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J.J. Abrams’ Max period crime thriller “Duster,” AMC Networks’ “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” Season 2 and Paramount+ with Showtime’s “The Agency” will bow at this year’s Canneseries whose 2025 lineup belies naysayers who argued, without a parallel MipTV and the buyers it brought to Cannes, the French TV festival would fail to draw series or celebs of weight.
“Dead City” is a world premiere, “Duster” looks like one too – it’s slated to be made available on Max on May 15. Starring Michael Fassbender, “The Agency” bowed on Paramount+ on Nov. 29, but not in France where it’s hugely awaited as a U.S. makeover of milestone French spy thriller “The Bureau.”
Among stars expected to walk the Festival’s pink carpet are main jury president Norman Reedus, absolute star of “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.”
“Bridgerton’s” Nicola Coughlan, a Konbini Award recipient, will deliver a masterclass on April 28.
Josh Holloway, Sam Clafin and Jeffrey Dean Morgan will hail into Cannes to promote “Duster,” European mega-series “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “Dead City” respectively, all playing out of competition.
Announced Tuesday in Paris, the Canneseries’ selection is certainly somewhat lighter on big U.S. series compared to a stellar 2024 edition which premiered Disney+ “Becoming Karl Lagerfeld” and Apple TV+’s “Franklin” and hosted the European bow of Prime Video’s “Fall Out.”
That, however, could be a sign of the times and timing: Cost-conscious U.S. streamers are increasingly reluctant to pay to fly in stars from the U.S. to Europe on multiple titles and ever more interested in using Canneseries and other top European festivals to promote local series with a chance of breaking out in international.
Netflix and Apple TV+ will not have series at this year’s Canneseries, which was a question of timing on big titles, said Canneseries artistic director Albin Lewi.
Conversely, apart from “Duster,” Canneseries this year will screen series for the first time from Warner Bros. Discovery, taking in two from Max France – Roma community action-packed thriller “Malditos” and soccer themed “Maintenant ou jamais, FC Montfermil” – as well as rated YA social misfits drama “nOOb” from New Zealand.
Prime Video fields Season 2 of one of its biggest bets from France, the raunchy “Escort Boys,” and Belgian period crime thriller “The Big Fuck-Up,” a potential crowd-pleaser backed by Prime Video, Netherlands, said Lewi, Disney+ backs “Kun by Aguëro,” a bioseries on the Argentine soccer legend playing Canneseries weightier than ever Rendez-vous section.
“Mip TV’s leaving Cannes in 2025 would have been a larger challenge if it had happened earlier, but we’d just ended amazing editions with big U.S, talents, big series and an edgy selection,” said Lewi, noting Canneseries received more series this year than last.
Also, Lewi argued that Canneseries is not about on-site buyers but “buzz,.” “The word of mouth of being in selection, even if buyers are not on-site, is very important. You don’t have to have thousands of people to have a market impact,” he said. Moreover, “many of our industry participants also wear different hats and all the series are supported by international distributors,” Lewi added.
Of competition series, there’s good word on Canal+/Studiocanal title “The Corsican Line,” reuniting “Mafiosa” writer-director Pierre Leccia and Mediawan’s Image et Compagnie, headed by Nicole Collet, and on “Reykjavic Fusion,” starring Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (“Trapped”), co-produced by Erik Barmack and the awaited first project to go into production from new Icelandic production powerhouse ACT4.
Further buzz titles take in South Korean father-daughter crime thriller “Doubt,” army conscript black comedy “Dorm No. 13,” from admired Finnish duo Teemu Nikki and Jani Pösö, behind Canneseries winner “Mister 8,” Beta Film pick-up “Rebound” and, in fest’s Docuseries strand, “The Nazi Cartel,” from Justin Webster, a doyen of Spain/Latin America-focused docs.
Of Long Form Competition titles, six of the eight contenders are from Nordics or Belgium, two from Norway and two airing on Belgian streaming service Streamz, which has five shows across all festival sections.
“Norway is for me the most inventive TV country in the world,” Lewi enthused. “We’re going to have a tribute to Belgium out of competition with “The Big Fuck-Up” and “Holy Shit!” “[Their respective stars] Willem De Schryver and Mona Mina Leon are both amazing.”
