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Exclusive: French network M6 has ordered a drama about a man who manipulates women and turns deception into an art form.

The commission marks a debut series for Banijay France label Shine Fiction, which is co-producing Serial Lover with Amaury Fournial from Sibaro Films. Banijay Rights takes international sales.

Written by Alice Den Broek and directed by Fred Berthe, Serial Lover‘s synopsis bills the show as “the story of a shrewd man who lives many different lives – a pilot, a surgeon, a broker, a journalist; developing a new personality for every identity and deceiving experts in each field. Handsome, charming, and attentive, exhilarated by his power, the deception becomes an art form as he manipulates all those around him, especially women who he targets and steals from. How many women have fallen in this trap?”

“For the victims, the consequences are heavy, they become isolated from their families, humiliated,...

Arna Media, the Russian distribution company run by Nadezda Motina, has secured the rights to “Brother and Sister,” “The Tank,” “Little Allan – The Human Antenna” and “The Colors of Fire” for its theatrical pipeline.

Arnaud Desplechin’s family-drama “Brother and Sister” stars Marion Cotillard, Melvil Poupaud and Golshifteh Farahani. Cotillard and Poupaud play the titular siblings who, following the death of their parents, reunite after decades of silence. It is a companion film to Desplechin’s 2004 César award-winning movie “Kings and Queen.” The project is produced by Why Not Productions and is in post, set to be completed by May. Arna acquired the rights from sales agent Wild Bunch.

Clovis Cornillac’s “The Colors of Fire” is the female-powered thriller based on Pierre Lemaitre’s bestseller. The film, which stars Lea Drucker, Benoit Poelvoorde, Olivier Gourmet, Fanny Ardant and Cornillac, follows Madeleine (Drucker) through 1920s Paris on a journey to...

Banijay has announced that its French scripted label, Endemol Shine Fiction, is rebranding as Shine Fiction and has already signed several important development deals under the new banner. The announcement was made during a Series Mania panel lead by Banijay’s head of scripted Lars Blomgren which included Shine Fiction managing director Dominique Farrugia among the guests.

Farrugia, who has been managing director since November of last year, will stay on in her current position and head the updated label. She is tasked with maintaining a full pipeline of ambitious high-end content for the French market which also has international potential.

Straight out of the gates, Shine Fiction has closed a deal with talent agent Camille Trumer for the rights to adapt the bestselling novels of French author Pierre Lemaitre. His novels “The Great Swindle” (“See You Up There”) and “Three Days and a Life” have already been adapted as...

Gaumont is set to unveil sprawling period thriller “The Colors of Fire,” based on Pierre Lemaitre’s international bestseller.

Directed by Clovis Cornillac, “The Colors of Fire” is headlined by a prestigious cast, including Lea Drucker (pictured), the Cesar-winning actor of “Custody,” as well as Benoit Poelvoorde (“Sink or Swim”), Olivier Gourmet (“Karl Marx”), Fanny Ardant (“DNA”), Alice Isaaz (“Elle”) and Cornillac.

Set for delivery in the second half of 2021, “The Colors of Fire” is budgeted at $16 million — a big budget by French standards — and is being produced in-house by Gaumont, as part of the company’s recent mandate to fully finance and produce select films. The movie is in post and shot entirely in Paris.

Lemaitre, author of “The Colors of Fire,” previously wrote “See You Up There,” whose film adaptation directed by Albert Dupontel won five César Awards and sold more two million theatrical admissions in France.

“Although...

Drama Adult Material and Basque conflict saga Patria among series set to market premiere online.

French TV festival and industry event Series Mania has kicked off its industry-focused online platform the Digital Forum, showcasing 40 completed series and 10 short format works as well as 30 pre-recorded pitches for shows in development.

The digital initiative replaces the physical event that was due to take place in the northern French city of Lille from March 20 to 28 but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. France is now under a lockdown which is expected to run into April.

Channel 4’s drama Adult Material and...

Drama Adult Material and Basque conflict saga Patria among series set to market premiere online.

French TV festival and industry event Series Mania has kicked off its industry-focused online platform the Digital Forum, showcasing 40 completed series and 10 short format works as well as 30 pre-recorded pitches for shows in development.

The digital initiative replaces the physical event that was due to take place in the northern French city of Lille from March 20 to 28 but was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. France is now under a lockdown which is expected to run into April.

Channel 4’s drama Adult Material and...

UK projects are Channel 4’s Adult Material and Sky’s Little Birds.

The line-up for the 2020 edition of Series Mania, which runs March 20-28 in Lille, has been unveiled.

The competition features the world premieres of two UK series’; Channel 4’s Adult Material, created by Lucy Kirkwood and starring Haley Squires; and Sophia Al-Maria’s Little Birds, which is based on the short story by Anais Nin, broadcast on Sky and starring Juno Temple.

Other highlights in the competition include Israel’s biggest budget drama series Valley Of Tears starring Lior Ashkenazi; German Netflix series Unorthodox from Anna Winger,...

Paris — “Narcos” showrunner Chris Brancato and “Godfather of Harlem” star Giancarlo Esposito, actors Carole Bouquet and Zabou Breitman, and the cast and crew behind the Canal Plus series “The Bureau” will be among the many guest of honor at this year’s Series Mania, which will kick off its 11th edition on March 20.

Returning to the north-eastern French city of Lille, Series Mania will once again offer a broad cross-section of international scripted dramas, with a selection culled from 25 different countries including Chile, Peru, Niger, Senegal and South Korea, alongside high profile productions from the U.S., the U.K. and France.

Among the 38 productions world premiering in Lille, the BBC/Tvnz literary adaption “The Luminaries,” with Eva Green, will play as opening series while the closer remains unannounced.

Once again, Netflix makes a strong showing this year. Beyond bringing the cast and crew of their Paris-set drama “The Eddy,...