comes after the film won Best Story award at the European Wildlife Film Awards in Germany last month, had its North American premiere at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula before screening at several US film festivals.

Directed by Kathleen Harris and produced by Aideen O’Sullivan and Ross Whitaker for True Films, it had its Irish TV premiere on RTÉ One last May.

RTÉ Programme Sales has also shopped The Cable that Changed the World (1×60’/1×90′), a Tyrone Films/Create One coproduction for RTÉ, Arte and BBC Northern Ireland, to Rai in Italy and YLE in Finland.

Narrated by actor and singer Jessie Buckley, The Cable that Changed the World explores the story of the first transatlantic communications cable to traverse the ocean floor, from Valentia Island, Ireland to Newfoundland, Canada, 165 years ago.

On the comedy front, BBC NI and BBC iPlayer has acquired Hardy Bucks (18×30′), which follows the fictional exploits of a group of 20-something slacker lads living in a small fictional town in Ireland.

Edel Edwards, head of programme sales at RTÉ, said: “The response to Birdsong has been what we would expect of such a remarkable piece of work. There is so much to explore in its intricate layers, from the degradation of our biodiversity, the beautiful ways neurodiversity can create niche talents for people, all the way to the majesty of murmuration.

“The Cable that Changed the World is also a film that reveals so many layers of history and scientific innovation under what appears to be a little-known subject. Hardy Bucks on the other hand is mockumentary on small-town Irish life that underlines the unique Irish ability to not take ourselves too seriously.

“We’re immensely proud of all of these shows and gratified that prestigious European broadcasters and audiences can appreciate them too.”

Arte in Germany and France, BBC Four listen to Birdsong with RTÉ programme sales | News | C21Media