Also, led by “Surface,” most every major French broadcaster has titles at this year’s Canneseries, whereas French presence has been more limited in past years. Several factors are at work, said Canneseries Deputy Artistic Director Claire-Marine. “[French network] M6 is moving big into fiction again. The calendar of series has changed and is much more all-year-long than around specific launch dates. And I think that we have a really nice track record in terms of French launches, especially in the Rendez-vous last year,” she added.
Speakers at a boutique Canneseries Industry – focused on producer, writers, distributor, composer and casting directors clubs – will take in Bad Wolf’s Jane Trantner, “House of Cards” showrunner Beau Willimon, David Hadda, creator of Canneseries 2024 best series winner “The Zweiflers” and Eric Rochant, who launched “The Bureau” 10 years before this year’s Canneseries day and date on April 27, 2015. “He changed the world of series in France,” said Lewi.
Budgeted at €3.8 million ($4.1 million), backed mainly by Cannes Town Hall and with Canal+ as its media partner, Canneseries eighth edition will unspool April 24-29.
Canneseries titles in more detail:
Out of Competition
“The Agency,” (Paramount+ With Showtime, U.S.)
French Premiere
The English-language makeover of Eric Rochant’s enthralling spy thriller “The Bureau,” hailed by French newspaper Le Figaro as one of the best French series ever made. Michael Fassbender stars as a CIA agent abandoning his undercover work. Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (“Fair Game”) write; Joe Wright (“M. Son of the Century”) features among directors.
“The Walking Dead: Dead City,” Season 2 (AMC Networks, U.S.)
World premiere
The fourth spin-off from the quintessential zombie apocalypse series, created by Eli Jorné, a “Walking Dead” co-executive producer, with fan favourites Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprising their roles as Maggie and Negan, trapped in a devastated Manhattan exacerbated by its gang-warfare.
“The Big Fuck-Up,” (Streamz, Belgium, Amazon Prime Video, Netherlands)
World premiere
The latest from production-sales house Jonnydepony (“Arcadia,” “Black-Out,” “Transport”) in a ‘80s set crime thriller as Belgian gendarmes take over the country’s drug trade. Created and written by Jonydepony partner Philippe de Schepper and Bas Adriaensen (“Blackout”).
“Holy Shit!” (Streamz, Belgium)
World premiere
Yasmine, who suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome, meets the Moroccan side to her family and has a chance to realise her dream of becoming a teacher. Sold by Skoop Media and re-teaming the director Geoffrey Enthoven and co-writer/producer Mariano Vanhoof of hit 2011 Belgian comedic road movie “Come As You Are.”
“The Corsican Line,” (Canal+, France)
World premiere
Brought to market by Studiocanal at Series Mania, an awaited crime thriller toplining Raphaël Acloque, a lead in “24: Legacy,” and Lina El Arabi, absolute star of 2024 Netflix smash “Furies.” Also reuniting “Mafiosa” writer-director Pierre Leccia and Mediawan’s Image et Compagnie, headed by Nicole Collet, unspooling against spectacular settings, the series offers a knowing immersion in Corsica, its people, its ways and its ruthless mafia underworld.
“Duster,” (Max, U.S.)
J.J. Abrams’ latest, a period crime thriller set in a “wild, wily and wacky world,” he says, starring Rachel Hilson (“Love, Victor”) as the FBI’s first Black woman agent who teams with a getaway driver (Josh Holloway, “Lost”) to take down a crime syndicate. Created and written with LaToya Morgan (“Shameless”) produced by Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions and Morgan’s TinkerToy Productions through their deals with WBTV.
“The Count of Monte Cristo,” (RAI, France Televisions)
French Premiere
Starring “Peaky Blinders’” Sam Clafin, Jeremy Irons and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard (“The Chestnut Man”) and represented by CAA for North America, one of the big plays by French giant Mediawan, via Italy’s Palomar and France’s DEMD Productions, and European pubcasters RAI in Italy and France Televisions. Bille August (“Pelle the Conqueror”) directs. The series bowed at October’s Rome Film Festival, garnering some upbeat reviews and stellar ratings on RAI from a January bow.
