The Observer Film Company was established in October 1988, primarily as a result of negotiations between television producer Kimi Zabihyan, freelance journalist Andrew Drummond and The Observer's then-editor Donald Trelford for the establishment of an independent factual film production company with financial backing from the Observer.
The first documentary to be produced by the company, 'Lord of the Golden Triangle', an expose on the Burmese drug baron Khun Sa, was broadcast on ITV on the 12th July 1989. This was co-produced between Drummond and Zabihyan, who had previously been a producer at Picture Partnership Productions. Zabihyan produced most of the company's productions.
The company continued to produce programmes for all the major UK television companies, including the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV, until 1995. Over 30 productions were made in the first four years of the company's existence, covering UK domestic issues and many of the main issues of interest in international journalism from the time. These included various productions on the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, investigations in China and El Salvador, various productions on the Soviet Union (including an interview with Andrei Gromyko, conducted just a few months before his death), gang culture in the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica and an investigation into the testing of chemical and biological weapons by the Ministry of Defence on unsuspecting British soldiers.
The company became part of Guardian Newspapers Ltd when the Observer was acquired by Guardian Media Group in 1993, continuing to operate under the same name. The Observer Film Company was wound-up in December 1995.
From the guide to the Records of The Observer Film Company, 1988-1995, (Guardian News & Media Archive)
