Prime-Video - Prime Video Presents France 2023: new original productions and local acquisitions unveiled

By Mulder, 19 june 2023

"The whole team is delighted to share with you information about our next 16 French programs coming to Prime Video as well as Challengers, Luca Guadagnino's new film starring Zendaya, which will launch exclusively on Prime Video in France. Prime Video is a service in its own right, and we've adopted an approach focused on our Prime members to become a global "entertainment destination". Prime Video offers Prime members an extensive collection of movies, series, documentaries and sports - all available on hundreds of compatible devices. This includes our major global franchises such as Citadel, The Boys and The Lord of the Rings - The Rings of Power, as well as our French Original titles such as Franck Gastambide's recent Medellin, which has been enjoyed by audiences worldwide. I'm delighted that this line-up brings more programs that our subscribers will enjoy, and further demonstrates our commitment to the French creative industry. Alongside Prime, we also offer live sports, such as Roland Garros, as well as our movie rental and purchase service, which offers the latest releases. Finally, we also have Prime Video Channels, a service that allows our customers to subscribe to specific channels that match their passions - be it FilmoTV for film buffs, Mezzo for opera lovers, or the Warner Pass of course, which was launched following our exclusive agreement with Warner Bros Discovery, not forgetting our Ligue 1 Pass for soccer! I'm delighted with the line-up and proud of our ongoing commitment to investing in the French creative industries. We look forward to continuing to innovate for our members to bring them more of what they love." - Brigitte Ricou-Bellan, Managing Director, Prime Video, France

At the Prime Video Presents France 2023 event, nine new French Original productions were announced (Le Stupéfiant Noël des Silestone, Sulak, Tigres et Hyènes, Les Infaillibles, Feuilleman in development, TRASH, the new documentary series about Squeezie, Popstars, Comedy Class), the second season of Miskina, la pauvre was confirmed and five new French acquisitions were also announced (Numéro 10, Sirènes, Kali, En Terrasse and Nudes) as well as the second season of Coeurs noirs and the launch of Luca Guadagnino's Challengers starring Zendaya.  Prime Video also announced the release of ten French Amazon Original productions, six French acquisitions and the launch of the film Challengers exclusively on Prime Video in France.

French Original films

Feuilleman
Following 17 million views of their video together and growing public demand, Pierre Niney, McFly and Carlito bring together the ambition of cinema and the creativity of YouTube to give birth to the first French superhero: Feuilleman.

The amazing Silestone Christmas
On Christmas Eve, Greg, a lonely, taciturn policeman, abandons his daughter to go on a mission. To teach him a lesson, Santa decides to grant his daughter's wish: that her father resemble Richard Silestone, the good-natured, debt-ridden family man from the Christmas movie she loves. As Greg is sent to this unlikely world, Richard mistakenly lands in the real one. Upon awakening, both men realize they have no choice but to succeed in each other's mission to regain their respective lives: dismantling a dangerous drug ring for Richard and saving the family home for Greg by winning the local figure skating competition. The Silestones' Amazing Christmas will launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide in 2023.
Directed by Arthur Sanigou
Co-created by Arthur Sanigou and Pierre Dudan
Produced by BAF Prod
With Eric Judor, Ragnar le Breton, Alex Lutz, Laura Felpin, Paul Deby, Catherine Hosmalin, Bruno Sanches, Hafid Benamar, Monsieur Poulpe

The infallible
With a gang of bank robbers wreaking havoc in Paris and humiliating the police for months, the Minister of the Interior wants new blood at the head of the investigation: Alia is from Marseilles, explosive and unmanageable, Hugo is from Paris, valedictorian and meticulous. In short, they have everything they need to hate each other. A forced alliance, for better or for worse... and more? Les Infaillibles will launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide in 2024.
Directed by Frédéric Forestier
Written by Kevin Debonne and Frédéric Forestier
Produced by Monkey Pack
Starring Inès Reg, Kevin Debonne

