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Reformed, originally titled Le Sens des Choses, is a French-language drama series that premiered on HBO Max and has quickly caught attention for its fresh take on religion, identity, and tradition. Set in Strasbourg, France, the show follows Léa Schmoll—a newly ordained, young, and modern female rabbi—as she leads a diverse Jewish community through the moral, spiritual, and cultural dilemmas of today. Starring Elsa Guedj and inspired by the real-life journey of Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, one of France’s few female rabbis, Reformed is a rare blend of realism and introspection, built around quiet moments, complicated decisions, and unspoken tensions.

In this article, we’ll explore the plot, characters, thematic focus, and real-life inspiration behind the series, as well as why HBO Max chose to tell this story at this moment in time.

Plot Overview:

At the heart of Reformed is Léa Schmoll, a 30-year-old rabbi navigating both...

Exclusive: Noé Debré issued a rallying call for public broadcasting as he accepted Deadline’s inaugural French TV Disruptor Award at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous event in Normandy, France.

Debré is one of the most exciting writers and directors in France and has worked on projects for pay TV services and has a new show for Max, but he is known for breakout comedy series Parlement and is currently enjoying pre-launch buzz for Zorro, both of which are for pubcaster France Télévisions domestically.

Speaking as he accepted the award, which recognizes an industry figure with a singular voice and producing outstanding work, he said: “When I was told about the award, I was very flattered and I also looked up what ‘disruption’ actually means. It’s been popularized by tech companies and tech culture, because, as you know, tech companies are now very big in our field. But it turns out...

New York based Cargo Film & Releasing has acquired global rights, excluding France and Germany, to Germany-based Florian Film’s “The Books He Didn’t Burn,” which is narrated by Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons.

Directed by Jascha Hannover, the film explores how Hitler’s personal library provides a look into his mind and how it significantly informed his worldview. While Hitler is better known for burning books than collecting them, the books he voraciously read provided the horrific rationale that led to the violence and harm he orchestrated toward Jewish people in 1930s and 1940s Europe.

Contributors include Timothy W. Ryback, a historian and director of the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation in The Hague, Delphine Horvilleur, France’s third female rabbi and many others.

“Our hope with this never before explored story is to better understand the justifications people use for their bigotry and violent acts in order for...

French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis will head up the jury of this year’s socially-distanced Deauville American Film Festival. The event, which runs in the French seaside town Sept. 4-13, will be one of the first film festivals to be held in the post-covid-19 era.

Paradis will oversee a competition jury that includes her Knife + Heart director Yann Gonzalez, fellow French actors Zita Hanrot (Fatima) and Vincent Lacoste (Sorry Angel), director Bruno Podalydes (The Sweet Escape), producer Sylvie Pialat (Timbuktu), the author Delphine Horvilleur and French rapper Oxmo Puccino. They will pick this year’s Deauville winners, which will be ...

French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis will head up the jury of this year’s socially-distanced Deauville American Film Festival. The event, which runs in the French seaside town Sept. 4-13, will be one of the first film festivals to be held in the post-covid-19 era.

Paradis will oversee a competition jury that includes her Knife + Heart director Yann Gonzalez, fellow French actors Zita Hanrot (Fatima) and Vincent Lacoste (Sorry Angel), director Bruno Podalydes (The Sweet Escape), producer Sylvie Pialat (Timbuktu), the author Delphine Horvilleur and French rapper Oxmo Puccino. They will pick this year’s Deauville winners, which will be ...

The 46th edition of the Deauville American Film Festival is set to open with Lee Isaac Chung’s critically acclaimed drama “Minari,” and will close with Douglas Attal’s fantasy-filled French movie “How I Became a Super Hero.”

“Minari,” one of the 15 films that will screen in competition at Deauville, was a standout at Sundance where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. “Minari” tells the autobiographical tale of a Korean American family who moves to Arkansas to start a farm in the 1980s. Chung’s fifth film, “Minari” is inspired by the filmmaker’s own childhood and stars Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho and Scott Haze.

Deauville’s artistic director Bruno Barde described “Minari” as an exceptional film reminiscent of John Ford’s movies. Barde said the selection of the film in competition underscores Deauville’s “desire for a rigorous popular cinema.”

Meanwhile,...