International production companies Story House and United Heroes have entered into a new partnership to develop and produce a slate of premium current affairs documentaries, bringing together Story House’s international production and storytelling expertise and United Heroes’ unique access, storytelling and production capabilities in Ukraine and across Europe.

The partnership will focus on investigative stories with an international scope at the crossroads of geopolitics, international conflicts, and contemporary history, combining an in-depth journalistic approach with cinematic documentary storytelling and privileged access to people and events shaping today’s world.

The companies are about to finish their first major project, a three-part series MH17: Attack on the Truth, which is currently in the final stages of filming and is scheduled to premiere on German pubcaster ZDF in Germany in 2027.

The series investigates the downing of Malaysian Boeing MH-17 over East of Ukraine in 2014 as a defining turning point of Russia’s shadow war against the West and the extraordinary battle against disinformation and manipulation. With access to key witnesses in the investigation and previously unseen footage of the alleged perpetrators, the series looks beyond the tragedy itself to explore the year-long struggle of investigators and victim’s families to uncover the truth.

The collaboration on MH17: Attack on the Truth has now developed into a broader strategic relationship, with Story House and United Heroes building a joint slate of current affairs titles designed for the international market. Amongst them a feature documentary about deported Ukrainian kids into Russia, the new frontiers of modern warfare and others, with an emphasis on character-driven narratives and exclusive access.

Jens Afflerbach, Story House, commented: “We feel a growing need of audiences and broadcasters alike to provide a better understanding of the current disruptions of the international order. Working with United Heroes gives us access to extraordinary investigative stories, characters and perspectives that are otherwise impossible to reach. At the same time, we share the same ambition: to turn complex current affairs subjects into compelling, accessible and visually ambitious films for a global audience. We are excited to build on our first project together and develop a strong slate for broadcasters and platforms internationally.”

Pavlo Cherepin, United Heroes, added: “Over the past years, Ukraine and Eastern Europe have become the centre of stories that are not simply regional. Our ambition is to combine the access and understanding we have on the ground with Story House’s experience of delivering major international documentaries. MH17: Attack on Truth has shown how naturally our teams complement each other, and we see this as the beginning of a much wider collaboration.”