Zinc Media’s Raw Cut is producing new history series, Queens of Combat, that will uncover the hidden story of female gladiators.
It is set to air in the UK and US later this year.
The traditional story of the gladiator is dominated by male fighters, drenched in blood and glory. But history has overlooked and, in some cases, deliberately erased the women who stepped into the arena. Now, for the first time, Queens of Combat will uncover this forgotten history and tell the story of women who risked their lives in the world of violent gladiatorial combat. With the help of a team of top international experts, the documentary will piece together ground-breaking evidence that has been hiding in plain sight. From a tiny statue in Germany, to an ancient lamp in Australia, and a mysterious tablet hidden deep in an Italian monastery, it aims to restore the female gladiators to their rightful place in history.
The series is Directed by Susannah Ward (Tomos TV), Executive Produced by Steve Warr (Raw Cut), with Barney Rowe (Tomos TV) as Location Producer, and Rachele Fragonese (Tomos TV) as Assistant Producer.
Queens of Combat is an international co production from Raw Cut Distribution and Abacus-Sphere Distribution. In the United States, the documentary will air on PBS as part of the Secrets of the Dead series. It will also air on SBS in Australia and is arranged for worldwide distribution via Abacus-Sphere.
Director Susannah Ward, Tomos TV, said: “Searching for evidence of female gladiators has underlined for me how often women’s history is overlooked or erased. Researching and filming Queens of Combat has been a big challenge for our team because women leave so few traces behind – even those as brave and formidable as the female gladiators who held their own in the arena.”
Jon Creamer
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