Paris-based boutique distribution outfit About Premium Content (APC) has picked up global rights to the French crime family saga “Blue Gold,” produced by Banijay Entertaiment’s Authentic Prod for France Télévisions.
Toplining Barbara Probst (“The Amateur,” “Cette nuit-là”), the eight-part series is debuting at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre, the biggest market for French TV programs, which kicks off Monday, Sept. 1.
Directed by Hippolyte Dard (“Sam,” “Astrid et Raphaëlle”) from a screenplay by Marie-Anne Le Pezennec (“Dolmen”) and Ludovix Lacroix, the cross generational family saga and crime drama is set in sun-drenched Southern France.
“When a devastating drought strikes the remote village of Vallouans in 2024, it uncovers more than just a forgotten spring: It awakens a century-old buried secret, passed down through the generations,” reads the official synopsis. “Flore, a curious and determined young woman, finds herself drawn into the shadows of her family’s past. Her mother, Alice, carries memories she can’t explain, and her grandmother holds the final piece of the puzzle. Each woman is pulled back to Vallouans where the mystery will finally come to light.”
In the title roles next to Probst are Samir Boitard, Sylvie Granotier, Déborah Krey, Eric Caravaca and Tom Leeb.
“Blue Gold” is a family saga and crime series, mixing a gripping mystery with a curse tied to water. At its heart, it’s about what we pass down – good or bad – from generation to generation,” said APC’s head of international sales Julie Mateille who underlines the “natural and organic” multi-layered storyline as one of the show’s selling points, together with its topical environmental footprint. “The series contrasts the lush nature of the 1980s with today’s harsher reality, underlining the impact of climate change. “
“Blue Gold is an addictive drama with soapy elements along with a classic investigation, which is going to resonate with audiences across generations worldwide,” said the sales executive.
Shepherding the series is seasoned producer Aline Panel of Banijay France’s banner Authentic Prod, which has delivered a raft of hit scripted shows such as “Sam,”” Le Temps assassin” and “Je te promets,” French version of “This is Us.” The show will be delivered later this year, with a premiere on French pubcaster France Télévisions yet to be announced.
Other premium shows toplining APC’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous slate include “Seasons,” a love triangle by “Call My Agent”’s Nicolas Maury, produced by Windy Production for Arte, and the 1980s’ flamboyant crime dramedy “The Big Fuck Up,” produced by Belgium’s Jonydepony for Streamz and Prime Video Netherlands.
For Mateille, the Unifrance showcase, unfolding in the run-up to Mipcom, offers a clear advantage “for distributors like us to launch our upcoming French series. The Rendez-Vous offers a great opportunity to bring buyers together in a more casual way and encourage them to screen our series.”
Expanding on the current market, she said: “The global market remains challenging and saturated with content vs. opportunities for pure acquisition. Following the crisis that started in 2022, traditional broadcasters and global platforms tend to play it safe, investing less and more selectively, prioritizing established IPs with a clear unique selling point and recognizable talent, making it harder for other projects to find their place. At the same time, global streamers have shifted to local content, investing heavily in their own originals, which creates new opportunities for second runs from time to time.
Hopefully, every year, well-crafted and more original shows are standing out and popular with the audience.”