The television series “Davos 1917” is set in Davos in the canton of Graubünden in 1917 and is inspired by true events: The First World War is ravaging Europe. By contrast, Davos, the noble spa town in the Swiss Alps, seems like an oasis of peace. But behind the scenes, neutral Switzerland takes centre stage in a relentless battle between the secret agents of the world powers. The young nurse Johanna Gabathuler unexpectedly gets caught between the fronts: to win back her daughter, she gets involved in a deadly game with the German Secret Service.

This case study on Davos 1917 will look at development of the show’s content over time and the financial risks for the production companies and broadcasters involved. It will also discuss collaboration and decision making within large international teams and multiple stakeholders, the shows distribution, as well as the responsibilities and challenges that are part of producing a historical television series.

The six-part series Davos 1917, was produced by Contrast Film, Letterbox Filmproduktion, Swiss broadcaster SRF and ARD Degeto. Created by Adrian Ilian and directed by Jan-Eric Mack, Anca Miruna, and Christian Theede, it is the largest Swiss-German co-production to date.

This event takes place in CinemaxX 3.