Long Form Competition
“A Better Man,” (NRK, Norway, ZDFneo, Germany)
World premiere
Picked up by Beta Film, a four-part series produced by Norway’s Maipo Film (“State of Hapiness”), the story of an Internet troll’s path to redemption as, exposed, he dresses as a woman to avoid persecution and the world opens up to him. Thomas Seeberg Torjussen (“ZombieLars”) directs.
*”Dead End,” (Play4, Streamz, Belgium)
International Premiere
Written and directed by Malin-Sarah Gozin, whose “Clan” was adapted into four-time Primetime Emmy nominated “Bad Sisters,” an off-kilter crime drama thriller: Whenever he tastes something, Ed Bex is able to see flashes of what happened to it in the past. Arriving with a corpse in an airtight bag, Inspector Adams asks Ed to help catch the killer. Caviar TV (“Sound of Metal,” “Moresnet”produces and sells.
*”How To Kill Your Sister” (Play4, Streamz, ZDFneo, Belgium, Germany)
Two sisters, one terminally ill, reconnect and reheat long resentment on a road trip to Spain. Creative duo Evelien Broekaert and Pedro Elias serve as creators and writers on a dramedy from “Maxima” backer FBO and MadeFor Film, the scripted arm of Banijay Germany.
“L/Over,” (MTV/C More, Finland)
World Premiere
Krista Kosonen (“Beforeigners”, “Blade Runner 2049”) plays single mother Roosa who falls for intriguing novelist Juha. But his love degenerates in abusive control. Described as a Finnish event series marking first live-action series from Marika Makaroff, producer-founder of Finnish/U.K. powerhouse Gutsy Animations (“Moominvalley”). REinvent Intl. Sales serves as global distributor.
“Malditos,” (Max, France)
Billed as an action-packed crime thriller, created by Jean Charles Hue (“Eat Your Bones”) and Olivier Prieur (“The Accident”), and revolving around the leader of a gypsy community and her two sons battling to save their clan threatened with eviction by rising waters in Southern France. Produced by Mediawan-owned White Lion Films, penned by Hue, Prieur and Maya Haffar (“En thérapie”) with Hue and Cécilia Verheyden (“Undercover”) directing.
“Nepobaby,” (TV2, Norway)
World Premiere
Starring “Pørni’s” Vivild Falk Berg, a social gulf dramedy in which Emma, a working-class, 25, discovers she’s inherited a shipping empire – and has four resentful siblings. Created by actor-showrunner Henriette Steenstrup, director and co-star of “Pørni” and Siri Seljeseth with Oble handling international sales.
“Reykjavik Fusion,” (Arte, Síminn, Iceland)
World Premiere
Starring Darri Ólafsson and Hera Hilmar (“Mortal Engines”) and described as “Breaking Bad” meets “The Bear,” the awaited first project to go into production from new Icelandic production powerhouse ACT4. Co-produced by Erik Barmack’s Wild Sheep Content and co-created and written by leading Icelandic TV series producer Hörður Rúnarsson (“Black Sands”). Backed by Arte and Icelandic service Símmin, and healthily pre-sold.
“S Line,” (South Korea)
World Premiere
From Sidus, behind “Dr. Park’s Clinic,” launched on SVOD service Tving, a sci-fi thriller in which protagonist Hyun-heup sees an invisible S Line, a red thread linking people and their sexual partners, whose sight, however, plunged a friend into coma.
Short-Form Series
*”Dorm No. 13,” (YLE; Finland)
A black comedy following young army conscripts through basic training. Created by Teemu Nikki and Jani Pösö at It’s Alive Films, behind 2021 Canneseries winner “Mister8,” Venice laureate “The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See the Titanic” and Locarno sales hit “Snot and Splash.”
“Lost Media,” (Canal+ Signature, France)
Eight videos, often surreal and disturbing, such as a magic trick gone horribly wrong, created, written and directed by duo Timothée Hochet and Lucas Pastor (“Stéphane”) at Paris-based Stupefy.
“Getting Under Your Skin,” (Unis TV, Canada)
The latest from Simon Boulerice (“Chouchou”), a prolific Quebec multi-hyphenate – radio columnist, TV personality, novelist, poet, actor and screenwriter – “Skin” centers on the unlikely friendship between a queer 16-year-old and 25-year-old police officer. Sold by Zone3 International.
