France TV -distribution launches historic drama ‘Unchained’

France TV distribution, the arms arm of the French public broadcaster France Télévisions, went on board in the slave drama ‘Unchained’, which is launching it internationally at this year’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre.

“Unchained” takes place in 1806 at Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean, where the plantation of Charles Bellevue is in ruins.

Bankrupt, he is forced to sell his land and slaves, who are afraid of being torn apart. Among them, Isaac refuses to accept his fate. He has just discovered that Charles Bellevue is not only his master, but also his father.

Fed by anger and an insatiable desire for freedom, Isaac Charles convinces to preserve the plantation. Impressed by his determination, Charles appoints him as a supervisor.

Now Isaac has to balance his new strength with his urge to protect his people. The series follows its efforts to run this fine line.

The show was made by Alain Moreau, who wrote the six-part series with Adriana Barbato and Fanny Talmone, and produced by Tetra Media Fiction, part of ITV’s French production daughter Tetra Media Studio.

“Unchained” is directed by Laure de Butler.

The line-up of France TV Distribution in Le Havre also includes Family Thriller “Vendetta”, which starts this year’s Rendez-Vous TV market.

The six -part series tells the story of a Corsican family that includes the 1990s to this day. Anto, a Parisian agent of Corsican descent, swore like a child for his brother – killed in a Vendetta – to break the cycle of revenge that their family has plagued for generations. While he is preparing to return to his home country with his wife to take over the family wine gaard, he is ambushed and left in a coma. When he wakes up 10 years later, he discovers that his son, Santu, is now a teenager, obsessed with revenge.

“Vendetta” is produced by CPB films for France 2.

Other new titles are the six -part thriller ‘danger in the valley’. The series is set in the quiet village of Salvérac, nestled in the rugged Causses region and follows the efforts of a challenging mayor to stop an imminent threat: a shale gas drill project led by a billionaire -engineer and a powerful consortium. While fighting to stop the project, she becomes a target of shady threats.

“Danger in the Valley” is partly written by Bestseller the French author Michel Bussi and produced by Cinétévé in Paris in co-production with France TV and the BE films of Belgium.