Sentinelle

François Sentinelle leads a double life. By day, he's the most talked-about cop on Reunion Island, known for his tough methods and flowery shirts, chasing down criminals in his famous yellow defender. But off-duty (and often on duty), Sentinelle has another job: charm singer. The whole of Reunion Island has danced to "Le Kiki", his youthful hit, now a little embarrassing. For the past fifteen years, he has been trying to make a comeback by preparing a new album... without success. But between the police and music, Sentinelle doesn't want to choose. While he remains busy with his concerts and the release of his album, a wave of violent crime shakes the island. One of the local elite is kidnapped, another murdered. For any cop, this would be the case of a lifetime. But Sentinelle, all about his music, doesn't really have the head for investigation. Sentinelle will launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide on September 8, 2023.
Directed by David Caviglioli and Hugo Benamozig
Co-written by Hugo Benamozig and David Caviglioli
Produced by 22h22 and Les Films entre 2 et 4
Starring Jonathan Cohen, Emmanuelle Bercot, Raphaël Quenard, Gustave Kervern and Ramzy Bedia

Sulak

Inspired by true events, the film follows the tumultuous life of Bruno Sulak, the Arsène Lupin of the 20th century. A flamboyant hold-up man, a loyal friend and an icon of freedom, Bruno Sulak left his mark on the history of banditry with his non-violent hold-ups of numerous jewelry stores. While being actively sought by George Moréas, a non-conformist police commissioner as tough as he was perceptive, Sulak managed to escape from prison several times in order to find Thalie, his lover and accomplice, thus becoming public enemy number 1 of the 80s. Sulak will launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide in 2024.
Directed by Mélanie Laurent
Written by Mélanie Laurent and Chris Deslandes
Produced by Pitchipoï Productions
Starring Lucas Bravo

Tigers & Hyenas

Just back from Spain, where he's been doing a lot of smuggling, Malik hears on the radio that Serge Lamy, his stepfather who saved his life when he was young, has just been arrested by the BRB with accomplices for a robbery gone wrong. On the opening day of the trial, Iris, the lawyer for Chérif, one of the defendants
apparently wrongly accused, proposes a pact to Malik: accept a mysterious and dangerous heist in exchange for her father-in-law's freedom and that of her client. Torn between duty and his guilt towards Serge, Malik finally accepts the proposal and joins forces with a team of bank robbers, all former partners of Chérif: all former thugs who have settled down and agreed to get together one last time for a final heist. Tigers & Hyenas will launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide in 2024.
Directed by Jérémie Guez
Written by Jérémie Guez and Louis Lagayette
Produced by Cheyenne Federation
Starring Fianso, Waël Sersoub, Géraldine Nakache, Olivier Martinez and Olivier Marchal

Exclusive French films

Kali (working title)

In this new all-female action film, actress Sabrina Ouazani (L'Esquive, Des hommes et des dieux, Kung Fu Zohra, Validé) brings to life Lisa, aka Kali, who has nothing left to lose when she realizes that her husband has been executed in Rio to cover up a corruption scandal. With fists, blood and explosives, her quest for the truth not only satisfies her thirst for vengeance, but also gives new meaning to her life as a warrior. It will be her rebirth. Kali will be launched exclusively on Prime Video in France, in several European countries including Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg, and in several international territories including Brazil and Mexico in 2024.
Directed by Julien Séri
Written by Julien Séri, Cyril Ferment and Pascal Sid
Produced by Daïgoro Films and Davis Films
Starring Sabrina Ouazani, Olivia Côte and Philippe Bas