“nOOb,” Season 1 (Three, Three Now, Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand)
French Premiere
When king of high school and all-around-party animal Nikau is outed, we witness his social downfall, from cool guy to complete outcast. Turning online, he joins other misfits, navigating high school and the digital world as they pursue love, friendship, independence and a confidence to be their true selves. A Berlinale Market Selects title and series to track, now with a Season 2.
“Oh, Otto!” (Streamz, Belgium)
When Otto’s first love Boris dumps him, he looks to fill his heart with fleeting online love and then goes looking for his place within Brussels’ vibrant queer community. From top Belgian company Eyeworks Film & TV Drama and Stijn Van Kerkhoven, a second unit director on Keshet Intl. Netflix hit “Rough Diamonds.”
“Rebound,” (Null47, Norway)
Picked up by Beta Film last week from Norwegian outfit Fenomen (“Rod Knock,” “Saving the Fucking Planet,” also Beta titles), a 10-episode YA drama set entirely in the main character’s bedroom who processes breakup with her boyfriend and growing feelings for a rebound relationship.
Docuseries Competition
“Fulgurated, When Lightning Does Not Kill,” (Planete+ Adventure, France)
A doctor examines the strange and inexplicable symptoms developed by Raphaëlle and 13 other people, stuck by lightning in 2017. From Emilie Grall, Mickaël Royer and top French doc prodco Zadig Productions.
“Hello Stranger,” (Streamz, Belgium)Child of a Belgian mother and a Moroccan father, Younes, 32, is still trying to find his place between these two worlds. He talks to rapping grandmothers, Moroccan metalheads, Flemish extremist and actor Zouzou Ben Chikha about identity. From De Mensem, another leading Belgian outfit and Younes Haidar, Jasper Declercq and Nahid Shaikh.
“In Real Life,” (Arte France )
Victor explores, as an avatar, an online video game, simulating a real world where inflation keeps going up and where service jobs prevail. Here, everybody is following the rules, except Victor. Created, written and directed by Ekiem Barbier and Guilhem Causse, behind 2024 cult film “Knit’s Island,” produced and sold by Les Films Invisibles.
“The Agent – The Life and Lies of My Father,” (NRK, Norway)
Didrik’s father once told him he was a “secret spy.” Or maybe it’s a false memory. Now an adult, piece by piece he puts together a long life filled with many lies. Created, co-written and directed by Magnus Skatfold, co-creator of doc NYC winner “Blue Code of Silence.”
“The Nazi Cartel,” (Sky Deutschland, ZDF Info, Germany)
Sold by NBCUniversal, co-written by Christian Bergmann, Justin Webster and David Lopez and directed by Webster (“The Prosecutor, the President and the Spy”). “The Nazi Cartel” examines how notorious Nazi torturer Klaus Barbie and drug lord Roberto Suárez helped engineer the 1980 “Cocaine Coup” of Luis García Meza.
Rendez-Vous
“A Better Place,” (WDR/ARD Degeto, Germany; Canal+, Austria; Canal+, France)
French Premiere
A social issue thriller from “Spencer” producer Komplizen Film, and Studiocanal Series, its first German show. In Rheinstadt, a grey-skied post-industrial city, its progressive mayor and a criminal law expert close its correctional facility, reintegrating its inmates into society, whose fate determines Rheinstadt’s itself. Bowing at Mipcom, backed by European heavyweights Canal + and ARD.
“Kun by Aguëro,” (Disney+, Argentina)
World Premiere
A legend, playing for Manchester City the top Premier League non-English scorer in history with Mohamed Salah, who was forced into early retirement in 2021 by a heart condition. Disney+’s bio-series co-written and directed by Justin Webster and recounted by Aguëro with interviews with Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola, among others. International sales: Disney Media Distribution.
“Doubt,” (MBC, South Korea)European Premiere
Jang Tae-soo, Korea’s top profiler and a terrible father, realizes that his daughter is involved in a spate of murder’s he’s investigating. Produced by MBC, Ascendio, Woodside. A “rich and involving show, gorgeously shot and hugely immersive,” said the South China Morning Post, rating it the third best K-drama of 2024.
