French producer-distributor ZED has scored its first sale after picking up the worldwide rights for 2 x 55-minute documentary The Rise of the Gulf (pictured), to ORF Austria.

The deal follows the December 10 airing of the Frédéric Compain doc on French channel ARTE, which brought in the largest viewing audience of 2014 for the network’s primetime History slot, claiming an audience share of almost twice the average for the time period.

The Rise of the Gulf chronicles the rise of cities such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha from small Arab villages into major metropolitan centers, using archive footage and exclusive interviews with Gulf leaders and major personalities.

It was produced by Artline Films with ARTE France, TV5 Monde, RTS Switzerland, and TV2M Morocco in association with Kuwait’s Linked Productions, and support from the EU’s Media Program and the Doha Film Institute.

“This blend of history and current affairs helps us understand the long-term strategy of these countries,” said executive producer Olivier Mille in a statement. “It goes far beyond the usual media coverage of Qatar and the UAE, which are making headlines regularly.”

An air date has yet to be set for the ORF Austria broadcast.