Number 10

20-year-old Ousmane Diallo is the new star in the making on the soccer planet. Due to his relatively late blossoming, he has never yet played for a national team. Tomorrow morning, he will have to tell the world whether he chooses France, the country where he was born and grew up, or Senegal, the homeland of his father, Hamidou. Hamidou has always managed his son's career with an iron fist, and he intends to make him reject Les Bleus with a bang in favor of the "lions of Terranga". The whole of France seems to have an opinion on the matter. Ousmane has one night to make up his mind. The longest night of his life... Numéro 10 will be launched exclusively on Prime Video in France and in several European countries, including Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg, in 2024.
Directed by David Diane
Written by Simon Moutaïrou and Rémi Moutairou
Produced by Marvelous
Starring Ilyes Djadel, Ibrahima Diallo, Ragnar le Breton and Camille Chamoux

Sirènes (working title)

Freshly graduated from the Paris police academy, Leïla Balani reluctantly joins the Nice detective squad to train in the field, her weak point, even though she is brilliant in criminology and psychology. Her superior pairs her with Captain Alison Flesh, an intrepid, rebellious and uncontrollable woman from Nice who can't stand Parisian women or teamwork... And so begins an incredible investigation on the trail of a serial killer. Flesh and Balani will have to tame each other and team up to save lives, even if it means turning the whole Riviera upside down!
Directed by Adeline Picault
Written by Carine Prevot and Adeline Picault in collaboration with Stéphane Kazandjian
Produced by Mandarin & Compagnie
With Alice Pol, Shirine Boutella, Ramzy Bedia, Natacha Lindinger, Serge Hazanavicius, Giovanni Cirfiera and Jérémy Gillet, with the participation of Medi Sadoun

Exclusive international films

Challengers
Directed by visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and force of nature who makes no apologies for her play on and off the court. Married to a fading champion (Mike Faist - West Side Story), Tashi's strategy for her husband's redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face Patrick (Josh O'Connor - The Crown), his former best friend and Tashi's ex-boyfriend. With their past and present colliding and tensions running high, Tashi must ask himself what it will cost him to win. Challengers will be released exclusively in France on Prime Video by the end of the year, following a worldwide theatrical release in the U.S. by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures and internationally by Warner Brothers Pictures. The film is directed by Luca Guadagnino and stars Zendaya, Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist.
Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Written by Justin Kuritzkes
Starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor

Ferrari

In the summer of 1957, former racing driver Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife Laura built from scratch ten years earlier. Their tempestuous marriage struggles with the mourning of one son and the recognition of another. He decides to counter his losses by staking everything on a single race - 1,000 miles across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia.
Directed by Michael Mann
Written by Troy Kennedy-Martin, Michael Mann, Brock Yates
Starring Shailene Woodley, Adam Driver, Sarah Gadon, Jack O'Connell, Penelope Cruz, Patrick Dempsey

Freelance
Freelance is an action-comedy that follows a Special Forces operative (John Cena ) who decides to retire from the army and start a family in the USA. After several years of trying to adjust to life in the suburbs, he decides to come out of retirement and accept a contract to provide security for a journalist (Alison Brie) while she interviews a South American dictator.When a military coup erupts in the middle of the interview, the three of them are forced to flee into the jungle, where they must survive the elements, the military and each other.
Directed by Pierre Morel
Written by Jacob Lentz
Starring John Cena, Alison Brie, Alice Eve

Kandahar

Tom Harris (Gerard Butler) is a secret CIA agent undercover in the Middle East. An intelligence leak reveals his identity while he's on assignment. Stranded in the heart of hostile territory, Harris and his Afghan interpreter, Kahil, must fight their way out of the desert to Kandahar, their exfiltration point, while evading the elite Special Forces hunting them down. The race against time begins.
Directed by Ric Roman Waugh
Written by Mitchell LaFortune
Starring Gerard Butler,Navid Negahban, Ali Fazal

Mother's instinct

Two best friends and neighbors, Alice and Céline, lead seemingly idyllic lives in perfect harmony. Their lives are suddenly shattered by a tragic accident. Guilt, suspicion and paranoia shatter the relationship between the two women.
Directed by Benoît Delhomme
Written by Barbara Abel, Sarah Conradt
With Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Josh Charles

