CODA Producer Vendôme Launches Doc Division

The Academy Award-winning studio Vendôme Pictures, behind the Oscar winner CODA, has set up a new documentary department.

Ninon Desplat has been appointed head of development for documentaries and French series. Under the newly minted Vendôme documentary banner, Desplat will be charged with creating a multi-genre, multinational documentary slate with a focus on pop culture subjects in both English and French.

Desplat will also ramp up Vendôme’s TV slate and further expand its French-speaking projects. She joins Sonia Droulhiole, who was recently appointed head of development and production for film and scripted series for the company’s English-speaking arm. Droulhiole is responsible for overseeing all English-language features and scripted series from scouting, development and talent management through to delivery.

Desplat and Droulhiole will report to Vendôme founder, chairman and CEO Philippe Rousselet and co-CEO Fabrice Gianfermi, effective immediately.

Formerly based in New York, Desplat previously worked for Frank Miller INK as production coordinator and head of development for Velvet Film (Exterminate All the Brutes, Amexica, I Am Not Your Negro).

Droulhiole recently served as senior development executive for Amazon Studios France. Prior to Amazon, she worked as a development and production executive at Octopolis and in international sales for StudioCanal and WTFilms.

Rousselet said: “Vendôme’s continued growth and expansion into different genres is only a natural progression of our beliefs and ambition. Sonia and Ninon perfectly round out our growing team and truly share our ethos and understanding of what Vendôme stands for.”

Desplat said: “I can’t wait to join Philippe and Fabrice’s team and am grateful for their trust. I look forward to launching a new division and building a diverse slate of projects together.”

Droulhiole added: “I’m thrilled to join forces with Ninon at Vendôme. This year has truly been an exciting ride as we continue to build the company’s ambitious English-language slate following Philippe’s global success with CODA.”