BossaNova Media is launching BriteSpark Films’ Days that Shocked the World, first pitched at the distributor’s Development Day last year.

The series from the Argonon-owned label revisits the worst disasters of the last four decades via eye-witness testimony and powerful archive footage. One- to two-part films will be devoted to the Challenger disaster, Chernobyl, the 2000 crash of Air France Flight 4590, the 9/11 attacks and the Fukushima earthquake in 2011.

A record number of broadcasters are on board for the 2025 edition of Development Day, set to be held tomorrow (October 9). Other projects kick-started by the initiative include The Killer Clown: Murder on the Doorstep, Con Girl, The Flight Attendant Murders, The Infinite Deep: Stories of Lost Submarines, The Chameleon: The Killing of Ronald Platt, Searching for Michael Jackson’s Zoo and the By Train series. BossaNova CEO Paul Heaney began the Development Day tradition at his former company, TCB Media Rights.

“Our Development Days, which we originally saw as a ‘nice to have’ bit of window dressing, have become the engine room of BossaNova’s entire business,” Heaney said. “This year we’re celebrating the tenth anniversary of the concept, which has now proved its worth across two different companies, unlocking and unblocking a stream of fresh and topical projects that have gone on to perform well for all concerned. Days that Shocked the World is a prime example of the caliber of shows that we have helped our partners realize over the past ten years—and that’s a great feeling, as well as great business.”

Curated and produced by Claire Runham, BossaNova’s head of acquisitions, the event this year will feature the participation of National Geographic, Warner Bros Discovery, BBC Studios, ITV Studios, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky, UKTV, Paramount+, Hearst Networks, SBS, RTL and more. A total of 27 independent producers are due to pitch around 50 projects, shortlisted from more than 200 submissions. Development Day 2025 is sponsored by Getty Images alongside S4C, which is seeking projects that meet the objectives of its Commercial Content Fund.