Filming of the ARD series ‘In the valley’

Filming begins on the ARD series “In the valley” (working title) | Niki Stein directs new series set in the Ahr Valley

The fictional series “In the valley” (working title) tells, over four episodes, the story of the once-in-a-century flood that irrevocably changed the lives of the people in the Ahr Valley on 14 July 2021. For the two friends Lena and Nicola and their families, too, everything that had previously seemed certain is now called into question: their friendship, their future, their lives. Filming for the series has been underway in Belgium since 19 May and will later move to the Ahr Valley. “Im Tal” (working title) by writer and director Niki Stein is a 307 Production production, co-produced with SWR, ARD Degeto Film and WDR for Das Erste and the ARD Mediathek.

The series centres on five young people, all of whom grew up in the Ahr Valley and are on the cusp of realising their dreams, along with their families. Some of them are on duty as members of the volunteer fire brigade on the night of the flood. They try to help as many people as possible in a race against time, whilst, as the night progresses, more and more people are left waiting for help and at the mercy of the situation. After the flood, the events are reconstructed through interviews in order to understand how the disaster could have reached such proportions. The fictional series ‘In the valley’ (working title) tells the story from different perspectives and across different time frames, exploring grief and anger, feeling overwhelmed and a sense of responsibility, but also solidarity – from which a new beginning can emerge.

Sensitive and profound

Clemens Bratzler, SWR Director of News and Current Affairs: “Since that devastating night of flooding in July 2021, which claimed 135 lives, SWR has provided close and sustained journalistic coverage of the people and developments in the Ahr Valley. With the star-studded series ‘Im Tal’ (working title) for Das Erste, we aim to ensure that the events of that fateful night – as well as the challenges and achievements that followed – are not forgotten. Niki Stein has written a sensitive script that offers an emotional and insightful portrayal of how young people and their families must come to terms with their fate and how their lives in the valley can continue afterwards.”

Cast
In front of Willy Dettmeyer’s camera are Antonia Moretti, Louis Nitsche, Lilly Charlotte Dreesen, Alessandro Schuster and Riccardo Campione, alongside Stephan Kampwirth, Thomas Loibl, Anneke Kim Sarnau, Sophie von Kessel, Silke Bodenbender, Tatiana Nekrasov, Heino Ferch, Joachim Król, Margarita Broich and many more.

The producer is Simone Höller (307 production); the executive producer is Juliane Thevissen; and the editorial team consists of Monika Denisch and Manfred Hattendorf (SWR), Christoph Pellander (ARD Degeto Film) and Sophie Seitz (WDR).

The broadcast date for the series has not yet been announced.

Press enquiries:

Annette Gilcher, SWR, Tel. 07221 929 2 40 16, annette.gilcher@SWR.de
Barbara Schmidt, Schmidt Schumacher Presseagentur, Tel. 030 26 39 13 0, info@schmidtschumacher.de
Presserelease ARD