Thug

Neeson plays the titular hero, a Mafia enforcer in decline who puts everything on the line to win back his estranged family and make one last attempt at redemption by dismantling the operations of a rival criminal organization.
Directed by Hans Petter Moland
Written by Tony Gayton
With Liam Neeson, Ron Perlman, Daniel Diemer

The march King's daughter

Helena Petterier's (Daisy Ridley) idyllic life is turned upside down when she learns that the man who raised her and held her hostage for 12 years in a swamp has escaped from prison. To protect her husband and daughter, Helena must confront the dark past she's always kept secret and track down her father (Ben Mendelsohn), the notorious King of the Swamp.
Directed by Neil Burger
Written by Karen Dionne, Elle Smith, Mark L. Smith
With Daisy Ridley, Ben Mendelsohn, Garrett Hedlund

Films in 2nd release window

Full speed ahead
She's a tactical submarine officer. He's a steward. Before diving for 90 days, she chooses to make him her
her "four o'clock". But he hangs on! Following her! Who sticks to her! What's the point of a 747 cabin crew boasting about romance? As if we had time to fall in love aboard a military ship! The fact remains that the Pacific Ocean isn't big enough. Nor is the Arctic Ocean. The world is so small when you love each other so much...
Directed and written by Lucas Bernard
Produced by Gaumont
Starring Pio Marmai, Eye Haidara, José Garcia

In waves
AJ, a shy teenager, meets Kristen while they're in high school in Los Angeles. An avid surfer, Kristen is the most incredible person he's ever met. He falls head over heels in love with her. While AJ's life seems to be taking off, Kristen's is shaken by illness. Together, they must fight adversity, aided by their shared passion for surfing and the ocean, and their band of friends. When love and friendship form a wave stronger than anything.
Animated feature by Phuong Mai Nguyen

Queen Mother
Amel and her family learn that their landlord wants her apartment back within the next few months. As her eldest daughter Mouna begins to have visions of Charles Martel, and their application for new social housing drags on, Amel has no choice but to reinvent herself.
Directed and written by Manele Labidi
Produced by Kazak Productions
Starring Camélia Jordana, Sofiane Zermani, Damien Bonnard

Original French series

Miskina, la pauvre season 2
After the death of her grandmother, Fara has taken control of her life. And she's doing very, very well. How does she do it? It's simple: Fara's a competent liar, she lies about everything, about her driving license, she lies to her boyfriend, to her cat (she doesn't have a cat), to the URSSAF, to her mother... And above all, to herself. She can't help it, it runs in the family. In the Alaoui family, lies are passed down from father to son, or grandmother to daughter. Just look at the little surprise Rania has left for them. On the trail of the ghosts of their past, the Alaouis may finally learn to tell each other the truth. Miskina, la pauvre Season 2 will launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide in 2024.
Written by Melha Bedia, Yoann Gromb, Xavier Lacaille, Anthony Marciano, Paul Rotman, Joséphine Ha, in collaboration with Mehdi Fikri
Produced by Quad
With Melha Bedia, Shirine Boutella, Hakim Jemili, Victor Belmondo, Xavier Lacaille and Alka Balbir
6x26 min

Ourika season 1
2005, in a Paris suburb plagued by riots, the Jebli family reigns supreme over the cannabis trade. As the neighborhoods go up in flames, a major DEA raid shatters the clan. Driss, the youngest son, is forced to take over the family business, despite having been destined for a career in finance. Opposite him, William, an ambitious rookie local cop, is determined to bring him down. Their meteoric parallel rise will change their destinies forever. Ourika will launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide in 2024.
Directed by Marcela Saïd and Julien Despaux
Created by Clément Godart, Elie Yaffa, Clément Gournay, Vincent L'Anthoen
Based on an original idea by Clément Godart and Elie Yaffa
Collection directors Clément Godart, Marine Francou,
Written by Marine Francou, Clément Godart, Sabine Dabadie, Vincent L'Anthoen, Clément Gournay, Sylvie Chanteux, Elie Yaffa, Mehdi Fikri
Produced by Prélude and 7Scope
With Adam Bessa, Noham Edje, Max Gomis, Salim Kechiouche, Elie Yaffa, Sawsan Abès, Yowa-Angélys Tshikaya, Meriem Serbah, Rayan Bouazza
7x52 min

