Upamanyu Biswas
Netflix will expand its French catalog with a brand-new crime drama! The Cinemaholic can confirm that the streaming giant has ordered the series ‘Bandi.’ Principal photography for the project will start in January in Martinique, France, and conclude by July 2025. Capucine Rochant serves as showrunner. Eric Rochant, Khris Burton, and Gwenola Balmelle wrote the screenplay, with Jimmy Laporal-Tresor and Mathilde Vallet on board as the directors. The plot centers on a family in Martinique, France, who transition from their everyday life existence to the criminal world following the passing of their mother.
Rochant is a writer and director best known for creating the acclaimed French espionage show ‘The Bureau,’ co-written by Capucine Rochant. It explores the inner and outer lives of agents within France’s Directorate-General for External Security, blurring the lines between personal desire and professional responsibility. The show is the basis for Showtime’s ‘The Agency,‘ starring Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, and Richard Gere. Rochant’s other notable credits include the 1994 thriller drama ‘Les Patriotes’ and the romantic comedy ‘Un Monde sans Pitié.’
Burton is a Martinique-based writer and director who has helmed short films like ‘Maybe Another Time,’ ‘Nanny: Filminute,’ and the sci-fi mystery ‘S0.CI3.TY.’ He also wrote and directed the documentary ‘Your Angel: Success Story.’ Balmelle is a writer on the crime drama show ‘Deadly Tropics,’ originally titled ‘Tropiques Criminels,’ and the drama series ‘Jusqu’au Bout Du Reve.’
Laporal-Tresor is best known for his action short film ‘Soldat Noir,’ which was nominated for Best Short at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. The film follows a young man from the French West Indies named Hughes, who realizes through a Freetime ad that he is considered a cannibal in his country, inciting rage and frustration. The filmmaker’s latest directorial includes the thriller drama ‘Les Rascals.’
Mathilde Vallet is a talented director who helmed two episodes of the comedy-drama series ‘Sam’ and eight episodes of the drama series ‘Je te Promets.’ She recently helmed the crime comedy ‘Rendez-vous avec le Crime: Le Mouton Noir.’
Martinique is a small Caribbean island in the French West Indies, an overseas region of France located around the Antilles islands of the Caribbean. The island offers a cultural blend between French and West Indian influences, giving rise to a unique aesthetic. Its breathtaking views have enhanced numerous productions in the past, like John McTiernan’s crime romance ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’ Jonathan Demme’s mystery thriller ‘The Truth About Charlie,’ and the Italian action thriller ‘Concorde Affaire ’79.’
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