Let it be said, Prime Video will go all out on French productions

Since the adoption of the SMAD decree last summer, the announcements on the investments of foreign platforms in the French audiovisual industry do not stop raining. If we can have fun seeing the Netflix, Disney + or Prime Video proud of their major projects in terms of content produced in France, when it was clearly necessary to twist their arm a little to arrive at With this result, we can rejoice that local creators are offered an often appreciable freedom on this kind of medium.

On April 12, it was therefore Amazon’s turn to tell us more about its upcoming projects with regard to French content. In addition to the arrival of Salto among the channels offered on Prime Video, many projects have been detailed. Let’s go back to these different announcements, point by point.

Emphasis on original creations

The sinews of war when it comes to investing in the production of a country are, of course, original creations. And on this point, Prime is not idle. Several more or less attractive projects have been announced. On the film side, Ahmed Sylla himself came to present Classico (released in 2022), a project that smells good of the platform that wants to capitalize on its expensive football investment. We will follow a character working for Olympique de Marseille, forced to get his hands on the trophy of the famous 1993 Champions League, which he suspects has been kidnapped by supporters of Paris Saint-Germain. Sylla will meet many well-known faces there such as Alice Belaïdi, Paul Mirabel, Denis Podalydes, Elie Semoun and other more surprising names (although given the pitch) such as Soprano, Basile Boli, Oxmo Puccino or… Vianney.

Still in the comic register, Franck Gastambide was also present for Medellin (2023), a story inspired according to him by the fascination of certain young people for “bad boys” like Tony Montana or Pablo Escobar. It is on the track of the latter that the protagonist of this story sets off, a young youtuber in search of buzz. After his kidnapping in the middle of Medellín, his big brother will form a team for the One of the most ambitious action comedy ever produced in France, according to Prime Video.

Among the other big names mentioned during the press conference, let’s mention that of Olivier Marchal, whose next thriller, more muscular than ever, Overdose, will also be present on Prime Video. But the movie we’re most looking forward to isn’t the one with the flashiest name. This price is more like Hawaii (2022), next feature film by Maïmouna Doucouré, who distinguished herself – sometimes for the wrong reasons – with her first project cute. The story of a teenager who fears finding herself alone when her grandmother is seriously ill, and who decides to be adopted by an international star passing through Paris. We will find on the poster two artists very respected although separated by a sacred generational gap, Yseult and Oumou Sangaré.

On the series side, we are curious to see what will be Alphonse (2023), created and directed by Nicolas Bedos, who brings with him Jean Dujardin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nicole Garcia and Pierre Arditi. The pitch seems centered on a kind of gigolo going out of his way to meet the desires of his clients. We were also treated to some images of Greek saladFollowing The Spanish inn which should land in 2022.

Another intriguing project, Ourika (2023) will tell us about the rivalry between a young cop and a drug dealer during the violent riots of 2005. A series sold as a “urban western” and a cross between Gomorrah, Gang of London and Infiltrators, for which we find a certain Booba among the screenwriters. The creators of Derby Girls are preparing a series called Killer Coaster (2023) where we follow a clumsy contract worker who thinks she’s a CIA agent, and decides to investigate a mysterious accident at the local funfair in Palavas-les-Flots. A story that promises to mix the genres of thriller and comedy and which will take place in the heart of the summer of 1998 and its World Cup. Finally, Prime Video offers a very beautiful creative setting to Melha Bedia, who will tell us about the setbacks of an eternally single young woman in Miskina.

Let’s finish with the non-fictional projects. Fans of reality TV and astrology (there are many of them) will be delighted to find Nabilla Vergara at the head of Cosmic Love (2022), a dating show where single candidates will have to find love based on their zodiac compatibility. As to Pogmentaryit will be a five-part documentary about Paul Pogba, which is scheduled for release “very soon“.

Acquisitions and great returns

Prime Video has picked up several projects that will soon join its catalog. Starting this year, subscribers will be able to discover Darknet-sur-Mera series with Artus hunted by the Albanian mafia following a crappy scam on the Darknet. An entire program. black hearts (2023) will be much more serious since it will look at the work of the French special forces deployed in Iraq in October 2016. A project also developed with France Télévisions. Noticed in Money HeistAlvaro Morte will reappear on Prime in an ambitious action/adventure series about the first circumnavigation of the globe by boat, Without limits.

On the film side, the new creation of Mickaël Youn, BDE, will also be broadcast on the Amazon platform. As an extension of its ambitions for sport, Prime Video also presented two documentaries to come in 2022, centered on Yannick Noah and the legendary coach of AJ Auxerre, Guy Roux. Among the international acquisitions have finally been announced major franchises such as The Dark KnightChristopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, John Wick or Divergent.

Several very popular projects have already planned to return, starting with the excellent documentary series by Orelsan, never show that to anyone, whose team is currently shooting new episodes. After a very recent season 2, LOL: who laughs comes out will return well for a third edition, just like Celebrity Hunted: Manhunt for his second. Castings will likely be announced in the coming months.

Second try on clay

Finally, the event concluded with a look at Prime Video’s sporting ambitions. Sports director Bernard Chatillon was pleased to welcome more than a million spectators to the Ligue 1 Sunday evening poster and made an announcement that should delight subscribers: the Ligue 1 Pass will not be charged during the summer break. The exact dates have not been given, but one can imagine a period covering June and July, with the championship resuming in early August. In addition, the Amazon service intends to offer one free match per month to Prime subscribers who have not subscribed to the Ligue 1 Pass, just to bait them.

But the nearest deadline is of course Roland-Garros. Unlike last year, the night sessions should be able to benefit from the presence of the public until late, which promises an electric atmosphere. The broadcast will begin on May 16 with qualifying on the two main courts. As a reminder, during the fortnight, Prime Video has exclusivity on the matches of the Simonne-Mathieu court as well as on the night sessions from 9 p.m., and co-broadcasts the semi-finals and the final with France Télévisions. For the 2022 edition, the antenna will be taken from 10:45 a.m. each day, with a team of consultants made up in particular of Fabrice Santoro, Marion Bartoli and the newcomer Guy Forget.