Blockbuster docu-series “Magellan’s Extraordinary Odyssey,” action thriller “The Devil’s Leap” and the Vincent Elbaz-led detective tale “Everybody Lies” were among distributor CLPB Rights’ hottest titles at this year’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Paris, with the three projects closing broadcast deals in key territories.
Executive produced by François Bertrand of Camera Lucida, listing Arte France, Belgica Films, Minimal Films, Serena Productions and co-producers, and directed by François de Riberolles, the epic miniseries “Magellan’s Extraordinary Odyssey” retraces the 16th century expedition that saw Fernando Magellan and an ever-dwindling number of sailors complete the first-ever trip around the world.
Boasting visuals from illustrator Ugo Bienvenu and sound design from Oscar winners Samy Bardet and Nicolas Becker (“Sound of Metal”), the program pulled in more than 1 million primetime viewers when it was broadcast on Arte last November, and has since sold to RTBF (Belgium), Movistar (Spain), Axess TV (Sweden), RTS (Switzerland) and TV5 (Canada), among others.
Produced by Iris Strauss of CPB Films in partnership with Yellow Butterfly, TF1 and Be-Films, and directed by Julien Seri, action drama “The Devil’s Leap” follows a retired Special Forces operator who must rely on his extreme survival skills when danger rears its head. Told in three standalone instalments with the final entry due out later this year, the show sold to Multicanal Iberia (Spain and Portugal) and Plaion (Germany), while the upcoming finale presold to RTL-TVI (Belgium) and RTS (Switzerland).
CLPB also closed a number of European deals on the first instalment of the inspector drama “Everybody Lies,” shoring up slots with RTBF, RTS, TV5 Monde and EITB Spain, while previewing future instalments.
Indeed, the larger media group – which consists of productions outfits CPB Films and Camera Lucida, immersive studio Lucid Realities, and distribution arm CLPB Rights – used this year’s inaugural French TV Screenings to showcase a number of upcoming titles, lifting the curtain on the loose literary adaptation “The Horla,” while sharing exclusive new images from the space doc “Beyond the Far Side.”
Directed by Marion Desseigne-Ravel (“Besties”), produced by CPB Films for Arte, and led by rising stars Bastien Bouillon and Mouna Soualem (both of the Disney+ series “Oussekine” and the Cannes-acclaimed “The Night of the 12th”), “The Horla” presents a modernized take on Guy de Maupassant’s bone-chilling text.
Produced by Camera Lucida and CPB Films in collaboration with China’s CCTV and Japan’s NHK, and directed by François-Xavier Vives with the participation of Christophe Galfard, “Beyond the Far Side” explores the Chinese space program with a level of access heretofore unseen.
“The Horla”
JEROME PREBOIS