At Series Mania Festival, Clément Schwebig (President, Warner Bros Discovery, Western Europe & Africa), Vera Peltekian (VP, Original Production, Max France) and Clémentine Bobin (Director, Scripted Original Production, Max France) presented the key principles of French Max Original output and a sneak peek into projects currently in production for the streaming platform launching in France in 2024.
“Thanks to our unique storytelling expertise, Warner Bros. Discovery will offer a diversified range of content on Max targeting all audiences. Our ambition with our French original productions is to root Max firmly in the French market to an audience that is demanding when it comes to series. Our goal in terms of original productions is ambitious, and we will be covering scripted, documentaries and unscripted.” said Clément Schwebig.
Véra Peltekian added, “Our aim is to produce high-quality originals for Max that are universal, unique and timeless. Clémentine Bobin adds, “With Max, we are targeting an adult audience with bold series that are director and author driven.”
Warner Bros. Discovery revealed three first scripted series for Max:
Black Lies – streaming in 2024 on Max / Mini-series – 4, hour-long episodes
On the night of the Paris attacks. Christelle, like the rest of the country, is in a state of shock. The morning after, she quickly connects with a group of victims, and when the idea of creating a support group for survivors is floated, Christelle is instrumental in bringing it to life. However, it becomes clear that her connection with the tragedy is not as it seems, threatening to unravel a deeper web of lies. Based on a true story.
Produced by StudioFact Stories with June Films, the psychological thriller is directed by Just Philippot (The Swarm, Acid) and written by Fanny Burdino, Jean-Baptiste Delafon, Samuel Doux and Alexandre Kauffmann. The story is loosely based on the non-fiction book La Mythomane du Bataclan from Alexandre Kauffmann.
The leading role is the César-winning actress Laure Calamy (Call My Agent!, My Donkey, My Lover & I), Arieh Worthalter (The Goldman case), César-winning actor is part of the cast as well, as are Annabelle Lengronne (Mother and Son), Alexis Manenti (Les Misérables), Ava Baya and Anne Benoît (Consent, All your faces).
Malditos (working title) / Series of 7, hour-long episodes
In the south of France, the leader of a Gypsy community and her two sons struggle to save their clan threatened with eviction by rising waters. To survive, they will have to cross the boundaries of legality and fight their way through a dark and dangerous world… all the while concealing the unspoken secret that has haunted their family for seven years. This action-packed crime thriller is produced by White Lion Films (Eve Muller and Noor Sadar) (Mediawan)
A series created by: Jean Charles Hue and Olivier Prieur
Based on a collaboration with Guillaume Grosse and Laurent Teyssier
Written by Jean Charles Hue (Eat your Bones, The Lord’s Ride), Olivier Prieur (The crimson rivers) and Maya Haffar (In treatment (FR))
Directed by Jean Charles Hue (5 episodes) and Cécilia Verheyden (Undercover, Ferry) (2 episodes)
Adaptation from the book Living with our dead (Vivre avec nos morts) / Series of 8, 30-minute episodes
Léa, 28, is one of France’s rare female rabbis: frail shoulders, great responsibilities as she has to find answers in the labyrinth of small and big questions in people’s lives. But how can she be a guide for others when she herself is grappling with the fundamentals of love, family and quest for meaning?
This dramedy is produced by Fédération Studios, and freely adapted by Noé Debré and Benjamin Charbit from the nonfiction memoir by Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur.
Source
Warner Bros. Discovery
