France Télévisions Boards ‘Free Pass’ From ‘Kissing Booth’ Producers and Mathieu Missoffe’s New Sci-Fi Thriller as It Pivots to Leaner, High Impact Series
Amid budget pressures, French broadcaster France Télévisions has sharpened its international fiction strategy with high-concept series with distinctive storytelling, such as Mathieu Missoffe (“Furies”)’s new thriller series “Passe Muraille” and “Free pass” from the producers of “The Kissing Booth.”
“Passe Muraille” is a six-part thriller directed by Kasia Adamik, which follows Sam Mansouri, a disillusioned telemarketer who wakes up after an alcohol-fueled blackout with the ability to walk through walls. Produced by Banijay’s Marathon Studio with France Televisions and directed by Kasia Adamik, the series stars Janis Abrikh, Noémie Schmidt, Samir Boitard, Malik Zidi and Mylène Jampanoï.
“Free Pass,” meanwhile, revolves around a French couple Céline and Eric win the trip of a lifetime on a game show and arrive at the hotel only to discover that the only other guests a Hollywood power couple named Shonda and Hank who are looking for a vacation romance. The show was created by Max Benitz and produced by iGeneration Studios (“The Kissing Booth”) in the U.K.; Summertime in France; as well as Michael Shyjka and Max Benitz; with France Télévisions.
Speaking to Variety ahead of the broadcaster’s showcase at Series Mania Festival in Lille, Mourad Koufan, head of international fiction and young adults, said these new shows in development illustrate France Télévisions’s plan to double down on projects designed to cut through. “We produce few series, but we try to make impactful ones — ones that people talk about and that attract new audiences,” Koufan said.
As a result, France Télévisions is steering toward what Koufan describes as a “high-impact, more reasonable budget” model, prioritizing bold ideas over scale.
The shift has been prompted by a tightening of budgets, not just in France but across Europe. “France Télévisions has seen a fairly significant decline, and so have our colleagues in Europe, which leads us to believe that we must prioritize projects that have a lower production budget.” In the pact, he says, high end series were generally produced with budgets around £2 million to £4 million per episode. Going forward, France Télévisions will now seek projects that are have a maximum budget ranging between €2 million and €2.5 million per episode, he pointed out.
“Finding a really strong idea means you don’t necessarily always need four or five million euros per episode to make a series that everyone remembers,” he said. Koufan said France Télévisions’ strategy rests on two pillars: contemporary series that reflect today’s world, and shows that have strong concepts or are based on well-known IP.
While France Télévisions has had great successes with prestige series such as “The Count of Monte Cristo,” a drama based on Alexandre Dumas’ literary classic, Koufan said France Télévisions’ international fiction unit has moved away from period shows, leaving those projects to its French-language division. “These projects are complex to finance and often take years to assemble,” he said. Amid the tougher environment, France Télévisions is more than ever looking for international alliances with other partners, from broadcasters to pay TV groups, and streamers, which Koufan said are increasingly flexible as they face similar pressures.
“We communicate a lot with them… The entire market — broadcasters, distributors, streamers — is really attentive to projects and finding the best ways to bring them to life,” he said.
The broadcaster is also ramping up acquisitions of English-language shows such as “Fifeteen-Love,” a six-part series created by Hania Elkington (“The Innocents”) and produced by ITV Studios’ World Productions. Directed by Eva Riley (“Perfect 10”) and Toby MacDonald (“Old Boys”), the show follows Justine Pearce, a teenage tennis prodigy whose career is cut short by a traumatic incident during a Roland-Garros semifinal. Five years later, her former coach returns to the spotlight, prompting her to accuse him of sexual abuse and sending shockwaves through the tennis world. The cast includes Ella Lily Hyland, Aidan Turner and Anna Chancellor.
Recent high-profile acquisitions include “King & Conqueror,” created by Michael Robert Johnson and starring James Norton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Clémence Poésy, Emily Beecham and Eddie Marsan.
France Télévisions is presenting several shows at Series Mania, including the world premiere of a dystopian drama, “The Best Immigrant,” in the international competition.
“Passe Muraille” is a six-part thriller directed by Kasia Adamik, which follows Sam Mansouri, a disillusioned telemarketer who wakes up after an alcohol-fueled blackout with the ability to walk through walls. Produced by Banijay’s Marathon Studio with France Televisions and directed by Kasia Adamik, the series stars Janis Abrikh, Noémie Schmidt, Samir Boitard, Malik Zidi and Mylène Jampanoï.
“Free Pass,” meanwhile, revolves around a French couple Céline and Eric win the trip of a lifetime on a game show and arrive at the hotel only to discover that the only other guests a Hollywood power couple named Shonda and Hank who are looking for a vacation romance. The show was created by Max Benitz and produced by iGeneration Studios (“The Kissing Booth”) in the U.K.; Summertime in France; as well as Michael Shyjka and Max Benitz; with France Télévisions.
Speaking to Variety ahead of the broadcaster’s showcase at Series Mania Festival in Lille, Mourad Koufan, head of international fiction and young adults, said these new shows in development illustrate France Télévisions’s plan to double down on projects designed to cut through. “We produce few series, but we try to make impactful ones — ones that people talk about and that attract new audiences,” Koufan said.
As a result, France Télévisions is steering toward what Koufan describes as a “high-impact, more reasonable budget” model, prioritizing bold ideas over scale.
The shift has been prompted by a tightening of budgets, not just in France but across Europe. “France Télévisions has seen a fairly significant decline, and so have our colleagues in Europe, which leads us to believe that we must prioritize projects that have a lower production budget.” In the pact, he says, high end series were generally produced with budgets around £2 million to £4 million per episode. Going forward, France Télévisions will now seek projects that are have a maximum budget ranging between €2 million and €2.5 million per episode, he pointed out.
“Finding a really strong idea means you don’t necessarily always need four or five million euros per episode to make a series that everyone remembers,” he said. Koufan said France Télévisions’ strategy rests on two pillars: contemporary series that reflect today’s world, and shows that have strong concepts or are based on well-known IP.
While France Télévisions has had great successes with prestige series such as “The Count of Monte Cristo,” a drama based on Alexandre Dumas’ literary classic, Koufan said France Télévisions’ international fiction unit has moved away from period shows, leaving those projects to its French-language division. “These projects are complex to finance and often take years to assemble,” he said. Amid the tougher environment, France Télévisions is more than ever looking for international alliances with other partners, from broadcasters to pay TV groups, and streamers, which Koufan said are increasingly flexible as they face similar pressures.
“We communicate a lot with them… The entire market — broadcasters, distributors, streamers — is really attentive to projects and finding the best ways to bring them to life,” he said.
The broadcaster is also ramping up acquisitions of English-language shows such as “Fifeteen-Love,” a six-part series created by Hania Elkington (“The Innocents”) and produced by ITV Studios’ World Productions. Directed by Eva Riley (“Perfect 10”) and Toby MacDonald (“Old Boys”), the show follows Justine Pearce, a teenage tennis prodigy whose career is cut short by a traumatic incident during a Roland-Garros semifinal. Five years later, her former coach returns to the spotlight, prompting her to accuse him of sexual abuse and sending shockwaves through the tennis world. The cast includes Ella Lily Hyland, Aidan Turner and Anna Chancellor.
Recent high-profile acquisitions include “King & Conqueror,” created by Michael Robert Johnson and starring James Norton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Clémence Poésy, Emily Beecham and Eddie Marsan.
France Télévisions is presenting several shows at Series Mania, including the world premiere of a dystopian drama, “The Best Immigrant,” in the international competition.