What could be more emblematic of the French capital than a Parisian cabaret? And this is the setting of Ça, c'est Paris, a 6 x 52-minute series jostling among the seven titles in post-production presented to international buyers at the Series Mania Forum, within the 9th edition of the Coming Next from France line-up organised by Unifrance.

Chiefly starring Alex Lutz (awarded the Best Actor César and Lumière in 2019 for Guy [+leggi anche:
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scheda film]), Nicolas Maury (My Best Part [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nicolas Maury
intervista: Nicolas Maury
scheda film]), Charlotte de Turkheim, Fadily Camara and Monica Belluci (playing herself), this series penned by Edgard F. Grima, Jérôme Bruno and Marc Fitoussi has been is directed by the latest who already has 8 feature films under his belt, including Copacabana [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] (screened in Cannes’ Critics’ Week in 2010) and Two Tickets to Greece (2023), and who also directed six episodes of seasons 3 and 4 of the series Call My Agent!.

The story revolves around Gaspard Berthille, the director of the Tout-Paris - which is a famous Parisian cabaret renowned for its wild nights - who is about to sell his theatre to an hypermarket group in order to move to the countryside with his wife. But the cabaret is an integral part of his family heritage. What would his father, Dary, think, who directed the establishment for years? Gaspard comes to a decision: even if it costs him his marriage, he’s going to keep the cabaret! The story of a revival, Ça, c'est Paris is steered by Mon Voisin Productions and Federation Studios (who are also managing international sales), and will be broadcast in France on France 2.

Diversity was the byword for the six other series in post-production presented in the Coming Next from France line-up. One of them proved particularly intriguing for the audience: Sea Shadows, an ocean-based mystery set in Fécamp and shrouded in tension between the authorities, fishermen and ecologists (a 6 x 52' series written by Jonathan Rio and Monica Rattazzi, directed by David Hourrègue, produced by Mintee Studios and Thalie Images, and sold by France tv Distribution).

Two investigative series are also well worth a mention, in the form of The Eclipse, which follows two gendarmes involved in an investigation on the Aubrac plateau, the repercussions of which soon begin to affect their very own families (a 6 x 52' series produced by Carma Films and sold by About Premium Content) and The Black Widow (a 4 x 52' series written by Franck Ollivier, directed by Philippe Dajoux, produced by Episode Productions and sold by Film & Picture) which focuses on a woman who just as easily be a murderer as a stay-at-home mum.

Alain Tasma’s period drama A Dangerous Friendship likewise graced the showcase, taking a female-focused deep dive into the court of French King Louis XIII (a 4 x 52' series, adapted from a novel by Juliette Benzoni, produced by Storia Television and Fit Productions, sold by Mediawan Rights and notably starring Eloïse Rey Kafui, Stéphanie Gil, Jérémy Gillet, Italy’s Margherita Buy and Vassili Schneider).

The West Indies were also in on the action by way of Zetwal, set in a drama school in Guadeloupe (an 8 x 26' series produced by Trace Studios – who are also steering sales - and Monde & Media).

Last but not least, Newen Connect are selling Carpe Diem (a 6 x 52' series produced by Escazal Films and starring Samuel Le Bihan playing the lead role of a man who falls victim to a miscarriage of justice, who becomes a lawyer during his 17-year sentence, and who returns to his hometown Nice).