“Fasting Love,” (South Korea)
World Premiere
Jisu, a virtual YouTuber with a dream of becoming a singer, hides her face and performs under an avatar. She battles to lose weight at a Fasting Center and her attraction to a man who owns the restaurant nearby. Produced by startup G. Geum Production.
“Hunter With a Scalpel,” (Republic of Korea, South Korea)
The past comes back to haunt a top forensic pathologist when her father, presumed dead for years, returns to threaten everything she worked for. Introduced to the market at March’s Hong Kong FilMart.
“Nursery Rhyme Horror Story,” (South Korea)
A half-hour series reimagining nursery rhymes as chilling tales, such as “Yeon-soo’s discovery of a motel’s dark secret and Eun-chae’s haunted past,” the synopsis runs. Produced an distributed in international by Kortop Media.
“A la Poursuite du rougail saucisses,” (Canal+, France)
A foodie road series in which French writer-actor Manu Payet takes close friend William Lebghil on a trip across Payet’s native island of La Reunion, looking to sample its traditional rougail sausages, and other culinary delights.
“The Art of Crime,” Season 8, (France Télévisions, TV5, France)
Produced by French pubcaster France Televisions and by Gaumont Television, which handles international distribution, Antoine Verlay, an observant investigator, teams with art historian Florence Chassagne to solve crimes, the clues found in works of art. Ep. 2 of Season 8 – the murder of the creator of a VR game based on the work of painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres – will screen at Canneseries.
“Escort Boys,” Season 2 (Prime Video, France)
World Premiere
“Highlighting the country’s changing gender power dynamics with an eye-candy cast and grown-up jokes,” Variety wrote of
Season 1. The half-hour comedy is produced by Oberkampf Productions ‘(“Les Papillons Noirs”) and Story Nation Productions (“Hot Ones”), both Mediawan-owned. Wild Bunch handles international distribution. Created by actor-scribe-helmer Ruben Alves, behind movie smash “The Gilded Cage,”
“Ma Femme Est Une Espionne,” (M6, France)
World Premiere
Following a fall, Isabelle, 43, a mother, discovers she has extraordinary abilities, erased from her memory, derived from her youth as an intelligence services operative. She determines to return to duty….SND handles International distribution.
“Nothing Can Erase You,” (TF1, France)
World Premiere
From Banijay’s Shine Fiction, a psychological thriller adapting Michel Bussi bestseller about a mother who discovers a boy, Tom, who is the spitting image of her son, who died in a tragic accident 10 years earlier. Tom also has visions and memories of him.
“Surface,” (France Télévisions, ARD, RTL TVI, RTS)
World Premiere
Another big French series, from Quad Drama (“Women at War”) and Nadcon (“The Baztan Trilogy”) and pubcasters in France, Germany (ARD) and Switzerland (RTS), plus Belgian commercial network RTL TVI. Parisian police captain Noémie Chastain is assigned to a small town in France’s southern Occitania for forced convalescence. But she’s soon embroiled in a case: A barrel containing the skeleton of a child surfaces from the artificial lake, at the bottom of which lies the submerged old village….Classic Grench Noir.
“Aspergirl,” Season 2 (CINÉ+ OCS Signature, France)
In Season 1, Louison (Nicole Ferroni, “Mental”), a single-mother, learn she’s on the autism spectrum, as is her son Guilem. In S2, Louison is planning to live with Marica, an environmentalist, when Guilem returns announcing he will join a program to settle Mars. Brought to market at Mip London by France TV Distribution, Season 2 of a series which is “touching, tender and drole,” reads a review in Cineman.
“Maintenant ou jamais, FC Montfermeil,” (Max, France)
Yet another WBD proposition, the Under-17 team at soccer club FC Montfermeil, in a hard-scrabble district east of Paris, face a decisive season where scouts coverage from all Europe to discover new stars. Either the kids get discovered now, or their dreams may turn to dust….From Guillaume and Nicolas Thevenin, produced by Federation Studio France.
“Jailbreakers,” (France Televisions, France)
World Premiere
A penitentiary-set thriller, with Alice, 17, infiltrating a group of inmates planning an escape, to inform on them, hoping to have na earlier release and reunite with her sick mother. “As she grows attached to them, she must choose between betraying them for her freedom or escaping with them,” the synopsis runs. Sold by Oble, to air on YA channel France.tv.slash.
