Julia Schulte: Last News

Ben Croll French true crime broke barriers this year when the non-fiction miniseries “Unsuspected” premiered at Series Mania. Such a showcase is rare for a factual program, but then, “Unsuspected” is a no common doc. Bringing together a pair of filmmakers with respective backgrounds in narrative features and investigative reporting, the four-part inquiry into a maddening 1970s cold case mixes archival accounts with textured recreations, making for a project that defies easy categorization.

Ben Croll Gallic TV has cause to celebrate. French broadcast hit world records with this year’s Summer Olympics opening ceremony, for instance. Drawing 1.5 billion global views, the locally produced television event was the centerpiece of the global broadcast year, carrying viewers on an ornate Seine cruise (granted, with a few controversial pit stops along the route). The subsequent, record-breaking games then cemented Paris as 2024’s premier TV destination — while encouraging hometown producers and international distributors to act on such familiarity. Indeed, from fizzy procedurals to frosty whodunits, much of the scripted fare hitting this year’s Mipcom shares a passion for local terroir and a belief that such specificity can offer programing a competitive advantage. “France’s great locations can be real assets,” says Newen Connect CCO Leona Connell, pointing towards South of France set procedurals like “Carpe Diem” and “Panda.” “We often refer to such series as ‘blue sky procedurals,’ as they are sunny in both location and disposition,” Connell continues.

Ben Croll Dotted with history and marked by weathered beauty, the Normandy coast will stay carved into the TV landscape long after buyers depart this week’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre. With this year marking the 80th anniversary Operation Overlord, the coast will play an evident starring role in historical docs from across the globe, all while local and international productions continue to embark with an eye on rugged locations.

EXCLUSIVE: French detective Inspector Adamsberg has returned for another case, and France TV Distribution is opening his latest murder file at MIPTV.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent France tv distribution has boarded international sales for “Deep Blue Horizons – Exploring the Seas,” a documentary series hosted by journalist and explorer Diego Buñuel. A reboot of France Televisions‘ iconic wildlife format “Thalassa,” the factual title is being unveiled to buyers at Mipdoc in Cannes.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Keshet Studios, the U.S. scripted arm of Keshet International, has acquired the U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: France TV Distribution will be at Series Mania next week with Enjoy!, a drama series based on Benoit Marchisio’s novel Tout Complices!.

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of its bow at Series Mania, French sci-fi drama Sea Shadows been picked up for distribution.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Paramount+ in France has acquired “French Roulette – A Mother’s Ordeal,” Vincent Garenq’s (“Guilty”) limited series set in the 1970s. Under the deal, Paramount+ will have exclusive first-window rights in France to the series, which is represented internationally by France TV Distribution, and will premiere it on Dec.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Netflix has swooped on “Vortex,” the event drama-fantasy series which recently launched on France Televisions and garnered stellar ratings. The limited series will be available on Netflix in 190 countries starting June 2. The mini-series was produced by Quad Drama, the banner behind “Women at War” and “The Bonfire of Destiny” — a pair of highly successful shows which were jointly commissioned by Netflix and TF1. Set in 2025, the show stars Sisley as Ludovic, the police captain in the French city of Brest who lost the love of his life, Melanie, 27 years prior in a tragic accident. 

EXCLUSIVE: Sky Italia and CBC are among the international buyers swooping for Gallic content following last week’s inaugural French TV Screenings.