Trash mini-series season 1
Inspired by true events, TRASH takes a behind-the-scenes look at the advent of a media phenomenon: Loft Story. 2001. The World Trade Center towers are still standing and the French are world champions... M6 launches its new show Loft Story. Behind the one-way mirrors, at the helm of the show, a group of young producers is ready to do anything to earn a place in the big leagues. They're not even 35, and together they have to invent everything. But the show will quickly become a social scandal, upsetting all the certainties of these pioneers of "reality TV". Trash will launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide in 2024.
Directed by Louis Farge
Created and written by Matthieu Rumani and Nicolas Slomka
Co-written by Jean-Alain Laban, with dialogue by Marina Rollman
Produced by Screenline and 27 Tribe (Georgia Poivre, Clara Levy, Frédéric Lussato and Loft Story producer Alexia Laroche-Joubert)
6x52 min

Unscripted original series

Comedy class

Some of the biggest names in comedy set themselves a daunting challenge: to seek out their successors by touring France's biggest comedy clubs. Only the most promising will join the prestigious Comedy Class. The program includes improvisation, parody and roast... Unique, tailor-made coaching by our mentors awaits our young talents. The aim? To stand out from the crowd and make the difference in the challenges that will pit the up-and-coming comedians against each other. Only one of them will win... So who will be the next generation of French humor? Go behind the scenes of comedy and stand-up with Comedy Class, the new talent show on Prime Video.
Produced by ITV Studios France
8x40 min

The new documentary series about Squeezie (title to be announced)

You know Squeezie, France's most followed video artist with over 18 million subscribers on YouTube. But do you know Lucas? For the past 10 years, his friend and director Théodore Bonnet has been filming his adventures, behind the scenes of his meteoric rise to fame. Coming soon on Prime Video: the documentary series on France's leading Youtuber.
Directed by Théodore Bonnet
Produced by 3e Oeil Productions and Unfold

Popstars

Popstars is back to tell the true story of how a band came together to break the mould. The cult TV show of the 2000s is back! A jury made up of the greatest artists on the French music scene will gather to find the stars of tomorrow, coach them and offer them the chance to record their first songs. Together, they'll sing, dance, evolve as a community, and discover what goes on behind the scenes of a profession they never thought they'd be involved in, and whose codes have changed a lot in recent years... And for this new edition: duos, trios, quartets... Unisex or mixed... No preconceived number or gender objectives. It's the talents, their chemistry and personalities that will dictate the final choice of group!
Produced by DMLS TV and ALP
8x40 min

Exclusive French series 

Cœurs noirs season 2

In this second season, the fight against Daesh continues, but for Group 45 the mission has now also become a personal matter.
Directed by Ziad Doueiri
Created by Virginie Brac
Produced by Gilles de Verdière of Mandarin Télévision
With Nicolas Duvauchelle, Marie Dompnier, Tewfik Jallab, Nina Meurisse, Jérémy Nadeau, Victor Pontecorvo, Thierry Godard and Moussa Maaskri

