Undercut: Wooden Treasure


Genre: Reality, Spring 22


Duration: 5 series 24x60'


Year of Production: 2019-2022


Production Company: GiUMa Produzioni


Commissioned By: Discovery, Italy


Broadcaster: DMAX Italy


Definition: HD


Risky but rewarding work for extreme lumberjacks

While northern Italy’s storm Vaia proved a catastrophe for many, for some, it provided a big new business opportunity: clearing the forest of millions of cubic metres of fallen trees and transforming them into hard cash. This fascinating obs-doc series follows the strenuous and dangerous work of those highly qualified lumberjacks capable of taking on such a risky job.

In these two new series the lumberjacks face fresh enemies, arguably even more fearsome than the storm itself: massive snowfalls in series 4, and the spruce bark beetle in series 5. Series 4 is fraught with danger, as Mother Nature brings tremendous snowfalls, making the steepest and most inaccessible sites even more treacherous. Will the team be able to find a way around the terrible weather, crushing economic situation and the pressure of suppliers? The microscopic insect that we meet in series 5 can kill a centuries-old tree within just two weeks, and they spread like wildfire, causing the landscape to change daily. The damage to the entire ecosystem is incalculable, and the only way to tackle their devastating impact is to intervene quickly and cut down trees. Forced to invest in more powerful machinery and manage plots of land which push them to their limits, the lumberjacks are risking everything. Now, more than ever, they must act quickly to avoid disaster and save their future. It’s a race against time that, once again, is not on their side. It involves sacrifice, teamwork, trust, and lots of risk.

Series 5: 5 x 60’

Series 4: 5 x 60’

Series 3: 5 x 60’

Series 2: 5 x 60'

Series 1: 4 x 60'