Amazon Sets First French Original

Amazon is working on its first-ever French original series for Prime Video in partnership with Newen, Bavaria Fiction and Deutsche Telekom.

Germanized (French title Deutsch-Les-Landes) stars Roxane Duran (La famille Bélier, Paula), Marie-Anne Chazel (Le tueur du Lac, Les Visiteurs), Sylvie Testud (La Vie en Rose, Jenseits der Stille) and Christoph Maria Herbst (Stromberg). The series will be shot in the Bordeaux area by French director Denis Dercourt (En équilibre, La tourneuse de page), among others.

Germanized/Deutsch-Les-Landes is created by Alexandre Charlot and Franck Magnier (Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis), as well as Thomas Rogel (Heute Show).

Deutsch-Les-Landes marks Prime Video’s first original series for its streaming service in France. Amazon Prime Video will also be the exclusive distribution partner for Deutsch-Les-Landes in France and Belgium. In Germany, Deutsche Telekom is co-producing the ten-part half-hour comedy-drama. Its first-ever original series, Germanized will be available exclusively to EntertainTV customers on SVOD service EntertainTV Serien. The series will launch on both platforms at the end of 2018.

“We launched Prime Video in France and Belgium just over one year ago and we’re proud today to announce our first French Prime original with Deutsch-Les-Landes,” said Jay Marine, the VP of Amazon Video EU. “With Deutsch-Les-Landes, we found amazing partners, cast and directors to bring this show to life and can’t wait for all of our French and Belgian Prime members to see it. This is just the beginning for us, as we will keep on bringing the best of French and international TV, including new French originals, to our customers here.”

Tanguy de Franclieu, managing director of Newen Studios Group, said: “We are very proud that Amazon has chosen us for their first French series, especially for a comedy show, a genre where the French excel, particularly on the big screen. We are also delighted to produce that show with Bavaria Fiction, our partner in the Newen Network since 2012.”

Jan S. Kaiser, managing director of Bavaria Fiction, commented: “This is a unique production with stellar talent in front and behind the camera. We are excited to join forces with Telfrance to create the first original series for two innovative platforms—Deutsche Telekom’s EntertainTV and Amazon France.”