En terrasse season 1

This terrace, this "HQ", is that of David, Flo and Cam, three friends since childhood, who have moved to a big city together. Where each is the other's landmark. The confidant. Drinking buddies. And the vexatious too. The terrace isn't just where they sit, it's an unchanging place to meet up, come what may. A ritual. A fixed point in this new, changing, frightening life. The series tells the humorous story of David and his friends, young adults in their mid-twenties, who oscillate between parties, love affairs, friendships, uncertainties and fears. It's a series of encounters and reunions, a Coming of Age, that of a twenty-something boy who must learn to make choices...
Directed by Florence Fauquet and Félix Guimard
Created by Bastien Dartois and David Voinson
from an original idea by David Voinson
Produced by Calt Production, a subsidiary of Groupe Robin
With David Voinson, Diane Segard and Florent All, with the participation of Olivia Côte,
Titoff, Antonia de Rendinger and Adrien Ménielle
Short com 12x12 min

Nudes season 1

Sofia, Ada and Victor are three teenagers, each played by a different character, who in three separate chapters tell the story of how the increasing virtualization of human relationships and sexuality, symbolized by Nudes, has turned our times and the adolescence of so-called Generation Z upside down. The Nudes series deals with a practice that is more topical than ever, and that permeates our society: the somewhat shameful and risky sending of nude photos. The series crosses the paths of Sofia, Ada and Victor, three teenagers living in very different worlds: from a high-school girl torn by social determinism, to a middle-school girl from a desolate rural area who is a victim of online pedo-crime, to a medical student who is unaware of the risks he is exposing his fellow student to, Nudes paints the portraits of three young adults confronted with the problem of cyberstalking. Nudes to be launched on Prime Video exclusively in France in 2024
Directed by Sylvie Verheyde, Lucie Borleteau and Andréa Bescond
Co-written by Julie-Albertine Simonney, David Fortems, Marine Maugrain-Legagneur, Victor Lockwood, Anne-Lise Rivoire, Marie-Cécile Françon
Produced by Wild Bunch and Alcatraz Films
With Léonie Dahan-Lamort, Sacha Lauras, Baptiste Masseline
10x26 min

Series in partnership with Arte

Machine season 1

Machine will be launched on Prime Video 1 month after its broadcast on ARTE. This is the story of a woman who wants to be forgotten. With a DRSD commando unit on her tail, she hides out in a small town, behind a menial factory job. No one knows her name. So everyone calls her... Machine. The factory closes and the fight begins. Machine, who wanted to keep a low profile, finds herself caught in the fires of the workers' revolt. What the Korean shareholders, the prefect and the unions don't know is that this little temp is a former Special Forces operative. From solitary combat to solidarity, Machine, who already knows how to fight, is going to learn how to fight.
Created by Thomas Bidegain and Fred Grivois
Based on an original idea and directed by Fred Grivois
Screenplay by Thomas Bidegain, Fred Grivois and Valentine Monteil
A co-production of FIT PRODUCTION, 687, WHITE LION FILMS, ARTE FRANCE
In association with MAKWA PRODUCTIONS
With Margot Bancilhon, JoeyStarr, Hiba el Aflahi, Guillaume Labbé, Alexandre Philip, Michaël Abiteboul, Anne Benoit, Sébastien Lalanne, David Grolleau, Léonie Simaga, Hubert Delattre, Alysson Paradis
6x52 min

All Prime Video Presents ads will be available to Prime Video catalog subscribers. Prime members in France benefit from exclusive Prime Flash Sales, accelerated delivery and access to the best in entertainment in a single subscription for just €6.99/month or the low price of €69.90/year. This content will enrich the thousands of series and films available in the Prime Video catalog, such as the critically acclaimed series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Terminal List, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Star Trek: Picard, Carnival Row, American Gods, The Boys and La Fabuleuse Mme Maisel, as well as French Originals like Salade Greque, Orelsan: Montre Jamais ça à Personne, Hawa, Overdose, Miskina, la Pauvre, LOL: Qui Rit, Sort! Mixte, Le Bal des Folles, Celebrity Hunted : Chasse à l'Homme, or exclusive programs like Coeurs Noirs, BDE, Darknet-sur-Mer, Forte, Je te Veux Moi Non Plus, and many others - all available on Prime Video at no extra cost to Amazon Prime members.

(Source : press release)